Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta & Olives

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The flavors of the Med just sing in this delicious Mediterranean Quinoa salad that takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. The healthy salad is full of quinoa, Feta, Kalamata olives, limes, and fresh parsley and makes a great meal on its own, as well as a side dish for meat or fish.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions; to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and to understand the steps and timings involved.

This quick and easy dish pairs the bold Mediterranean flavors Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, lime, and fresh parsley against the subtle backdrop of quinoa.

Thanks to the naturally salty flavors of the olive brine and Feta cheese, this dish doesn’t need any added sodium to help balance the flavors.

However, for best results, you’ll want to make this dish in advance to give the flavors a chance to blend.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa has many health benefits, and according to Wiki: “Quinoa is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains.“

I was first introduced to quinoa (which I used to say exactly how it is spelled but is really pronounced KEEN-wah) about 12 years ago when I followed a detox plan. I wasn’t a big fan of it at first, but grew to like it the more I used it in recipes!

It’s one of those ingredients that seems to have exploded in popularity over the years and I liken it to a lighter version of couscous. It has a slightly nutty flavor and works well in both hot and cold dishes.

You may have seen white quinoa on the supermarket shelves, but there are also red and black varieties available. Fun fact: there are 1800 varieties of quinoa!

The darker varieties are more bold and earthy in flavor, so it’s worth starting with the white quinoa if you’ve never tried this grain (well, it’s actually a seed!) before. Or you could mix them for a pop of color and different flavors.

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

You may already have some of the basic ingredients for this recipe – the full list with measurements is found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

For your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.

• Quinoa – we used white quinoa in this recipe, but you could use a mixed blend if you like.
• Feta – a salty Greek cheese that works well in salads.
• Kalamata Olives – a Greek black olive.
• Lime Juice – lemon juice would also work very well in this salad.
• Fresh Parsley – I can’t imagine a Mediterranean dish without this herb!

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog! I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Quinoa

You can use quinoa as you would other grains like rice or barley as you’ll see in some of the recipes below!

• Veggie, Almond & Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf
• Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with Cannellini Beans
• 21+ Grain Salads – Quinoa, Buckwheat, Millet + More!

More Mediterranean Recipes

Looking for more Mediterranean inspo? Check these recipes out next:

• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Mediterranean Layer Dip with Hummus, Feta, and Fresh Vegetables
• Lamb Koftas with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

How Do I Make Mediterranean Quinoa Salad?

Just check out the recipe card below with full ingredients, instructions, and demonstration photos. You can print the card out too (don’t worry, the pics don’t print to save your ink).

Continue to Content

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A healthy and delicious salad to enjoy as a meal in itself or as a side dish with fish or meat.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 limes, zest and juice
• 4 oz (100g) Feta cheese, crumbed
• 2 oz (50g) Kalamata olives, chopped, with brine
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped
• Black pepper, to taste, optional

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.
2. Fluff quinoa with a fork and stir in lime zest, lime juice, Feta cheese, chopped olives, and fresh parsley until thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste.
3. Can be eaten immediately, but for best results, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 238mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 13g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Make It A Meal!

As I’ve mentioned, this salad could be served as a main or side dish , but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!

• Appetizer: Cucumber Feta Watermelon Skewers Party Appetizer with Balsamic Glaze
• Main Dish: Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts & Summer Vegetables
• Beverage: Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktail with Citrus Vodka & Lime
• Dessert: Fruit Salad Cupcakes

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!

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