Vegan Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or Warm Recipe
This Vegan Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa is a vibrant and wholesome dish that can be served warm or as a salad. Featuring protein-packed quinoa cooked in vegetable broth, tender kale, creamy white beans, fresh roma tomatoes, briny kalamata olives, and a zesty lemon-garlic dressing made with olive oil, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe is both nutritious and flavorful. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner, it combines fresh ingredients with simple cooking techniques for a satisfying vegan meal.
- 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
Grains & Vegetables
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced kale leaves, packed
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
Liquids & Broth
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Beans & Olives
- 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
Seasonings
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- Sea salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa and Kale: In a small stockpot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook for 14 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the thinly sliced kale to the pot. Once cooked, drain the quinoa and kale mixture well using a fine-mesh strainer and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare Lemon-Garlic Dressing: In a small saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the pressed garlic cloves and cook while stirring frequently for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and pour the garlic-infused oil over the warm quinoa and kale mixture. Mix well to combine the flavors.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Add the drained and rinsed white beans, diced roma tomatoes, and sliced kalamata olives to the bowl. Pour in fresh lemon juice and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Toss everything gently but thoroughly to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed.
- Serve: The dish can be served warm immediately or allowed to cool to room temperature if preferred as a salad. Enjoy as a healthy, flavorful vegan Mediterranean meal.
Notes
- For a colder salad version, refrigerate the finished quinoa mixture for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Kale can be substituted with spinach or Swiss chard if preferred.
- Adjust lemon juice and garlic amount to taste for a more tangy or pungent flavor.
- Make sure to rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove its natural bitterness.
- Use low-sodium vegetable broth to control the salt levels in the dish.
Keywords: vegan quinoa salad, lemon garlic quinoa, Mediterranean quinoa, kale quinoa salad, vegan Mediterranean recipes, healthy quinoa dish
