This Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta is packed with bright lemon flavor, creamy feta, crunchy almonds, and fresh chopped herbs. Whether made as a main dish or side, the quinoa is easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stove. Plus it’s a healthy dish that’s perfect for meal prep or making ahead.
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For true lemon fans everywhere, may we present this Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta. This salad is literally bursting with lemon flavor, which is perfectly balanced by creamy feta cheese and tons of chopped herbs. It’s SO darn good every time.
Besides being insanely delicious, this Lemon Quinoa Salad is also a healthy powerhouse of a dish. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, packed with fiber, high in protein (yup!), and full of other vitamins. Once you add the lemon juice, leafy greens, and fresh herbs, this salad can probably boost your immune system with just a few bites. 😉
The inspiration for this recipe came from Cafe Sucre’s Lemon Quinoa Sala, but we increased the lemon significantly and changed up some of the fillings. This salad is very flexible, so use what you have on hand!
🍋 Ingredients
Quinoa: I start with raw quinoa and follow these instructions for Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot or On the Stove. If you have quinoa cooked already, you can definitely use that.
Chicken broth: Use store-bought or homemade broth.
Butter: I use unsalted, but salted is fine too. There is very little butter in this recipe.
Sliced almonds: These add great crunch to the salad!
Garlic: Buy it minced or mince it at home.
Olive oil: You can also use canola oil, but olive oil adds great flavor to complement the lemon.
Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
Lemon zest: Use a microplane like this one to zest the lemons easily.
Salt and pepper: Kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Greens: You can use any greens you like, including spinach, kale, or swiss chard.
Fresh herbs: You can use any combination of fresh herbs you like (i.e. thyme, sage, parsley, etc.), but make sure to use fresh (not dried) herbs.
Feta cheese: The feat adds a creamy texture and balances the tangy lemon. So worth it!
🔪 How to make Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta
First you need to make the quinoa. I prefer to make mine in the Instant Pot, but it can be done on the stove as well. Follow these instructions for how to make perfect quinoa in the Instant Pot or stove. Once it is cooked, allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooling, toast the almonds by melting butter in a skillet and cooking the almonds on medium heat until golden brown. These smell so good!
For the dressing, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. You can also make this ahead and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Last step is to toss it all together. In a large bowl, mix the warm quinoa, lemon dressing, chopped greens, chopped herbs, and toasted almonds. Allow it to cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge. I prefer mine at room temperature, but you can serve it at whatever temperature you like.
Then, right before serving, mix in the feta cheese. You can even sprinkle a little extra on top if you love it like we do! And that’s it - pretty easy, right?
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve more people. The original serves 6 as a main dish, so if you are serving it as a side it will serve closer to 10. If serving to a large group, I suggest prepping it ahead (see my make-ahead instructions in the FAQ section).
🌿 Variations
- Add shredded rotisserie chicken or chop leftover grilled chicken to add protein and make it a full meal.
- Use any herbs you like! I suggest using a mix of 2-3. Sage, parsley, mint, thyme, oregano, and basil are all good options.
- Use any greens you like! Spinach, kale, swiss chard, mixed spring greens, or arugula are all good options.
- Instead of toasted almonds, toasted pecans or walnuts would be delicious.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Make the quinoa right: A great quinoa salad has to start with quality quinoa. Check out this post for detailed instructions on How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa on the Stove or in the Instant Pot
- Add dressing when the quinoa is warm: If you stir in the dressing while the quinoa is warm, it will absorb more flavor.
- Use real lemons: Real lemons = 1000% better than the store bought juice. Really.
🙋 Questions and Answers
Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta is great for meal prep and making ahead. Make the entire salad as directed, just leave out the toasted almonds and feta until just before serving (otherwise they will get soft and soggy). Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can eat off of a large bowl all week long!
You can freeze the cooked quinoa plain, but the dressing and mix-ins should be added fresh. To freeze the quinoa, cool completely and store in a zipper bag. Freeze it flat until solid for easy storing. Then thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
You can store the lemon quinoa salad in the fridge for up to 1 week. I suggest leaving the toasted almonds and feta on the side, then adding them when you serve.
Lemon quinoa salad can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. Whatever your preference is!
Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, packed with fiber, high in protein, and full of other nutrients. Add the lemon juice, greens, and herbs from the quinoa salad and you’ve got a healthy, filling, and energy-boosting lunch, dinner, or side dish.
📖 More recipes to try
- Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe - This Greek Quinoa Salad is filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Top with a Greek vinaigrette for a healthy lunch, dinner, or side dish.
- Greek Chicken Gyros - Marinate chicken in a Greek marinade, then grill and wrap in a warm pita with classic Greek toppings. Great for weeknight dinners and meal prep for the week!
- Lemon Broccoli Pasta Recipe - This is an easy 25 minute dinner that rarely has leftovers. Tender broccoli, lemon sauce, and parmesan cheese add tons of flavor with little effort.
👋 Connect with us!
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📋 Recipe
Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta
Ingredients
Perfect Quinoa on the Stove or Instant Pot
- 2 cups raw quinoa or about 6 cups cooked quinoa
- 3 cups chicken broth
Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta
- ½ tbsp butter
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest 2-3 lemons zested
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 cups greens chopped (swiss chard, kale, or spinach)
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped herbs (Use 1-3 herbs: basil, sage, thyme, parsley, mint, or oregano)
- 1 cup crumbled feta + more for topping, if desired
Instructions
Instant Pot Quinoa
- Cook quinoa according to Perfectly Cooked Quinoa (stove or Instant Pot). Once fluffed, allow quinoa to cool for about 10 minutes.
Lemon Quinoa Salad with Feta
- While the quinoa is cooling slightly, melt the butter in a small skillet on medium heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring often, until they are lightly golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, add the warm quinoa, greens, chopped herbs, toasted almonds, and lemon dressing. Stir well to combine.
- Serve salad slightly warm, allow to come to room temperature, or chill until cold. Stir in feta right before serving. Sprinkle additional feta on top if desired.
Notes
- Make the quinoa right: A great quinoa salad has to start with quality quinoa. Check out this post for detailed instructions on How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa on the Stove or in the Instant Pot
- Add dressing when the quinoa is warm: If you stir in the dressing while the quinoa is warm, it will absorb more flavor.
- Use real lemons: Real lemons = 1000% better than the store bought juice. Really.
- Add shredded rotisserie chicken or chop leftover grilled chicken to add protein and make it a full meal.
- Use any herbs you like! I suggest using a mix of 2-3. Sage, parsley, mint, thyme, oregano, and basil are all good options.
- Use any greens you like! Spinach, kale, swiss chard, mixed spring greens, or arugula are all good options.
- Instead of toasted almonds, toasted pecans or walnuts would be delicious.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Patricia says
This was delicious! I used spinach and basil for my greens/herbs, added chopped grape tomatoes, and left out the feta. Will make again!
Misty says
So happy you enjoyed it!