Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Olives and Lemon Garlic Tahini

Name: Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Olives and Lemon Garlic Tahini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup quinoa; 1 cup bone broth ((or water) ); 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 cup green olives (sliced); 1/3 cup feta cheese (cubed); 2 tsp olive oil; 1 tsp Greek seasoning blend; 1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted); 1/4 cup fresh parsley (minced); 1/3 cup tahini; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice ((2 lemons)); 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper; 1/4 cup water; fresh lemon wedges; parsley

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This Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Olives and a Creamy Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing is the light lunch or side dish you've been searching for! Quick to prepare, satiating, and full of flavor, you won't be able to get enough of this salad!

A bowl of crunchy quinoa salad with chopped parsley, green olives, almonds, and crumbled feta is being drizzled with dressing from above. A wooden board with more feta is in the background.

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Ingredients:
Steps to Prepare:
FAQs:
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Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Olives and Lemon Garlic Tahini

Ingredients:

Quinoa: I prepare my quinoa with bone broth for an added boost of protein! I also love the full flavor it provides!
Olives: Green olives are so wonderful in this salad! The briny flavor pairs so well with the dressing!
Feta: I love to marinate the crumbled feta in this recipe with a little olive oil and Greek seasonings (this is an amazing brand!).
Nuts: I used toasted almonds for this salad, which was fantastic. You could also substitute for toasted pine nuts, which would be incredible I'm sure.
Herbs: Lots of fresh parsley for a bright, herbaceous flavor.
Lemon Garlic Tahini: For this delicious, creamy dressing you'll need tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, dijon, water, salt and pepper.

Top-down view of a kitchen counter with bowls of quinoa, chopped parsley, slivered almonds, marinated feta, lemon garlic tahini dressing, and green olives. The ingredients are labeled and neatly arranged for preparing a crunchy quinoa salad with green olives.

Steps to Prepare:

STEP 1: Cook the quinoa

Prepare the quinoa by combing it with 2 cups of bone broth in a sauce pan. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes (or until it is light and fluffy).

STEP 2: Prepare the Lemon Garlic Tahini

Combine ⅓ cup tahini, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (2 lemons), 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ cup of water in a jar. Blend or shake to combine.

STEP 3: Toast the almonds

Toast the almonds in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic.

STEP 4: Marinate the feta

Cube and lightly crumble the feta, drizzle in 2 teaspoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Greek seasoning.

Chopped pieces of white feta cheese, sprinkled with seasoning and drizzled with oil, are spread on a wooden cutting board beside a vibrant quinoa salad with green olives. The surface is lightly stained with oil.

STEP 5: Build the salad

Combine the quinoa, olives, feta, parsley, toasted almonds, and Lemon Garlic Tahini dressing in a large serving bowl. Mix well and garnish with more fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Create a vibrant quinoa salad with olives in four simple steps. Start with quinoa and green olives, then add feta cheese. Next, mix in chopped parsley. Finally, sprinkle sliced almonds on top for a delightful crunch.

FAQs:

I don't have slivered almonds, can I use a different type of nut?

Yes! Toasted pine nuts would also go very well in this recipe!

I don't have a Greek seasoning blend, how do I make one?

You can make your own Greek seasoning blend by combining 3 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried dill, 2 tablespoon onion powder, 2 tablespoon garlic powder, ½ tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Then use 1 teaspoon of this for the recipe and you can store the rest to use on chicken, seafood, or in other salad dressings!

How to store:

Quinoa salads store very well! Quinoa, once cooked, will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If the idea of the nuts being stored with the other ingredients isn't something you can manage, store them separately and add 1 tablespoon each time you enjoy the salad.

What the serve with Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Olives and Lemon Garlic Tahini?

While this salad is pretty filling on it's own, it would also pair well with some grilled Greek Chicken, pork chops, or even fish!

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I hope you enjoyed this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe! If you try it, please leave a comment below! (That is so helpful for my site!) I'd love to hear about your experience makin git! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@atoastedcrumb) so I can repost it to stories!