A healthy, vegetarian quinoa salad Mediterranean style, ideally served cold and perfect for a crowd. Also makes fantastic leftovers.
Lovely golden quinoa seeds dressed in a smooth fragrant basil Pesto. Then loaded with sweet oven roasted tomatoes, marinated artichokes, roasted peppers, feta cheese, fresh basil, dill and toasted buttery pine nuts.
A vegetarian’s dream come true If I say so myself!
An already protein packed meal, but feel free to add some lean perfectly grilled chicken or shrimp on top If you like. Easy to pack in a jar for wholesome lunches to go all week long, or even bring to a potluck or take on a plane.
Tough you can pretty much pick up all those ingredients at the market, I still like to roast my own peppers and marinate the artichoke hearts and feta cheese the day before. (Recipe follows) Nothing beats homemade, right ?!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 3 c golden quinoa
- 5 1/4 c water
- 1 leaf bay
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1/4 c fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 c cherry tomatoes
- 4 roasted peppers
- 2 scallions (thinly sliced)
- 1/3 c pine nuts (toasted)
- 2 c basil pesto
Marinated Feta
- 8 oz feta cheese
- 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (+ more to taste)
- 2 tsp Sicilian oregano
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 leaf bay
- 1 strip lemon peel
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
- 15 oz artichoke hearts (packed in water)
- 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 clove garlic (sliced
Instructions
- Bring the quinoa, water and bay leaf to a boil in a medium pan. Add a good pinch of sea salt and cover with a lid. Turn the flame to low and let the quinoa gently simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until all water is absorbed. Turn off the flame and let the it sit covered for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and fluff with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
- Preheat your oven to 350”F. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise into thirds and arrange them cut side up in the bottom of a large lightly oiled baking sheet; preferably without touching each other. Drizzle them with a little olive oil over the top and a pinch of sea salt. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes until they start to caramelize around the edges.
Marinated Artichokes
- Drain the artichokes and add them to a bowl together with the garlic, herbs and vinegar. Make sure to cover in the olive oil and refrigerate overnight.
Marinated Feta
- Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaf and red pepper flakes in the bottom of a wide mouth jar or bowl. Place the feta cheese on top together with the lemon peel then add enough olive oil to completely cover it. Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight.
Assemble the Salad
- Add the cooked quinoa and pesto to a large bowl. Toss to combine well then spoon it on a nice serving platter. Top with the marinated artichokes, feta cheese and roasted peppers. Sprinkle with the oven roasted tomatoes, capers and pine nuts. Garnish with the fresh dill, basil and scallions.
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