Raw Food Recipe Quinoa Salad

Introducing my favorite quinoa salad! I’ve published more than a few quinoa salads over the years and I genuinely love all of them, but this recipe is officially my favorite.

This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp and delicious. It’s made simply with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing. The salad sort of reminds me of tabouleh, an herbed Lebanese salad with tomatoes and bulgur.

This recipe doesn’t taste “basic, ” but it has a lot of merits that make it a staple recipe in my kitchen. I hope it becomes your go-to quinoa salad recipe, too! Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments.

Make Ahead Broccoli And Quinoa Salad Recipe

My summer has been punctuated by fun, casual get-togethers with friends. Spontaneous afternoons at the pool, walks around the park, and potlucks—yes to all of the above. It’s nice to have supplies at the ready. My pool bag is packed with magazines and sunscreen, and my fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thank you, Bota Box!).

The “Bota Mini” size is super portable and easy to grab for an evening picnic at the park. The small boxes are convenient because you don’t have to remember to bring a bottle opener, and the empty boxes are lightweight and recyclable. Each 500 mL mini contains three glasses of wine, or just over half of a standard wine bottle. I recommend pairing their light, crisp Sauvignon blanc with this refreshing summer salad.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this quinoa salad becomes your favorite, too.

Sun Dried Tomato, Spinach And Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.

Change it up: This salad is awesome as written. You can serve it on fresh greens with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice for dressing. Feel free to top it with crumbled feta cheese or a dollop of cashew sour cream (recipe in my cookbook, page 217).

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

My Favourite Quinoa Salad

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #.

This post was sponsored by Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!

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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

© Cookie and Kate 2010 - 2023. All rights reserved. Cookie and Kate is a registered trademark of Cookie and Kate LLC.Enjoy this pantry-friendly Greek/ Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe warm or chilled. It’s packed with protein, fiber, and lots of vegetables, including kale, white beans, tomatoes, and olives in a lemon-garlic quinoa dressing! Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan quinoa salad!

Not only is quinoa packed with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and all nine essential amino acids (!!), but in the last few years, this superfood seed has become far more cost-effective too. Which means we’ve enthusiastically found tons of ways to enjoy vegan quinoa recipes. Alongside artichoke heart quinoa salad, quinoa chipotle bowls, and a sweet potato quinoa bowl, we’re now sharing this recipe for Mediterranean quinoa!

This simple veggie quinoa dish combines garlic and lemon quinoa with Greek/Mediterranean veggies, including kale, white beans, tomatoes, and olives. You can enjoy it either warm, at room temperature, or chilled as a nutritious Mediterranean quinoa salad! Either way, it makes for a tasty and nutritious, simple side dish or main that will help to keep you satisfied until your next meal!

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

Even better, this vegan quinoa recipe can be prepared in as little as 30 minutes (even less when using pre-cooked quinoa!), and, as usual, there are several ways to adapt this recipe based on what you have in your kitchen. Plus, this dish is easy to make ahead and store for later, perfect for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week or for taking to potlucks, picnics, and other gatherings at summer and year-round!

1) First, prepare the ingredients. Slice the kale, removing the tough stems, mince/grate the garlic, drain and rinse the canned white beans, and pit and slice the olives). You can also squeeze the lemon juice at this point. At the same time, rinse the quinoa.

2) In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth/stock to a boil over high heat. Then, add the quinoa, cover with a lid, and reduce to a simmer for 14 minutes (or the time written on the package instructions), adding the kale leaves in the last five minutes.

Raw Zucchini Quinoa Salad With Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

4) In a separate small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then add that over the cooked quinoa.

5) Finally, add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well to combine. Give the Mediterranean quinoa a quick taste and adjust any seasonings, then serve while warm and enjoy!

While this version is fairly similar to the above, the main difference is to cook the quinoa and allow it to cool slightly before mixing in the remaining raw vegetables.

Kale & Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing

If you don’t plan to cook the quinoa in advance, you can cook it, spread it across a parchment-lined baking sheet, and chill it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Then toss with all the remaining ingredients and enjoy your Med/Greek quinoa salad!

If you plan to make a Mediterranean quinoa salad, it’s best to cook the quinoa ahead of time to avoid wilting all the fresh elements. You can do this up to two days in advance.

Allow the veggies quinoa to cool and then store in airtight container/s in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Then, you can enjoy the leftovers as a chilled Mediterranean/ Greek quinoa salad or reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop (optionally with a splash of extra broth to avoid drying out).

Quinoa Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing

Cooked quinoa also freezes very well (in airtight containers/Ziplock/Stasher bags for 3-4 months); however, many fresh vegetables won’t fare well after freezing/thawing. If you make enough to freeze, we recommend doing so only with the quinoa/kale, then add the fresh ingredients upon thawing.

You can enjoy this Mediterranean/ Greek quinoa in several ways, including either warm or chilled and as a side or main. Here are just a few ideas:

Enjoy this pantry-friendly Greek/Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe warm or chilled. It's packed with protein, fiber, and lots of vegetables, including kale, white beans, tomatoes, and olives in a lemon-garlic quinoa dressing! Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan quinoa salad!

Lentil Quinoa Salad Veggies Don't Bite

Pour the dressing over warm quinoa: Even if you plan to make this as a chilled Mediterranean quinoa salad, pouring half the lemon vinaigrette over the quinoa while it’s warm will help it soak up the flavors better.

Wait for the quinoa to cool before making a salad: Otherwise, when you mix in the fresh ingredients, they may wilt and lose their crisp textures.

Calories: 378 kcal Carbohydrates: 52 g Protein: 14 g Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g Sodium: 1516 mg Potassium: 638 mg Fiber: 8 g Sugar: 3 g Vitamin A: 2397 IU Vitamin C: 26 mg Calcium: 97 mg Iron: 4 mg

Raw Beet Quinoa Salad

Disclaimer: Although attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Roxane is a culinary school graduate, professional pastry chef and devoted mama of an adorable toddler – She loves cooking and baking tasty, healthy plant-based food that is kind to our bodies, the earth and the animals! She also runs her own website, Roxane’s Natural Kitchen