Treat yourself to this delicious Watermelon Quinoa Salad! This easy recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. So refreshing and perfect for hot summer days!
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Ginnie's Take
My husband and I love road trips, and when we lived in California, we went on quite a few! One summer, we spent a long weekend driving through the San Joaquin Valley, which is in the center of state. On our second day, we arrived in Bakersfield hot and tired, and it was late, so dinner options were limited. We popped into the first restaurant we could find (Eureka, if you're in that neck of the woods) hoping for best, and it ended up being a wonderful surprise. Everything we tried was tasty, but their amazing Watermelon, Feta, and Quinoa Salad stood out. As soon as I got home from our trip, I had to recreate that salad, and it's been a favorite ever since!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious - With its juicy chunks of watermelon, zesty feta cheese, fragrant basil, and hearty quinoa, this colorful salad has a mouthwatering combination of sweet and savory flavors that you won't be able to resist!
- Easy to Make - Simply cook the quinoa, chop a few ingredients, and make the basic dressing, then toss everything together. So easy!
- Perfect for Summer - This unique salad has become one of my all-time favorite recipes, and I know you're going to love it, too! It's light, refreshing, and perfect for hot summer days.
Jump to:
Ingredients
This recipe uses basic, easy to find ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Watermelon - Choose the sweet, juiciest watermelon you can find for the best results.
- Quinoa - You'll also need some quinoa, of course! I used white quinoa, but other varieties will work fine. Tip: This recipe is a great way to use up leftover quinoa.
- Broth - The quinoa is cooked in vegetable broth for added flavor. I like to make my own from bouillon.
- Tomatoes - I used plum tomatoes for this recipe, but other types can be used.
- Feta - Zesty feta cheese pairs so well with the fresh melon! I like to cut it in cubes (rather than crumbling it) for the most flavor.
- Chickpeas - Adding chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), gives the salad some extra protein and staying power, making it perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
- Basil - Fresh basil pairs perfectly with the other summery flavors!
- Dressing - The homemade lemon and olive oil dressing is a favorite of mine! It's super simple to make and ready in minutes.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian, gluten free, and nut free. You could leave out the feta (or used a plant based cheese) for a vegan option.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a sharp knife to prep the ingredients, a medium pot to cook the quinoa, and a large bowl to mix everything together.
How to Make Watermelon Quinoa Salad
This summer Quinoa Salad couldn't be easier to prepare! You'll find a detailed recipe below, but here's a quick overview of the steps:
- Cook the quinoa. Start by cooking the quinoa in vegetable broth until it's tender. Once it's finished cooking, set the quinoa aside to cool. Tip: If you're unfamiliar with quinoa, check out my how to cook quinoa guide. It has lots of helpful tips.
- Prep the other ingredients. While the quinoa cools, you can dice the tomatoes, watermelon, and feta, chop the basil, and drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.
- Make the vinaigrette. To make the lemon dressing, simply whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Mix everything together. When the quinoa has cooled, mix it together with the tomatoes, feta, garbanzo beans, watermelon, basil, and lemon vinaigrette. Then season to taste.
And that's all there is to it ... your gorgeous Watermelon Quinoa Salad is ready to eat! Doesn't it look delicious?
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this salad as a main course (it's makes a tasty lunch or light dinner) or as a side dish. It works great with any summer meal, and it's perfect for picnics and BBQs, too.
Storage
This Watermelon Quinoa Salad tastes best when freshly made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three days. The watermelon may release some of its juice, so make sure to drain any excess liquid (and re-season, if necessary) before serving.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this easy salad, you'll also love my Arugula Quinoa Salad, Kale Quinoa Salad, and Greek Quinoa Salad recipes! And make sure to check out my other watermelon recipes, too:
- Main Dish - Serve this tasty Watermelon Feta Salad or this flavorful Watermelon Gazpacho for a light lunch or dinner on a hot day!
- Snack - Pair this yummy Watermelon Salsa with tortilla chips and you have a party!
- Drinks - Cool off with a refreshing Watermelon Juice, Watermelon Lemonade, Watermelon Mojito, Watermelon Punch, or Watermelon Margarita!
- Dessert - Treat yourself to this irresistible Watermelon Popsicles and easy to make Watermelon Sorbet.
P.S. You can find all my quinoa recipes here, and I've got lots of other salads for you to try, too!
Watermelon Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 large plum tomatoes, diced
- 4 ounces (113 grams) feta, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 (15-ounce / 425 gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ medium watermelon, diced
- 10 large basil leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine quinoa and broth in a medium, heavy bottom pan. Bring to a boil, then cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender (about 13 to 15 minutes). Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once quinoa has cooled, transfer it to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, feta, garbanzo beans, watermelon, and basil to the quinoa. Toss gently to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Pour lemon vinaigrette over the quinoa mixture and toss to coat.
- Taste salad, then season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Delish! I'm a big fan of balsamic on watermelon (sprinkled with Feta, ideally!), so I added balsamic to the dressing and am in love with this salad! (Going to go get a last-of-the-season melon to have some more!) Thanks! (Also looking forward to your other delicious recipes!)
I'm so glad you enjoyed the salad, Cynthia! It's definitely a favorite around here, too 🙂