Description
This Mediterranean quinoa salad is a vibrant, nutritious dish bursting with fresh flavors from roasted tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fragrant herbs, and crunchy roasted chickpeas. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side, it’s easy to prepare and ideal for meal prepping.
Ingredients
Main Salad
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 cup mixed fresh basil and mint leaves
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 cup roasted chickpeas
Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 recipe Roasted Tomatoes (typically cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, roasted until soft and caramelized)
Dressing
- 1 recipe Italian Dressing (commonly including olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper)
- 2 additional garlic cloves, grated
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, roasted tomatoes, arugula, sliced cucumbers, fresh basil and mint leaves, crumbled feta, kalamata olives, diced red onion, and toasted pine nuts. Gently toss these ingredients to evenly mix the flavors.
- Add Dressing and Seasoning: Drizzle half of the Italian dressing over the salad mixture and toss again to coat all components lightly. Then, sprinkle sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a few pinches of red pepper flakes, tossing once more. Taste, and add more dressing if desired to balance the flavors perfectly.
- Top with Roasted Chickpeas and Serve: Finally, scatter the roasted chickpeas on top to add a crunchy texture. Serve the salad fresh as a healthy meal or an accompaniment to your dishes.
Notes
- Prepare roasted tomatoes and Italian dressing ahead of time for quicker assembly.
- To roast tomatoes, toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until caramelized.
- Roasted chickpeas can be made by tossing cooked chickpeas with spices and baking until crispy.
- Use gluten-free ingredients to adapt this recipe if needed.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days, making it great for meal prepping.
