Two salad posts in a row! I know, not very exciting, but this salad, it’s addictive. I’m not kidding. Rarely do I go back for seconds – never thirds – of a salad but this one is so jam packed with yummy, filling things like red quinoa, kalamata olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and Marcona almonds that I’ve caught myself snacking on it all day long. It’s a salad that eats like a meal, no beans or tofu required. Although you could totally add beans and tofu to this salad. No judgment.
Full disclosure, I can’t take credit for the fab flavor combos happening here. This is my homemade knockoff of the Mediterranean Chopped Salad from True Food Kitchen, one of my favorite local restaurants to visit when I don’t want the hassle of nagging the waiter about what’s vegan and what’s not on the menu. This was my go to order until they started switching out the Marcona almonds for regular almonds, well, the menu now reads sprouted almonds. It’s just not the same. If you’re going to make this salad, get yourself some Marcona almonds. If you’ve never had Marcona almonds before, get yourself some Marcona almonds. Like now. Originally from Spain, Marconas are a fancier version of the common almond. They’re round shaped, buttery and a bit softer than they’re oval shaped cousins. Switching out Marconas where you’d normally use regular almonds is like switching out truffles for your basic crimini mushroom.
It’s not lost on me that I’m calling this a Greek Power Salad when Marcona almonds are actually from Spain. But whatevs, the briny olives, refreshing cucumbers and sweet cherry tomatoes commonly associated with a Greek salad more than make up for it. And this salad will literally give you power, plant fueled protein power that would make any Greek god envious. No feta required.
My green of choice for this salad is mâche, a delicate French (damn, also not Greek) lettuce that grows in little rosettes. It’s mild and delicate and can be swapped out for micro greens or even baby spinach. If you can get your hands on mâche (pronounced mawsh, rhymes with posh) though, I highly recommend giving it a try. It pairs really well the Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette, a tangy, herby, lemony mix that comes together in the prettiest shade of pale yellow. If you could bottle sunshine, it would look like this vinaigrette.
Rounding out this giant plate of veggie power and adding a bit of heft, is a generous heaping of red quinoa. Can we just talk about quinoa for a minute? I have a love hate relationship with the stuff. I love how healthy it is but I hate its texture and taste. Enter red quinoa. It’s everything white quinoa wants to be. It’s hearty and chewy and doesn’t cook up into a mushy mess, provided you keep an eye on your simmering time. Plus, it makes for a prettier presentation. Drizzled on a plate with vibrant veggies, it just. looks. good.
Power to the salad.
- ¾ cup uncooked red quinoa
- 4 cups mâche (or sub any mild greens)
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped (hothouse variety)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup kalamata olives, halved
- ⅓ cup toasted Marcona almonds
- ⅓ cup prepared Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Rinse quinoa and combine with 1½ cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, covered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the stove and allow the quinoa to steam covered for 5 more minutes. Using a fine mesh sieve, pour out quinoa and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- To assemble salad, combine all ingredients and toss with Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette. Salad will keep in the refrigerator for one day. Store unused vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a blender or food processor. Turn on blender and slowly pour in olive oil. Yields approximately ¾ cup.
This looks so Yummy! I love Greek Salad & the addition of the Quinoa sounds fabulous, Pinned!!
It’s a total meal in a salad with the quinoa!