Arugula and Quinoa Salad pairs peppery arugula with protein-packed quinoa for a filling Mediterranean-inspired salad you will crave.
Arugula Quinoa Salad Recipe with Feta
Lots of people still haven't tried quinoa. If you're in that group, make this salad your excuse to put it on your grocery list this week.
Arugula and Quinoa Salad with feta, Kalamata olives, lemon vinaigrette, and fresh veggies is tasty on its own, but I love the interest in flavor and texture that peppery arugula brings to this salad.
Quinoa has lots of plant protein that will fill your belly, but add a little grilled chicken if you wish to make it a complete meal.
Serve this salad warm, cold, or even at room temperature. It makes a healthy side dish all year around, but I love it as a full meal.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- Quinoa
- Chicken Broth
- Garlic, minced
- Red Onion, diced
- Colored Bell Pepper, diced
- Kalamata Olives, halved
- English Cucumber, diced
- Feta Cheese, crumbled
- Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Grape Tomatoes, halved
- Green Onion, sliced
- Baby Arugula-this peppery green holds up well in this salad, but use any leafy greens you like.
Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
How to Make Arugula and Quinoa Salad
- In a medium saucepan, mix quinoa and minced garlic in chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer until the quinoa is tender and the broth has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix lemon dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a lid. Mix well.
- Add quinoa to salad ingredients, drizzle with lemon vinaigrette and toss to mix well.
- Serve immediately or place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Top Tips
Make this salad ahead of time for food prepping. Keep the salad dressing on the side.
Chop all ingredients a little smaller than bite-sized. Having a little bit of everything in each and every bite is always my goal. This means the "perfect bite" every time.
Build Your Own Salad: Let everyone build their own! That way people like me can have alllll of the olives! 🤭
Meal Prep Salad: Use a Mason Jar for packing your lunch. Put the dressing on the bottom then put the salad mixture on top. Place a little grilled chicken on the top. Then dump it all in a bowl or plate when ready to serve.
Substitutions and Additions
The add-in possibilities are endless for this salad. A few to consider:
- Nuts--pine nuts, pecans, crunchy almonds, or crunchy walnuts would add some delish crunch to this salad. Consider toasting them in a dry skillet before adding to the salad.
- Seeds--Sunflower seeds or pepitas
- Dried fruits--add a handful of dried cranberries or sweet golden raisins for a touch of sweetness and a little chewy bite
- Cheese Swap Out--try creamy goat cheese in place of feta.
- Arugula and Quinoa Vegan Salad--swap out the feta with vegan cheese, if desired.
- Maple Quinoa Salad--drizzle a little maple syrup into the dressing for a touch of sweetness.
What to Serve with Arugula and Quinoa Salad?
My favorite thing to serve with this salad is hands down a buttered and toasted piece of homemade Fresh Milled Homemade Wheat Bread with a little sprinkle of garlic salt. Yum.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Something Else To Try
Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing is a great salad with Mexican flavors.
Or if you're after something with an Asian flair, try my Quick Korean Bulgogi Bowl.
Related
Pairing
Did You Try This Recipe? ❤️
Lastly, if you made Arugula and Quinoa Salad following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!
I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.
And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!
FOOD SAFETY
- Wash hands before cooking
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov
Arugula and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- ½ cup Red Onion diced
- ½ cup Colored Bell Pepper diced
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives halved
- 1 small English Cucumber diced
- ½ cup Feta Cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley chopped
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup Green Onion sliced
- 2 cups Baby Arugula
Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, mix quinoa and minced garlic in chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer until the quinoa is tender and the broth has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix lemon dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a lid. Mix well.
- Add quinoa to salad ingredients, drizzle with lemon vinaigrette and toss to mix well.
- Serve immediately or place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Angie Shireman
This looks wonderful! I need this after all the Holiday food!
Chuckie
Angie,
You are thinking the same thing as me! Thanks for the encouragement. I hope you have a happy healthy year!
Terry T
Healthy snack or meal
Jessica Crager
It was delicious! We added chicken and made it a whole meal!
Chuckie
Yay!!!!! Brilliant idea. 🙂 Thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated.