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Fresh Spring Quinoa Salad Recipe Easy Homemade Crisp Veggies Feta

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A fresh and vibrant quinoa salad featuring crisp spring vegetables, tangy feta cheese, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a quick, healthy, and flavorful meal or side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (170g) uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (about 75g) feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse the quinoa under cold running water for about 30 seconds using a fine mesh strainer. Drain well.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups (480ml) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and let quinoa sit, covered, for 5 minutes to steam and fluff up.
  4. Fluff quinoa gently with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
  5. While quinoa cooks, dice cucumber, halve cherry tomatoes, dice red bell pepper, finely chop red onion, parsley, and mint if using.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  7. Add chopped vegetables and herbs to the cooled quinoa. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine.
  8. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the salad and fold in gently without mashing the cheese.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
  10. Let the salad rest for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Notes

Rinse quinoa well to remove bitterness. Use a 2:1 water to quinoa ratio and avoid stirring while cooking to keep quinoa fluffy. Chop veggies uniformly for even texture. Keep salad at room temperature for best flavor. Dressing can be made ahead and added just before serving to maintain crispness. Salad holds well refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: quinoa salad, spring salad, fresh veggies, feta cheese, healthy salad, easy recipe, vegetarian, gluten-free

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