Strawberry Feta Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)

A vibrant mix of quinoa, strawberries, feta, and a tangy balsamic dressing for an easy fresh dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water

→ Vegetables & Fruits

03 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 0.25 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 0.5 cup cucumber, diced

→ Dairy

07 - 0.5 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Nuts & Seeds

08 - 0.25 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled quinoa, strawberries, spinach, red onion, cucumber, and feta cheese.
04 - Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with toasted sliced almonds just before serving for extra crunch and texture.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour, yet tastes like you spent all morning on it.
  • The combination of sweet strawberries and salty feta is genuinely addictive, like a secret you want to keep to yourself.
  • It actually gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead without losing anything.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too far in advance, the spinach will become almost like cooked spinach, which isn't terrible but doesn't have the same brightness—so dress it within 30 minutes of eating, not earlier.
  • Rinsing the quinoa genuinely matters; I made it without rinsing once out of laziness, and the whole salad tasted slightly bitter in a way I couldn't identify until I made it again the right way.
03 -
  • Make the dressing a few hours ahead and let it sit at room temperature—the flavors marry together and taste more complete than when freshly whisked.
  • If your strawberries are very large, quarter them instead of slicing; smaller pieces distribute more evenly and look more elegant on the plate.
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