Vegan Mediterranean Salad (Healthy High-Protein Meal)

Mediterranean quinoa salad is an easy vegan and high-protein meal prep you’ll certainly love! Healthy, gluten-free, and meat-free lunch, dinner, or side. You choose!

Looking for simple and authentic Mediterranean food recipes that taste really good and aren’t difficult to make? Need something special but not so complicated?

Here is the most exciting, vibrant, and hearty quinoa salad that will surely amaze everyone at home or at the next picnic, party, potluck, or any special occasion!

This Mediterranean salad with quinoa, chickpeas, and lots of veggies is a great option for everyone on a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free diet. It’s suitable for both kids and adults, even picky eaters will adore it!

I know it will become one of your favorite go-to quinoa recipes.

Best quinoa salad with vegetables

What could be better than a bountiful bowl of fresh protein-packed salad? Don’t skip your light and yummy salad ever again, make it today and delight in it with your family and friends.

This gorgeously vibrant Mediterranean salad mix that bursts with flavor will make you feel good and well-nourished. Whether you want to lose weight and shed some extra pounds or trying to adopt a healthy, well-balanced diet that will help you improve your overall health this veggie salad is just for you.

Ready for this enjoyable and super filling rainbow salad recipe? Let’s make it together!

What’s in a Mediterranean salad

What does a Mediterranean salad contain? Do I have all the staples to prepare it? I’m sure you already have almost all (if not all) the ingredients to make this bright everyday salad recipe.

For the vegan quinoa salad (no cheese, no dairy)

• Cooked quinoa
• Cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Avocado
• Kalamata olives
• Red onion
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Shishito peppers

For the Mediterranean quinoa salad dressing

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Mustard
• Lime (juiced)
• Spices (salt, dry garlic, oregano and ground cumin)

As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients with measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Chopped rainbow salad recipe (kid-friendly)

Do you have a kid who refuses to eat his/her daily portion of greens? Need nutritious (yet delicious) back-to-school lunch ideas? This rainbow recipe is the ultimate winner. It abounds with grains, veggies, and legumes that will certainly impress your children and make them feel full and happy. Pack their lunch boxes only with wholesome and nutritious food. Don’t forget that healthy habits start at a very early age from the comfort of our homes. So be a loving parent and don’t miss the opportunity to set a good example for your child.

Is this salad mix gluten-free

Yes, this fresh homemade salad is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, too. It’s safe to eat if have any gluten intolerances, coeliac disease, or dairy (cow’s milk) allergies. Treat yourself and include this unique combination loaded with Mediterranean flavors in your gluten-free food list so you can enjoy it whenever your want throughout the day.

Quinoa health benefits and nutrition facts

Quinoa-the world’s most popular gluten-free SUPERFOOD. The quinoa seeds are one of the main sources of complete nonanimal protein. In fact, 1 cup of cooked quinoa provides you with 8,14 gr plant protein. In addition, this whole-grain food offers you a large range of amino acids which are crucial for muscle development. Unlike many other grains, it’s an outstanding source of lysine that is vital for the synthesis of protein in your body.

This highly beneficial edible seed with exceptional nutrient-dense content is rich in phosphorus, iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, and folate.

Thanks to its high-fiber content, this versatile ingredient is with a low glycemic index is also good for your gut. It may also be helpful for improving your metabolic health by boosting your metabolism and help you lose weight when combined with other plant-based foods and daily physical activity.

Why you’ll love this stunning Mediterranean salad with quinoa and chickpeas. It’s:

• Perfect make-ahead salad for a crowd
• Inexpensive
• Fancy weekday summer salad
• Weight-loss friendly
• Simple go to family salad
• Perfectly savoury
• So refreshing and versatile!

More must-try vegan salad ideas

• Crunchy cucumber vinegar salad
• Tasty fruit summer with apricots and strawberries
• Low-calorie butter lettuce salad
• Delicate dessert-like strawberry avocado salad
• Antioxidant power green salad

Vegan Mediterranean Salad (Healthy High-Protein Meal)

Marinela

Mediterranean quinoa salad is an easy vegan and high-protein meal prep you'll certainly love! Healthy, gluten-free, and meat-free lunch, dinner, or side. You choose!

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, vegan

Cuisine Mediterranean-inspired

Servings 6 servings

Calories 249 kcal

Equipment

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Saucepan
• Big bowl
• Small container or jar
• Spoon

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 avocado diced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion diced (approximately 1 small onion)
• 1 cup fresh cucumber circle sliced (approximately 1 English cucumber)
• 1 1/2 cup tomatoes diced (approximately 2 small-medium sized tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup shishito peppers thinly sliced ( approximately 2 shishito peppers)

For the Mediterranean salad dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 tsp salt or adjust it to your taste
• 1/4 tsp dry oregano, dry garlic, ground cummin

Instructions

 

• First, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Let it cool completely. My advice is to cook it ahead of time (even the night before), store it in the fridge so it will be nice and cold the day after. In that way, you can easily assemble all the ingredients together in 10 minutes or less. For this recipe, you can use home-cooked or canned chickpeas.
  
• Next, chop up all the vegetables into small pieces.
  
• After that, mix all salad dressing ingredients together in a small container or jar.
  
• Finally, in a big bowl combine cooled quinoa, chickpeas, chopped veggies, and salad vinaigrette. Give it a nice toss and enjoy it on its own or serve it as an appetizer, meze, side dish for lunch, or dinner. Serve it cold or at room temperature for those Mediterranean flavors to really pop up.

  Store any leftovers in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  

Notes

• You can totally adapt this quinoa salad to your taste because it’s easily customizable. Add any other veggie you prefer more and leave out any ingredient you don’t like.
• I recommend you cook the quinoa in advance and keep it refrigerated so it will be completely cool before adding the other ingredients.
• Always serve it cold or at room temperature.

Keyword garbanzo bean salad, gluten-free, healthy, high protein meal prep, kid friendly, mediterranean quinoa salad, mediterranean salad with quinoa, plant based, quinoa vegetables salad

Made this beautiful Mediterranean quinoa salad with raw veggies? If yes, please rate it, leave a comment below, and share your photo on Instagram with the tag @go_eatgreen and hashtag it #go_eatgreen. I would love to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!

Follow me on Pinterest for more easy and delicious vegan recipe ideas.

Love, Marinela💚