Vegan Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or Warm Recipe
This Vegan Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa is a versatile and vibrant dish, perfect as a warm meal or a refreshing salad. Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like kale, white beans, olives, and fresh lemon juice, it offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures. The quinoa is cooked in savory vegetable broth for added depth, while garlic-infused olive oil adds a fragrant touch. Enjoy this healthy, gluten-free, and plant-based recipe for a fulfilling Mediterranean-inspired experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Quinoa & Vegetables
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced kale leaves, packed
Flavorings & Add-ins
- ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa and Kale: In a small stockpot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the quinoa and let it boil for about 14 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the sliced kale leaves. Drain everything well using a fine-mesh strainer and transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly.
- Prepare Garlic Olive Oil: In a small saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pressed garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Pour this garlic-infused oil over the warm quinoa and kale mixture and stir to distribute evenly.
- Combine and Serve: Add the white beans, diced roma tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, and fresh lemon juice to the quinoa mixture. Toss everything together well. Season with sea salt and black pepper to your taste. Serve the dish warm, or allow to cool for a Mediterranean-inspired quinoa salad.
Notes
- You can serve this dish warm as a hearty bowl or chilled as a refreshing Mediterranean salad.
- Make sure not to overcook the garlic in the oil to avoid a bitter taste.
- Feel free to substitute kale with spinach or Swiss chard if preferred.
- For added crunch, garnish with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: vegan quinoa salad, lemon garlic quinoa, Mediterranean quinoa, plant-based quinoa recipe, kale quinoa, healthy quinoa bowl
