Strawberry Feta Quinoa Salad (Print Version)

Vibrant salad mixing strawberries, feta, quinoa, spinach, and balsamic dressing for a fresh meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

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

→ Vegetables & Fruits

03 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - ½ cup cucumber, diced

→ Dairy

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Nuts & Seeds

08 - ¼ 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 Make:

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 allow to 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 the cooled quinoa, strawberries, spinach, red onion, cucumber, and feta cheese.
04 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with toasted sliced almonds immediately before serving for optimal crunch and flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you can go from craving salad to eating it before the moment passes.
  • The sweet strawberries and tangy feta create this unexpected balance that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • Quinoa actually makes you feel full and energized instead of hungry an hour later.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too far in advance, the spinach will wilt and the strawberries will weep into everything—do it no more than 30 minutes before eating.
  • The secret nobody tells you is that toasting your own almonds makes a difference you can actually taste; store-bought toasted ones sit around too long and get stale.
03 -
  • Make your dressing in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it up just before serving—whisked dressings can separate if they sit too long.
  • If your balsamic vinegar tastes too sharp, warm it gently in a small pan for a minute to mellow it out and concentrate the sweetness.
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