This Greek Quinoa Salad is a fun little cross-cultural mashup: the feta and kalamata olives bring the classic Greek flavors, while the quinoa is a nod to Peru, where the grain has been grown and eaten for thousands of years. It is bright, herby, and packed with colors of tri-color quinoa, crisp bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, and a big handful of fresh parsley, basil, and dill, then finished with briny kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and a simple homemade Greek dressing. It's hearty enough to be a light lunch on its own, but just as happy sitting next to grilled chicken or fish. It also keeps beautifully in the fridge, so it is a great make-ahead option for weekday lunches or a potluck.
Greek Quinoa Salad
This Greek Quinoa Salad is a fun little cross-cultural mashup: the feta and kalamata olives bring the classic Greek flavors, while the quinoa is a nod to Peru, where the grain has been grown and eaten for thousands of years. It is bright, herby, and packed with colors of tri-color quinoa, crisp bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, and a big handful of fresh parsley, basil, and dill, then finished with briny kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and a simple homemade Greek dressing. It's hearty enough to be a light lunch on its own, but just as happy sitting next to grilled chicken or fish. It also keeps beautifully in the fridge, so it is a great make-ahead option for weekday lunches or a potluck.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups broth of choice (for cooking the quinoa)
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange), diced
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 4 green onions, sliced on a bias
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup basil, chopped
- ½ cup dill, chopped
- 1 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
Greek Dressing
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Quinoa
- Soak the quinoa overnight, then rinse well and add it to a pot.
- Add the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and let the quinoa sit and cool completely before assembling the salad.
Greek Dressing
- Whisk together the oregano, basil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl or jar.
- Add the red wine vinegar to the dry mix and stir to combine.
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
Salad
- Add the diced vegetables and chopped herbs to a large bowl and mix together.
- Add the cooled quinoa and mix to combine.
- Add the olives and feta and mix once more.
- If serving right away, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well; taste and adjust salt as needed. If serving later, store the salad undressed and add the dressing just before serving.
Notes
I used a mix of white and black quinoa I picked up while visiting Peru, but any variety of quinoa works fine here.
Soaking the quinoa overnight helps rinse away its natural bitterness and can make it easier to digest, but a thorough rinse under cold water works too if you are short on time.
I prefer to buy a block of feta and crumble it myself rather than using pre-crumbled feta. It is creamier and has better flavor than the packaged crumbles, which tend to dry out. Also, you can use the brine to marinate your chicken! Recipe coming soon!
This salad keeps well in the fridge for a few days if stored undressed. Toss with the dressing right before serving so the vegetables and herbs stay crisp and vibrant.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Greek
❖ LANGUAGE CORNER: GREEK QUINOA SALAD
These language guides are here to support you, not overwhelm you! Pick one word, one prompt, or one concept that feels right for your child and your moment. There is no right or wrong way to use them. The best conversation is the one that happens naturally while you are cooking together.
✦ Word of the Day: Emulsify
To emulsify means to blend two liquids that don't naturally mix, like oil and vinegar, into one smooth mixture. On their own, oil and vinegar separate almost right away but whisking them together (especially with the oil added slowly) traps tiny droplets of oil throughout the vinegar so the dressing looks creamy and combined, at least for a little while.
Try it: Whisk the dressing, then let it sit for a few minutes. What happens? Can you make it come back together?
✦ Describing Words
This salad is full of color and texture: crunchy cucumber and peppers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and creamy, salty feta. The herbs make it smell fresh and a little peppery, and the dressing adds a tangy, savory finish that ties everything together.
Try it: Pick one ingredient and describe it using taste, texture, and smell. Can your family guess which ingredient you're describing?
✦ Figure of Speech: It's All Greek to Me
“It's all Greek to me” is a saying people use when something is confusing or hard to understand, like reading a language you've never learned. It has nothing to do with actual Greek food or cooking, but since we're making a Greek salad today, it is a fun phrase to connect to the recipe.
Try it: Has anything ever felt confusing to you, like homework, a new game, or a set of directions? Try saying, “that was all Greek to me!”
✦ Talk While You Cook
While dicing the vegetables: “Which vegetable do you think will be the crunchiest once it is mixed into the salad?”
While whisking the dressing: “Why do you think we add the oil slowly instead of dumping it all in at once?”
While mixing the salad: “If you could add one more ingredient to this salad, what would it be?”
There are no wrong answers, just good conversation!
✦ Think Like a Chef
A chef is always asking, “what if?” This salad is an easy one to play with: what if you swapped the feta for goat cheese? What if you added chickpeas or grilled chicken for extra protein? What if you used mint instead of dill? Every swap changes the flavor or texture just a little, but the basic recipe still works.
Try it: Pick one ingredient to change and guess what will happen to the taste. Then try it and see if you were right.
✦ Language Concept: Sequencing
Recipes are all about order: first this, then that. Sequencing words like first, then, next, and last help us describe things happening in the right order, and this recipe has a few different parts happening at once, which makes it good sequencing practice.
First: We soak and cook the quinoa, then let it cool.
Then: We whisk together the dressing.
Next: We chop all the vegetables and herbs and mix them together.
Last: We add the cooled quinoa, olives, and feta, then toss everything with the dressing.
Try it: After you finish making the salad, retell the recipe out loud using first, then, next, and last. Can you do it without looking?
✦ A Note on Kitchen Safety
Kids can measure the quinoa and broth, rip herbs, whisk the dressing, and help toss the finished salad together, all real cooking skills.
For Parents: this recipe involves a good amount of knife work, dicing peppers, cucumber, and onion, and halving tomatoes and olives that is best done by adults. Depending on your child's age and comfort with a knife, this can be a great, supervised practice opportunity or simply a job for the grown-up while your child handles the measuring, whisking, and mixing instead. I found a kid-safe knife set that is serrated, not sharp if your child is ready: link (non-commissionable). The stove and pot of hot quinoa are also an adult job.
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