When it's summer and it's hot and the only thing you're sure of is that you don't want a hot meal - that's when I recommend to make this quinoa salad with sun-dried tomatoes and feta! This is such a quintessential summer dish. Fresh rocket and parsley, salty feta, rich sun-dried tomatoes in oil and the crunch of a walnut here and there, what's not to love here?
I mean, salads can make pretty awesome meals. Sure, a simple lettuce salad is considered by most just a side dish, but if you choose the right ingredients, you will have a balanced and nutritional meal. A great way to get to eat more veggies. And perfect for when a cold meal is just what you need.
So this quinoa salad is a full-on main dish, as it features lots of veggies, healthy carbs, healthy fats and a lot of lovely textures as a bonus. Want to up the protein? Just top it with some grilled chicken!
Ingredients and equipment
- Quinoa - the main ingredient, choose what colour you prefer
- Water - for cooking the quinoa
- Feta - gives that salty kick
- Olive oil - used in the dressing
- Honey - used in the dressing
- Lemon - the juice will go in the dressing and the zest as topping
- Salt - used in the dressing
- Garlic clove - used in the dressing
- Sun-dried tomatoes - in oil, drained
- Fresh parsley - adds colour and freshness
- Rocket - adds colour and flavour
- Walnuts - add a lovely crunch.
For detailed quantities, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
When making salads, I like to really focus on my mise en place and try to sort all my ingredients to then toss all together at the end. For that, I need several small bowls for the ingredients, plus a large bowl for the end product. A saucepan to cook the quinoa in. Knife and cutting board to chop your ingredients. A zester and juicer for the lemon. A garlic press. A small jar with lid to shake the dressing in.
How to make quinoa salad with sun-dried tomatoes
1. Cook the quinoa following package instructions. As a general rule, add it to a pan with the cold water, bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, until all the water has been absorbed. Remove the lid and place cooked quinoa in an ice water bath to let it come to room temperature.
2. Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Shell (if needed) and chop the walnuts. Crumb the feta. Zest the lemon. Have all the prepped ingredients at hand for later.
3. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pressed garlic to a small jar. Cover the lid tightly and give it a vigorous shake to emulsify.
4. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl: the cooled quinoa, rocket, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, parsley, crumbed feta and lemon zest. Pour dressing over the ingredients and toss to distribute.
Quinoa salad with sun-dried tomatoes tips
While you don't want to be adding piping hot quinoa to your salad (it will make the fresh parsley and rocket wilt), it doesn't necessarily need to get to room temperature either. If you don't have the possibility to place the pot in an ice water bath, just spread out the cooked quinoa on a plate. By the time you're done with the rest of the ingredients and the dressing, it will at least have cooled to lukewarm, which is okay to be used in the salad.
This recipe is highly customizable, so feel free to make any tweaks you please. When I made it for myself and my husband, I have settled on those ingredients, as the overall flavour and texture was fantastic. But you can omit or add ingredients to your heart's content. That's the beauty of salads!
Bring this salad to potlucks, it is so versatile it will please a crowd. The recipe as it is is gluten-free and vegetarian. To make it vegan, sub the feta with a vegan alternative and the honey with agave syrup. Walnuts are an allergen, so check if you can include them before you make it for a larger party.
More awesome vegetarian recipes!
Here's another quinoa salad, this one combines the fabulous flavours of halloumi, asparagus and strawberries, a true favourite of mine. Did you know that you can also make a raw mushroom salad? Now you do! Got sun-dried tomato leftovers? Try to make my vegan pesto linked below. And last but not least, a lovely appetizer that features asparagus and Camembert cheese! Click the pictures below to access more recipes!
If you tried this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you're planning to try it another time, pin this recipe to Pinterest. Please consider subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Instagram and on Pinterest.
Quinoa salad with sun-dried tomatoes
Equipment
- Bowls
- Small jar with lid
- Citrus juicer
- Zester
- Cutting board and knife
- Garlic press
Ingredients
- 90 g quinoa
- 250 ml water
- 150 g feta cheese
- handful fresh parsley
- 20 g rocket
- 30 g walnuts shelled
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1,5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Add the water and quinoa to a pot, bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, until all the water has been absorbed. Remove the lid and place the pot in an ice water bath to let it come to room temperature. Alternatively, spread cooked quinoa all over a plate to let it cool faster.
- Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Chop the walnuts. Crumb the feta. Zest the lemon. Extract the amount of lemon juice needed in the recipe. Have all the prepped ingredients at hand for later.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pressed garlic to a small jar. Cover the lid tightly and give it a vigorous shake to emulsify.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl: the cooled quinoa, rocket, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, parsley, crumbed feta and lemon zest. Pour dressing over the ingredients and toss to distribute.
Notes
- This recipe serves 2 people as a main dish, or 4 people as a side dish.
- The nutritional information shared here is made with an online calculator and only meant to be used as a guideline.
