This salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors and nutrient-dense ingredients. It packs up well for workday lunches, makes a refreshing dinner for hot summer days, and works well for Shavuot.

You can leave out or replace most of the add-ins to suit your taste. Use diced regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes if you prefer, use mint instead of parsley (or cilantro if you insist!) or even a combo of herbs. You get the idea. Salad recipes are guides, not set-in-stone do-or-die instructions.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked tricolor quinoa (1 cup raw)
  • 2 small cucumbers
  • 10-15 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small purple onion
  • 1 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley
  • 1 cup pitted black olives (use kalamata if you have)
  • 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the packet and set aside to cool fully. (You can use any kind of quinoa—I like the look and texture of the tri-color.)
  2. Prepare the vegetables: slice the cucumbers into quarter rounds, halve or quarter the tomatoes (depending on size), finely dice the onion, chop the parsley roughly, and slice the olives. If you’re using canned chickpeas, rinse them thoroughly.
  3. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  4. Gently toss the quinoa with the vegetables and feta. Pour the dressing and toss until coated. Serve.

Serves: 4