Greek Quinoa Salad

I was a quinoa skeptic for YEARS. What was this little grain doing that rice wasn’t already doing?? Why did I need this in my life?

Then someone told me to put it in a Greek salad and…. oh. OH. Now I get it. The quinoa drinks up all that briny, lemony, oregano-y dressing and turns a side dish into an actual MEAL. With substance! That fills you up!

Kalamata olives, salty feta, crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, fresh parsley, and a zippy vinaigrette that takes like 90 seconds to whisk. This is the salad I bring to backyard hangs, potlucks, and “I have no idea what to make for dinner” nights. It only gets better as it sits, which makes it a meal prep DREAM.

How to Cook Quinoa for Salad

Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for 30 seconds. Skip this step and you’ll get bitter, soapy grains (seriously, just do it!)

Combine the rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not peek! The steam is doing the work.

Kill the heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes so the quinoa absorbs every last bit of moisture.

Fluff with a fork, spread on a baking sheet, and cool completely to room temperature. Warm quinoa wilts your veggies and nobody wants a sad, soggy salad.

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips

• DRESS AHEAD – The vinaigrette can be made a week early and jarred. The oregano blooms deeper with extra time!
• HOLD THE FETA – Crumble it fresh when serving. Pre-dressed feta turns sad and mushy within hours.
• KEEP IT DRY – Store the undressed salad in an airtight container up to 4 days. Dress right before eating to avoid soggy quinoa.
• QUINOA PREP – Cook it 3 days ahead and chill. Cold grains actually absorb dressing better than warm!
• DO NOT FREEZE – Cucumbers get watery, feta gets grainy. Trust me on this one.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this Greek Quinoa Salad at ROOM TEMPERATURE immediately for the freshest taste and texture.
• CHILL it for up to 2 HOURS if you want it cold; the flavors meld beautifully.
• ALWAYS TASTE and ADJUST SALT and PEPPER before serving. Do not skip this!
• Works great as a MAIN or SIDE dish. Pair with grilled chicken or pita bread.
• Leftovers keep for 24 hours in the fridge. Stir GENTLY before enjoying again.

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: Chop the Fresh Produce

• 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: Whisk the Herb Dressing

• 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: Assemble the Salad Bowl

• 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: Coat and Chill

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).