Cucumber Quinoa Salad

Make Cucumber Quinoa Salad for a bright, crunchy, and easy summer meal with lemony Italian vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 2 cups chilled* cooked quinoa (see this tutorial for how to cook quinoa)
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup julienned or roughly-chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 batch Lemony Italian vinaigrette (see below)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought
• pinch of salt and black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the fresh ingredients

Dice the English cucumber into small, even cubes so each bite will be crisp and refreshing; thinly dice the red onion into translucent, jewel-like pieces that will add quick pops of color and a mild bite. Fluff the chilled cooked quinoa with a fork so the tiny grains separate and look light and fluffy, and roughly chop or julienne the basil into bright green ribbons that will wilt slightly when dressed. Crumble the feta into pebble-sized pieces so it scatters rather than clumps. Arrange each component in small bowls or on shallow dishes and set them around the empty mixing bowl so everything is within reach.

Step 2: Make the Lemony Italian Vinaigrette

In a small glass jar or a shallow ceramic bowl, combine the olive oil, apple cider or red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Whisk or shake until the oil and acid come together into a glossy, lightly emulsified vinaigrette with flecks of dried herbs suspended through it. Keep the vinaigrette in its vessel on the table next to the mixing bowl so it reads as a separate, contained element in the composition.

Step 3: Toss the salad until combined

Add the chilled, fluffed quinoa to the matte mixing bowl, then scatter in the diced cucumber, diced red onion, crumbled feta, and the chopped basil ribbons. Drizzle the lemony Italian vinaigrette evenly over the ingredients and gently toss with a wooden salad spoon or servers until everything is evenly coated — the quinoa should look glossy and separate, cucumber vibrant and crisp, feta crumbly and speckled through the grains, and basil slightly wilted but aromatic. The mixture should read as a cohesive, colorful salad with visible texture contrasts and a light sheen from the dressing.

Step 4: Serve immediately

Invite the salad to the table in the same matte ceramic bowl used for mixing, garnishing with a few extra basil ribbons and a final crumble of feta so the top looks intentionally casual. Present a single polished silver spoon resting inside the bowl to suggest immediacy and serving, and serve straight away so the cucumber remains crisp and the quinoa stays fluffy.

Notes

• Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove bitterness.
• Chill the cooked quinoa before assembling for the best texture.
• Keep dressing separate until serving to preserve cucumber crunch.
• Adjust lemon and vinegar to taste; add more for brighter flavor.
• Store salad and dressing separately if you plan to keep leftovers longer.