Quinoa Salad with Watermelon and Feta

A refreshing and light summer recipe for Quinoa Salad with Watermelon and Feta that can be enjoyed as an easy side or a hearty main dish all season long. It’s full of flavor from fresh mint, sweet watermelon and tangy feta cheese.

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I’m often asked what kind of recipes I share on the blog. Are they vegan, gluten-free, paleo? I always have a hard time answering these questions, because most of my recipes are all of these things and none of these things. It’s hard explaining to people who don’t know much about you that you don’t subscribe to a particular diet and instead focus on whole, nourishing foods.

But it’s true. I don’t label my diet and aim to meal prep and eat intuitively instead. It has served me really well for the past few years and I don’t see that changing anytime soon!

Now onto this Quinoa Salad with Feta and Watermelon recipe… does this not look like the most refreshing salad ever?! As soon as the weather starts to warm up I crave watermelon. It brings me back to my childhood and satisfies my sweet tooth all at once. I love watermelon season! Plus this quinoa salad recipe is SO easy with just a few simple ingredients. Let’s get into it.

Here’s What You Need:

• White quinoa – I find this recipe tastes best with white quinoa but you could any type of quinoa if that’s what you have.
• Watermelon – feel free to sub in a different fruit if you prefer!
• Fresh mint – the freshness of mint pairs perfectly in this salad with quinoa and feta but you could use any fresh herbs.
• Feta cheese crumbles – love the tanginess of feta but feel free to replace with a different cheese.
• Sea salt – add more or less based on taste and sodium preference.
• Black pepper – key for any salad recipe.
• Olive oil – I like using extra-virgin olive oil but use what you have.
• Almonds – entirely optional but I love the crunch they add!

Traditional watermelon salads are just watermelon, feta and mint but I wanted to add a protein and fiber boost and love the addition of cooked quinoa! Toss in a simple olive oil dressing and you have a refreshing salad for summer!

Recipe Variations

This is a straight forward recipe which means it’s easy to customize to your liking!

• Make it dairy-free– omit the feta or substitute for a vegan cheese.
• Add protein – while quinoa is a great source of plant-based protein, you could also use this quinoa salad as a base for an animal protein like grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp or even another plant-based protein like chickpeas.
• Add in extra veggies – cucumber would be delicious in this!
• Swap or add more fruit – if you don’t like watermelon or don’t have any on hand, this would still be delicious with a different fruit like fresh strawberries.
• Use a different grain – brown rice or farro would also be delicious in place of quinoa!
• Try seeds in stead of nuts – add seeds if allergic to nuts or omit if you don’t have.
• Swap the fresh herbs – I love the pairing of mint with watermelon and feta but you could easily sub in any fresh herbs like fresh parsley or fresh basil.

Storage Instructions

With the addition of quinoa, this could be eaten as a main dish! It’s also a delicious side dish – I love bringing this to potlucks or backyard BBQs.

While I do think this Quinoa Mint Salad is best served fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Grain Salads You’ll Love:

• Spring Grain Salad with Avocado Herb Dressing
• Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Squash
• Moroccan Quinoa + Chickpea Salad
• Roasted Brussel Sprout + Farro Salad
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Israeli Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad with Watermelon and Feta

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A refreshing and light summer recipe for Quinoa Salad with Watermelon and Feta that can be enjoyed as an easy side or a hearty main dish all season long. It’s full of flavor from fresh mint, sweet watermelon and tangy feta cheese.

• Author: Davida Lederle
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

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• 1 cup uncooked white quinoa
• 4 cups watermelon, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint (packed), chopped
• 1/2 cup organic feta cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Once cooked, remove from pot, fluff and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl combine quinoa, watermelon, mint, and feta cheese. Stir to combine.
3. Add olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Top with chopped almonds, if using.
5. Enjoy as a main or side dish.
6. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.