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Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Red Onions, and Yogurt

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!

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

You can serve this quinoa salad with vegetables as leftovers the following day,
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.