Refreshing Quinoa Salad
Brighten up your table with this **Refreshing Quinoa Salad**—a medley of crisp veggies, tangy feta cheese, and fluffy quinoa brought together by a zesty homemade lemon-honey dressing. Perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, this wholesome dish features nutrient-packed ingredients like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and parsley, making it both light and satisfying. Ready in just 35 minutes, it's an ideal option for healthy lunches, picnics, or side dishes. Whether served chilled or at room temperature, this vibrant quinoa salad is a refreshing crowd-pleaser bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flair.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium, diced cucumber
- 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium, diced red bell pepper
- 0.25 small, finely chopped red onion
- 0.25 cup, chopped fresh parsley
- 0.5 cup, crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve to remove its natural bitterness.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa, 2 cups of water, and 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes to steam.
Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and let it cool to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, chopped parsley, and crumbled feta cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and black pepper to make the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss gently to combine all the ingredients well.
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.
Serve the quinoa salad chilled or at room temperature and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1286 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 71.2 g | 91% | |
| Saturated Fat | 16.7 g | 84% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4.5 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 67 mg | 22% | |
| Sodium | 3264 mg | 142% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 124.8 g | 45% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.4 g | 23% | |
| Total Sugars | 19.3 g | ||
| Protein | 39.1 g | 78% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 506 mg | 39% | |
| Iron | 8.0 mg | 44% | |
| Potassium | 1279 mg | 27% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
