Feta Greek Quinoa Salad

I didn’t try quinoa until I was in my thirties. Before that, I thought it was one of those trendy health foods that probably tasted like cardboard. Turns out, I was completely wrong—it’s actually got a nice, nutty flavor and makes a great base for salads.

This Greek quinoa salad is one of those recipes I throw together when I need something filling but fresh. It’s got all the flavors you’d find in a classic Greek salad—tangy feta, briny olives, crisp cucumbers—but the quinoa makes it more of a meal than a side dish. Plus, you can make it ahead, which is always a win in my book. The flavors actually get better as it sits in the fridge.

What Kind of Quinoa Should I Use?

You can use white, red, or black quinoa for this Greek salad, and they’ll all taste great. White quinoa is the most common and has the fluffiest texture when cooked, while red and black varieties hold their shape a bit better and have a slightly nuttier flavor. If you want to make things interesting, you can even use a tri-color quinoa blend that combines all three types. Just make sure to rinse your quinoa well before cooking to remove the natural coating that can make it taste bitter – a quick 30-second rinse under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer does the trick.

Options for Substitutions

This Greek quinoa salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Quinoa: You can swap quinoa for couscous, bulgur wheat, or farro if you prefer. Cook according to package directions and let cool before mixing with the other ingredients.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or lemon juice work great here. If using lemon juice, start with 2 tablespoons and adjust to taste for that tangy kick.
• Feta cheese: Not a fan of feta? Try crumbled goat cheese or even diced fresh mozzarella. You could also leave it out entirely for a dairy-free version.
• Kalamata olives: Any type of olives will do – green olives, black olives, or even a mix. Just keep in mind that different olives have different salt levels, so taste before adding extra salt.
• Shallot: Red onion or even a small yellow onion works fine. If you find raw onion too strong, soak the chopped pieces in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
• Plum tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or regular tomatoes all work. Just dice them to a similar size so everything mixes well.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with quinoa salad is not rinsing the quinoa before cooking, which leaves a bitter, soapy taste from the natural coating called saponin – just rinse it under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer for about 30 seconds.

Another common error is adding the dressing and vegetables while the quinoa is still warm, which can make your cucumbers and tomatoes mushy and wilt your herbs. Let the quinoa cool completely to room temperature first, or even chill it in the fridge for better texture.

Don’t forget to fluff your cooked quinoa with a fork and spread it out on a baking sheet to cool faster and prevent clumping. For extra flavor, toast the rinsed quinoa in a dry pan for a few minutes before cooking it in water – this adds a nice nutty taste that really makes the salad stand out.

What to Serve With Greek Quinoa Salad?

This Greek quinoa salad is pretty filling on its own, but it pairs really well with grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, or even some crispy falafel if you want to keep things vegetarian. I love serving it alongside some warm pita bread and a side of hummus for scooping and dipping. It also works great as a side dish at summer barbecues next to grilled fish or shrimp skewers. If you’re looking for something lighter, a simple lemon chicken or Greek-style meatballs would round out the meal perfectly.

Storage Instructions

Store: This Greek quinoa salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors really meld together overnight, making it perfect for meal prep. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad a day or two in advance, which makes it great for potlucks or busy weeknights. If you want the veggies to stay extra crisp, you can store the dressing separately and toss everything together right before serving.

Serve: This salad is delicious served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve had it in the fridge, let it sit out for about 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off and bring out all those Mediterranean flavors.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1850-2050
• Protein: 52-60 g
• Fat: 100-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (I use Pompeian for its consistent tang)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for dressings)

For the salad salad base:

• 3 cups quinoa (cooked and cooled to room temperature)
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces for uniform bites)
• 1 shallot
• 24 kalamata olives (pitted and sliced into halves)
• 1 tbsp capers
• 8 oz feta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables and Mise en Place

• 4 plum tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 shallot
• 24 kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

While your quinoa cools to room temperature, prepare all vegetables for maximum efficiency.

Dice the plum tomatoes into bite-sized chunks, peel and dice the cucumbers into similar-sized pieces, and dice the red bell pepper into uniform 1/2-inch pieces—this consistency matters for even flavor distribution in every bite.

Mince the shallot finely, pit and halve the kalamata olives, and chop the fresh parsley.

Having everything prepped before you start assembling ensures the salad comes together quickly and prevents the vegetables from sitting around and becoming watery.

Step 2: Build the Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the salt dissolves and the oregano releases its flavor.

Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly to create an emulsion—this technique ensures the dressing coats evenly throughout the salad rather than pooling at the bottom.

I find that letting this sit for 2-3 minutes allows the oregano to bloom and deepen the flavor profile of the entire dish.

Step 3: Crumble the Feta and Combine All Components

• 3 cups quinoa
• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• 1 tbsp capers
• 8 oz feta cheese
• vinaigrette from Step 2

Cut or crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces—I prefer crumbling it by hand to create irregular, rustic chunks that distribute more naturally throughout the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled quinoa with all the prepared vegetables from Step 1, the capers, and the feta.

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 2 over the top.

Step 4: Toss and Serve

Gently toss all ingredients together until the quinoa and vegetables are evenly coated with the vinaigrette and the feta is distributed throughout.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the salad can handle a bit more salt or pepper if desired.

Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours if you prefer a chilled salad (the flavors will meld beautifully over time).

Feta Greek Quinoa Salad

Delicious Feta Greek Quinoa Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1950

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing::

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (I use Pompeian for its consistent tang)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for dressings)

For the salad salad base::

• 3 cups quinoa (cooked and cooled to room temperature)
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces for uniform bites)
• 1 shallot
• 24 kalamata olives (pitted and sliced into halves)
• 1 tbsp capers
• 8 oz feta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Method

 

1. While your quinoa cools to room temperature, prepare all vegetables for maximum efficiency. Dice the plum tomatoes into bite-sized chunks, peel and dice the cucumbers into similar-sized pieces, and dice the red bell pepper into uniform 1/2-inch pieces—this consistency matters for even flavor distribution in every bite. Mince the shallot finely, pit and halve the kalamata olives, and chop the fresh parsley. Having everything prepped before you start assembling ensures the salad comes together quickly and prevents the vegetables from sitting around and becoming watery.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the salt dissolves and the oregano releases its flavor. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly to create an emulsion—this technique ensures the dressing coats evenly throughout the salad rather than pooling at the bottom. I find that letting this sit for 2-3 minutes allows the oregano to bloom and deepen the flavor profile of the entire dish.
3. Cut or crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces—I prefer crumbling it by hand to create irregular, rustic chunks that distribute more naturally throughout the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled quinoa with all the prepared vegetables from Step 1, the capers, and the feta. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 2 over the top.
4. Gently toss all ingredients together until the quinoa and vegetables are evenly coated with the vinaigrette and the feta is distributed throughout. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the salad can handle a bit more salt or pepper if desired. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours if you prefer a chilled salad (the flavors will meld beautifully over time).