Although I love salad, sometimes salad gets old, especially the same salad over and over again. It's all about the dressing to make a great greek salad, but most dressings are full of oil and fat. To make the perfect Quinoa Greek Salad, I first had to master the dressing.
As we all know, we need to get our greens—the more nutrient-dense, the better.
So, I try to eat at least one large salad a day, sometimes more than once. Regardless of the salad ingredients, the struggle is always the dressing.
What ingredients are in Quinoa Greek Salad?
- Romaine lettuce
- Red Quinoa
- Red onion
- English cucumber
- Kalamata olives (skip this ingredient if you avoid natural oils)
- Grape tomatoes
- Chickpeas
- Canned beets drained and rinsed) or fresh roasted beets, sliced.
- Purple cabbage
OPTIONAL
- Mild banana peppers
- Tofu Feta Cheese
For instance, typical greek salad dressing is half the oil, which defeats eating a salad.
In fact, Quinoa Greek Salad with OMG Oil-Free Dressing is so close to a real Greek salad; you will be surprised. Because of the texture of the quinoa, the greek salad absorbs the flavors of the dressing.
Sometimes, I watch someone who thinks they are 'eating good' by eating salad when in reality, there are more calories in the toppings and dressing than a burger and fries.
In my opinion, dressing is a game-changer. And, if I don't say so myself, this is the BEST dressing I have ever made. Not only is it oil-free, but it is also fabulous, if I do say so myself.
What is in the oil-free Greek salad dressing?
- Oil-free hummus of choice (I used oil-free Engine Brand)
- Lemon juice
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Water
Adding Quinoa adds texture to a Greek salad
..I often cook the quinoa and brown rice on Sundays, so I can use them during the week in recipes I plan. Today, for instance, I chose to use red quinoa I prepared for my quinoa Greek salad.
Quinoa is one of the simplest grains to cook and takes under 15 minutes to prepare.
Should quinoa be rinsed before cooking?
In the past, quinoa was coated with a bitter-tasting compound that needed to be washed. Some people, for example, say it tastes soapy. But, today's quinoa does not require rinsing. As a rule, though, I still rinse my quinoa in a mesh strainer to remove any debris in the bag. Also, I cook with organic quinoa to avoid any pesticides as well.
The secret to cooking the perfect quinoa every time.
First, as mentioned previously, I always rinse my quinoa in a mesh strainer. Then, you want to make sure to add the quinoa and COLD water to the pan BEFORE you begin cooking.
Once the quinoa and cold water are combined in the pan, add a little salt and stir. Next, bring the quinoa and cold water to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to simmer, and cover for 15 minutes.
Furthermore, adding the quinoa gives the salad texture and absorbs the dressing. Obviously, feta isn't in the salad, yet it tastes like it is with the quinoa.
However, if you love feta cheese, I make great tofu feta cheese for those who enjoy a little tofu.
Assembling the Quinoa Greek Salad
Once the quinoa is cool, I add it to the center of the bowl and surround it with Romaine lettuce ( or greens of choice)and red cabbage.
Then, add all the other ingredients on top of and around the quinoa. Please do not dress the salad until ready to serve, but make sure you toss it well, so the quinoa absorbs all the yummy dressing.
And, then dig in!
If you love salad, try these healthy salad recipes:
- Quinoa and Kale Salad
- Brussel Sprout and Kale Salad
- Southwest Salad
- Wild Rice Salad
- Asparagus Salad
- Chickpea Quinoa Salad - Southwest Style!
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Antipasto Salad
- Harvest Salad
- Vegan Taco Salad
Quinoa Greek Salad with OMG Oil-Free Dressing
Quinoa Greek Salad is a vegan version of my favorite Greek salad. Nutrient-Dense never tasted so good! The dressing is "to die for." full of tang and zest, and oil-free. YOu will love the combination of flavors!
Ingredients
SALAD
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce, cleaned, core removed and chopped
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled before putting in salad.
- 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
- 1 large English cucumber, cut in slices and quartered
- 1/2 cups Kalamata Olives, cut in half ( skip if you are avoid foods with natural oils)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15 ounce can sliced beets (drained and rinsed) or fresh roasted beets, sliced
- 1/2 cup red cabbage
OPTIONAL
- 1/2 cup Mild banana peppers
OMG DRESSING
- 1/2 cup hummus of choice (I used oil-free Engine Brand)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
- 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- Add a little water if you need to thin or if it is tart for your taste
Instructions
Quinoa:
- Cook quinoa according to the directions; allow cooling completely before adding to the salad
Salad:
- Cut the Romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces
- Cut the red onion in half, then cut into slivers on each side of the half
- Cut olives and tomatoes in half
- Cut the cucumber into slice and then quarters
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl
- Add quinoa to the center
Dressing:
- Add all ingredients to a measuring cup
- Using a whisk, whisk the ingredients together
- Pour over salad and toss
- Serve
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Nutrition Information
Yield
6 servingsServing Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 325Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 8mgSodium 218mgCarbohydrates 51gFiber 11gSugar 18gProtein 11g
Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
jjm
What happened to the quinoa??????
Kathy Carmichael
Sorry. My mistake. I must have left it out. I have fixed it 🙂
Ruth Gibson
Hey Kathy. I really enjoy your recipes & don't want to miss out, so here is my new email address:
minenomore07@charter.net Thank you.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Ruth, thank you so much. All you need to do is go on the blog and resign up for email with your new email address.