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Our twist on a traditional quinoa cucumber salad takes quinoa to the next level by toasting it to a crispy perfection, adding a satisfying texture that complements fresh cucumbers, tangy feta cheese, sweet pomegranate seeds, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
Why You’ll Love This Quinoa Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Balanced Texture and Flavor: Experience a surprisingly incredible balance of textures and flavors! Crunchy, refreshing, bright, sweet, and nutty, this Quinoa Cucumber Salad is both beautiful to look at and delicious! The addition of fresh herbs like parsley and mint adds a bright and refreshing note, while the roasted pumpkin seeds provide a delightful crunch.
- Zesty Lemon Dressing: What truly sets this cucumber and quinoa salad apart is its creamy and zesty dressing made with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a hint of sea salt and pepper. This dressing brings all the flavors together and adds a rich and velvety texture that will leave you wanting more.
- Light and Healthy: This quinoa salad with feta and cucumber is perfect for a light and healthy lunch or dinner, or makes a great side dish! Plus, its unique combination of flavors and textures makes it an excellent choice for a holiday dinner party or potluck.
So go ahead, dig into this Quinoa Cucumber Salad with crispy quinoa and experience a perfectly balanced, refreshing, and super creative dish!
Looking for more quinoa salad recipes? Then you will love Mediterranean Inspired Quinoa Salad, Pesto Shrimp + Quinoa Salad, and Layered Quinoa Salad.
Health Benefits of Quinoa
✅ If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, now is the time! And if you HAVE tried it and didn’t love it, try it again …
… and this time be sure to rinse the quinoa granules first using a fine mesh strainer – since that can help with the bitter/earthy flavor some varieties can have!
🔥 Quinoa has earned superfood status because of its impressive nutritional profile.
It’s a good source of several important minerals, and it appears to help lower blood sugar levels AND aid in weight loss because it’s packed with protein and fiber.
🌾 Even though it’s considered a grain, it’s not really a grain (it’s a seed) – and that means it can be enjoyed by people who are sensitive to gluten.
Learn more about the Health Benefits of Quinoa.
REFERENCE: MedicalNewsToday , HealthLine
Ingredients:
These are the clean ingredients that make this crispy Quinoa Cucumber Salad delicious and nutritious.
4 servings
Crispy Quinoa:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 Tbsps avocado oil, or olive oil
- sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 1 lb. mini cucumbers, chopped
- 1 small red onion, small diced
- arils of 1 pomegranate, or 1 cup
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese
Dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini or sesame paste
- juice & zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 fresh garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 2 Tbsps of water or add to desired consistency
How to make Quinoa Cucumber Salad:
Preheat your oven to 375°F to toast the quinoa.
Place previously cooked quinoa on a parchment paper lined rimmed sheet pan.
Drizzle with oil and season lightly with sea salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then arrange in a very thin layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When finished toasting, remove from oven and allow the toasted quinoa to cool.
Prepare all of your salad ingredients, (reserving feta and as topping) and place in a large bowl.
Place all the ingredients for your dressing in a blender and blend until smooth, adding water to your desired dressing consistency, then pour over salad ingredients.
Mix, top with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!
Enjoy!
❤️Rachel
Rachel’s Tips for Best Results
- The fresh lemon zest really elevates your salad game! Don’t skip it!
- 🍋 ALWAYS use freshly-squeezed lemon juice from an actual fresh lemon.
- Add water to thin out the dressing.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious cucumber and quinoa salad is perfect as a healthy side dish for a grill out or pot luck! Or meal prep it and eat it for lunch or dinner.
If you want to add even more protein, you could add beans, hard boiled eggs, chicken breast, or any other protein source you love.
Leftover Storage
For leftovers, we recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, making this dish perfect for meal prep. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe since the cucumbers will not freeze well.
FAQ’s
How do you cook quinoa?
In order to cook quinoa, you will want to rinse it in a fine mesh strainer, then boil it until you see the white form around the grains, approximately 15-20 minutes. For more detail, read How to Cook Quinoa.
Is this the same as the Jennifer Aniston salad?
While our quinoa cucumber salad is similar, the Jennifer Aniston salad also has chickpeas and uses a different dressing. Feel free to add chickpeas to add more protein.
More Quinoa Recipes You’ll Love
- [VIDEO] Breakfast Berry Quinoa Bowls
- One-Pan Mediterranean Style Shrimp Quinoa Skillet
- Quick One-Pan Garlic Shrimp with Quinoa
- Salmon Balls + Herbed Quinoa for Meal Prep
- Asparagus + Quinoa with Bacon & Fresh Spinach Salad
- Nectarine Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Chicken + Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Toasted Quinoa Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Crispy Quinoa:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 Tbsps avocado oil, or olive oil
- sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 1 lb. mini cucumbers, chopped
- 1 small red onion, small diced
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese
Dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini or sesame paste
- juice & zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 fresh garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 2 Tbsps of water or add to desired consistency
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f and place your cooked quinoa on a parchment paper lined rimmed sheet pan.
- Drizzle with oil and season lightly with sea salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then arrange in a very thin layer.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for your dressing in a blender and blend until smooth. Add water to your desired dressing consistency.
- Prepare all of your salad ingredients, (reserving feta as topping) and place in a large bowl.
- Once the quinoa is finished toasting, remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
- Add your cooled, crispy quinoa to the salad bowl and toss with the dressing.
- Top with crumbled feta.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
