I have found that the mixture of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions works well
when mixed with a wide variety of grains. In this recipe, the fresh vegetables are
mixed with cooked quinoa and a bit of garlicy, lemon-infused Greek yogurt to
create a satisfying salad that can be enjoyed as a healthy stand-alone meal. And
the quinoa is high in fiber and packed with healthy vitamins and minerals!
Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Red Onions, and Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 shallot (finely diced)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1.75 cups water
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 large ripe tomatoes (cut medium dice)
- 1 fresh cucumber (peeled and cut medium dice)
- ½ red onion (cut medium dice)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Finely dice a shallot and add it to a rice cooking pot with the two Tablespoons of
- olive oil.
- Increase the heat to medium, and cook the shallot in oil for two minutes.
- Add the quinoa grains, and cook for one additional minute.
- Add the 1.75 cups of water, stir it together with the quinoa grains, and increase the
- heat to high.
- When the water begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover tightly with
- aluminum foil or a lid.
- Cook the quinoa for 15 minutes tightly covered.
- Remove the quinoa from the heat, and fluff the grains gently with a fork to allow
- some of the steam trapped between the grains to escape.
- Cover the cooked quinoa again, and allow it to rest for another ten minutes.
- While the quinoa is resting, cut your tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and parsley.
- Combine the vegetables and parsley with the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, Kosher
- salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Serve the quinoa with the yogurt, vegetables, and herbs on top. You can also mix
- in the vegetables and yogurt with the cooked quinoa, if you prefer.
Notes
right out of the fridge. It goes wonderfully served alongside chicken or fish on a
hot day. Sometimes, I’ll use steamed couscous or long-grain rice instead of quinoa in the
recipe shown above. It’s equally delicious, although perhaps a bit less healthy.