This Cucumber Quinoa Salad is easy to make ahead of time, naturally gluten-free, and full of fresh, feel-good flavors that everyone will love!
Doesn’t it feel so easy to cook this time of year?!?
Man, I don’t know about you, but one glance at the rainbow of gorgeous summer produce available at the farmers market feels like — poof! — instant inspiration to want to run home and cook something fresh and healthy and yummy. I love it!!! Yet one more reason why I believe summer is the most wonderful time of the year. ;)
With all of the fresh greens in season (and showing up in abundance my CSA) lately, I’ve been making kale and arugula and spring greens salads galore, which always feel so good. But for something different last week, I decided to make a refreshing little cucumber salad. I seem to be obsessed with English cucumbers lately, so I grabbed one from the fridge and tossed it with some fresh basil, red onion, and feta I had on hand. And then added in some quinoa for extra protein, and tossed it all with a simple lemony vinaigrette.
The result?
This fresh, fun, and fabulously flavorful salad that I already can’t wait to make again.
Cucumber Quinoa Salad Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Truly, it’s super easy to make. Just chop up a big English cucumber, some red onion, and lots fresh basil. Toss those together with some crumbled feta (or Parmesan, or any cheese that sounds good) and chilled (<– you don’t want it to be too hot and melt the cheese and wilt the basil) quinoa.
Then drizzle it all with a simple lemony vinaigrette.
Give it all a good toss.
And then this beautiful, healthy salad will be ready to share and enjoy.
It’s the perfect salad to make ahead for nights when you want to grill out, or to take along for a picnic or potluck, or to bring to work for a fresh lunch, or — really — anytime you’re craving a healthy and zesty little salad. Feel free to add in whatever vinaigrette you have on hand, or even add in some cooked chicken if you’d like some extra protein. I just recommend that you make this one…soon. :)
Enjoy!
Cucumber Quinoa Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
Description
This Cucumber Quinoa Salad is made with lots of fresh basil and feta, tossed with a simple lemony vinaigrette, and it’s SO fresh and delicious! Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free and quick and easy to make.
Ingredients
Cucumber Quinoa Salad Ingredients:
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 2 cups chilled* cooked quinoa (see this tutorial for how to cook quinoa)
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup julienned or roughly-chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 batch Lemony Italian vinaigrette (see below)
Lemony Italian Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
To Make The Cucumber Quinoa Salad:
- Toss all ingredients together until combined. Serve immediately.
To Make The Lemony Italian Vinaigrette:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.
Notes
*If you add hot quinoa fresh out of the pan, it will melt the cheese and wilt the basil a bit in this recipe. So I recommend cooking it beforehand and letting it chill in the refrigerator before making the salad. Or, if you need to cook it immediately beforehand, just spread the cooked quinoa out in a thin layer on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. That will help it cool down nice and quickly!
**Cook time does not include the time needed to prepare the quinoa. See this post for instructions on how to cook quinoa.
This looks delicious! I’ve been eating a lot of quinoa recently since I’ve discovered how good it is and I’m really excited to try this!
Ellie
xxx
Thanks Ellie — we hope you enjoy it! :)
I made this today and it is very easy very tasty. It is a keeper for me. Any type of Vinaigrette will work but I do like it the way it is. Perfect with Chicken or anything off of the grill.
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed it Christine — thanks for giving it a try! :)
such a fresh, delicious and healthy salad – perfect for summer time! never tried quinoa and cucumber together but it seems like a fresh & natural pairing. love the photos.
Thank you Thalia! We hope you enjoy it if you get a chance to make it sometime soon! :)
Oh wow! I will try this as soon as I get back from Korea (haven’t had access to a kitchen in 4 months so I’m like craving everything basically haha)
Have a good day!
Leah
Wow, have an awesome time in Korea! And we hope you enjoy this when you get back! :)
I was wondering if I leave the feta cheese out will it still be good or can I substitute it for something else as my tummy doesn’t do well with dairy? It looks delicious! I really want to make it this weekend! Can’t wait!
Hi Angelica! Yes, we think this would still be good if you left out the feta — we hope you enjoy! :)
Looks like a nice variation on Tabbouleh – I might add some garbanzo beans as well!
We hope you enjoy it Anna, and the garbanzo beans would be a great addition! :)
This one sounds like a real winner, even though I just finished eating lunch. Definitely an excellent choice for a summer meal, probably lunch for us.
Thanks Susan — we hope you can give it a try sometime soon! :)
I’m so loving salads with grains lately, and all of these flavors marry beautifully! Everything sounds delicious.
Oh Yum! Cucumber and quinoa are two of my favorites so I think I have to try this! It seems so easy too, which is what I’m always craving when summer rolls around.
This looks like a great summer dish. Thanks for the share!
Thanks Sheila — we hope you enjoy it! :)