Vegan Quinoa Salad Mediterranean Style - a protein packed salad bursting with clean fresh flavors from cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, kalamata olives, salty capers, crips red onion and fresh dill. Crumbles of dairy-free feta cheese and a light zesty dressing of olive oil and red wine vinegar make this salad so next level + gluten-free!
Cook your quinoa in advance, add to a large salad bowl together with the olives and capers and set aside. (Feel free to half the olives if you prefer).
Slice your tomatoes into bite size pieces and dice the cucumber into cubes. Slice the red onion into thin slices and add everything to the bowl with quinoa. Crumble the feta cheese over the top then sprinkle with the fresh dill.
In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano then pour over the salad. Gently toss to coat well.
Taste and adjust seasonings with sea slat and freshly cracked black pepper if needed. A garnish of fresh onion chives would make a nice addition.
Notes
Cooking Quinoa for Salad:
It’s very important that you cook the quinoa in advance and it has time to cool off completely. Just like in the case of beans I make a big batch for the week ahead to use in different recipes. I start with 3 cups quinoa + 5 cups of water, simmered covered with a pinch of salt and a bay leaf for 12-15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Allow to continue steaming with the lid on for another 15 minutes after removing from heat. This should yield a perfectly fluffy quinoa ideal for salads.