Artificial Flavors Free Greek Quinoa Salad
This bright, herb-packed salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel good from the first forkful — fresh, satisfying, and full of bold Mediterranean flavor. Every component earns its place, from the crisp cucumber and juicy cherry tomatoes to the briny Kalamata olives and fragrant handfuls of parsley and mint. The dressing is built entirely from real, whole ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano, turmeric, and garlic — nothing synthetic, nothing from a packet. That matters more than it might seem, because bottled dressings and pre-seasoned grain mixes are some of the sneakiest sources of artificial flavoring in everyday cooking. Here, you control every single element, so what you taste is exactly what you put in. The quinoa is cooked simply with water and salt, then cooled before tossing so it absorbs the dressing without turning mushy — a small step that makes a big textural difference. Finish it with a little crumbled feta if you like, and you've got a meal-prep-friendly bowl that holds up beautifully in the fridge for days.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 english cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ⅓ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 12–14 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool for at least 10 minutes — the quinoa should feel just barely warm, not hot, before it goes into the salad.
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