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A bowl of the finished Arugula Quinoa Salad served on a marble counter.

Arugula Quinoa Salad

Treat yourself to this wonderful quinoa and arugula salad recipe tonight ... it's easy to make and oh so delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 389kcal
Author: Ginnie

Ingredients

For Pickled Onions:

  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

For Quinoa:

For Lemon Dressing:

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly ground)

For Salad:

  • 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • ½ english cucumber, diced
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ⅓ cup halved olives (such as kalamata or castelvetrano)
  • handful fresh basil, sliced
  • 4 cups arugula

Instructions

Prepare Pickled Onions:

  • Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pint sized jar or small bowl.
  • Microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, or until hot. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Add red onions, pressing down to submerge in hot liquid. Cover and set aside to pickle for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare Quinoa:

  • Combine quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium pot over high heat.
  • Bring to a boil, then cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
  • Remove from heat, then fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly before using.

Prepare Dressing:

  • Add olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper to a jar (or bowl).
  • Cover jar and shake vigorously until ingredients are combined and dressing looks thick and creamy (or whisk together if using a bowl).
  • Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

Assemble Salad:

  • Combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, basil, ½ cup pickled onions (drained), and ¼ cup dressing in a large bowl. Mix well.
  • Taste, then add additional dressing, salt, and pepper to taste (if needed).
  • Gently mix in arugula.
  • Serve salad immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

This salad will serve 4 people as a main dish, or about 8 to 10 as a side dish.
To save time, prepare onions, quinoa, and dressing in advance. Then toss everything together just before serving.
You will have leftover pickled onions and dressing. Use the onions to top tacos, add them to sandwiches, mix them into other salads, and more. Store the excess dressing in your refrigerator to use for other salads.
Check out the info before this recipe card for helpful tips, recipe variations, serving suggestions, and more!

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal
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