Vegan Lemon Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa (Salad OR Warm)

This pantry-friendly vegan Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is delicious served warm or chilled. Lemon garlic quinoa is packed with protein, fiber, and lots of vegetables. Creamy white beans, kale, tomatoes, and olives all marry in a lemon garlic quinoa dressing for ultimate flavor. Enjoy this grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan quinoa salad!

The Ingredients for a Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

Optional Add-ins & Recipe Variations

• Vegan Feta Cheese: Crumbled over the prepared Mediterranean quinoa salad.
• Bell Peppers: Enjoy sauteed (for hot quinoa) or raw (for Mediterranean quinoa salad). Jarred/canned peppers will also work. I like to use orange, yellow, or red bell peppers.
• Marinated Artichoke: Chopped into smaller pieces if needed.
• Mixed Mediterranean Vegetables: A roasted mixture of zucchini (guide to zucchini), eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc., will taste delicious tossed into this lemon garlic quinoa.
• Other Quinoa Salad Vegetables: To serve this veggie quinoa cold, I love adding diced cucumber (use low-seed varieties like Persian/English cucumber), avocado (guide to avocado and add just before serving, to avoid browning), and thinly sliced red onion. You can also top it up with leafy greens like arugula (rocket).
• Herbs: Fresh herbs like parsley, scallions (green onion), mint, or cilantro work particularly well with Mediterranean/Greek flavors. You could also add extra flavor with dried herbs mixed into the dressing, like oregano or thyme.
• Pine Nuts: Lightly toasted pine nuts (a few minutes in a dry skillet until fragrant) make for a lovely garnish to this Mediterranean quinoa. Other nuts/seeds may also work well.
• Lemon Zest: Zest some lemon into to the garlic lemon quinoa salad to add extra lemony flavor.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Finely chopped, alongside or instead of the fresh tomatoes.
• Protein: Add extra protein with your choice of ingredients such as vegan meat alternatives like a vegan chick’n, tofu (guide to tofu,) or tempeh (like this BBQ tempeh).
• Mustard: Optionally add just ¼-1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard to the lemon vinaigrette.
• Other Dressing: This Mediterranean quinoa salad will also pair well with an Italian or Greek salad dressing.
• Spice: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice.

How to Make Mediterranean Quinoa?

Step 3: In a separate small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then add that over the cooked quinoa. Finally, add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well to combine. Give the Mediterranean quinoa a quick taste and adjust any seasonings, then serve while warm and enjoy!

FAQs

Toni’s Recipe Tips and Notes

• Optionally toast the quinoa: To enhance the nutty flavor of the quinoa, you can lightly toast it in the pan/skillet until fragrant before cooking it.
• Using leftover cooked quinoa: You can refer to this post (a complete guide to quinoa) for how to cook quinoa on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Leftover quinoa will work for the hot version or a chilled Mediterranean quinoa salad. Alternatively, cook the quinoa in advance to give it time to cool when making the Mediterranean quinoa salad!
• Adjust the vegetables added: Based on what you have in your kitchen/pantry. This veggie quinoa is highly versatile!
• Pour the dressing over warm quinoa: Even if you plan to make this as a chilled Mediterranean quinoa salad, pouring half the lemon vinaigrette over the quinoa while it’s warm will help it soak up the flavors better.
• Wait for the quinoa to cool before making a salad: Otherwise, when you mix in the fresh ingredients, they may wilt and lose their crisp textures.

How to Serve Lemon Garlic Quinoa?

You can enjoy this Mediterranean/ Greek quinoa in several ways, including either warm or chilled and as a side or main. Here are just a few ideas:

• Bowl: Create a Mediterranean quinoa bowl, combining the veggie-packed lemon garlic quinoa with some easy hummus, toasted pita (or naan), and optionally some healthy baked falafel. A dollop of two of vegan walnut pesto will also taste delicious.
• BBQ/Picnic: At a BBQ alongside vegan crispy salt and pepper tofu, vegan kabobs with marinated tempeh and other BBQ sides like French potato salad, vegan coleslaw, etc.
• Side: As a side dish (hot or cold) with vegan souvlaki/gyros.
• Veggies: Top up the meal with extra vegetables like grilled zucchini, roasted broccoli, and other simple cooked veggies.

Storage Instructions

If you plan to make a Mediterranean quinoa salad, it’s best to cook the quinoa ahead of time to avoid wilting all the fresh elements. You can do this up to two days in advance.

Fridge: Allow the veggies quinoa to cool and then store in airtight container/s in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Then, you can enjoy the leftovers as a chilled Mediterranean/ Greek quinoa salad or reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop (optionally with a splash of extra broth to avoid drying out).

Freezer: Cooked quinoa also freezes very well (in airtight containers/Ziplock/Stasher bags for 3-4 months); however, many fresh vegetables won’t fare well after freezing/thawing. If you make enough to freeze, I recommend doing so only with the quinoa/kale, then add the fresh ingredients upon thawing.

Try Quinoa in More Delicious Ways

Vegan Dinners

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

Vegan Dinners

Quinoa Tater Tots

Vegan Dinners

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Vegan Dinners

Easy Black Bean Quinoa Casserole

If you tried this vegan lemon garlic Mediterranean quinoa recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!