Greek Power Salad (Printable)

A vibrant, protein-packed Mediterranean salad with quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and tangy Greek vinaigrette.

# What You Need:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1/2 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cucumber, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

→ Greek Vinaigrette

11 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a separate saucepan, cover lentils with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and allow to cool.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and parsley.
05 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Top with crumbled feta cheese if desired.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days to allow flavors to meld and develop.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, so you can actually make it ahead without losing anything.
  • The combination of quinoa, lentils, and chickpeas keeps you full for hours without feeling heavy.
  • Everything gets tossed in one bowl, so cleanup is almost nonexistent.
  • The vinaigrette is so good you will want to put it on everything else in your fridge.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa and lentils cool completely before mixing or they will wilt the vegetables and turn everything soggy.
  • The salad tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge, so make it in the morning if you are serving it for dinner.
  • Do not overdress it all at once, you can always add more vinaigrette but you cannot take it back.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in the dry saucepan for a minute before adding water, it brings out a nutty flavor that makes a surprising difference.
  • If your lentils are old, they will take longer to cook, so taste them as they simmer to avoid mush.
  • Add the red onion to a bowl of cold water for five minutes before slicing to mellow the sharpness.
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