The Passover Potluck is a unique annual online event. I’ve invited my friends, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to share recipes that are kosher for Passover. My goals are simple– to foster mutual understanding between different cultures, to introduce you to my foodie friends, and to share yummy recipes and cooking ideas for Passover! To learn more about the Passover holiday, click here. To learn about what makes a recipe kosher for Passover, click here. To check out the other Passover Potluck recipes, click here.
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Samantha Ferraro from the Little Ferraro Kitchen has been a regular reader of my blog for quite some time. Her recipes often have a tasty Sephardic or Mediterranean touch. This Greek Infused Quinoa Salad doesn’t disappoint. It’s gluten free, full of protein, and kosher for Passover with lots of refreshing Mediterranean flavors… perfect for the spring season! ~ Tori
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Samantha says:
Shalom Tori’s readers, and Happy Pesach! I am Samantha, I cook and write for the blog Little Ferraro Kitchen. I am so incredibly delighted and honored to be a part of this Passover Potluck. Tori’s blog was one of the first ones I read and everything she made instantly brought my back to my childhood. I am pretty blessed, as I grew up in both a Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewish household and experienced the best of both cooking worlds. Growing up in New York then Hawaii and now living in Southern California, I am grateful to have experienced so many cultures in the food world. I hope to entice you with these flavors on my food blog.
I originally made this Greek Infused Quinoa Salad a few months ago at the start of my semester. As a Health Science major, I am always searching for foods that promote wellness. I look around at my peers on campus as they are devouring massive burgers and greasy over-cooked fries, and I think how sluggish they must feel in their afternoon classes. I want something bright and flavorful. Something filling and exotic. Something that makes my insides jump up and down and thank me. I want to share my lemon zested quinoa salad with you and tell you the amazing benefits of tomatoes and olive oil. Quinoa has a fabulous amount of magnesium which aids in cardiovascular health, thus decreasing blood pressure, cholesterol and other heart diseases. Amazing, isn’t it?
This Greek Infused Quinoa Salad is everything I could have hoped for. Creamy and briny flavors come together and form a special bond. Silky olive oil is dressed on top, as well as my healthy obsession with lemon zest. This isn’t a “traditional” dish that I grew up with, but it is a great choice for Passover. The flavors are extraordinary.
Happy Passover, share this salad with the ones you love.
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Greek Infused Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup black olives, pitted and chopped or left whole
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts, halved (1 can)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 fresh lemon, zested and juiced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh mint leaves
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for another minute.
- Add the quinoa to the pan and toast it for a minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper and stir once. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 40 minutes until all liquid has evaporated and quinoa is tender.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes (or you can make this ahead and let cool overnight).
- Mix in the other ingredients; olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, lemon zest and juice and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well.
- Top with fresh mint and cubed feta. Add the feta towards the end so you don't risk breaking it up while you mix it. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve.
Nutrition
I made this recipe last night as part of my work lunch meal prep. I got 3 lunch-sized portions from it. I think giving this dish the chance to sit overnight really helped the flavors come together. The instructions were easy to follow, however, my quinoa only took about 20 minutes to fully absorb the liquid. This possibly could have been because I used a larger pot than recommended in the instructions. In addition, I did not add oregano, because I was lazy. I love the refreshing mint. This is a great, light salad, perfect for lunch!
I notice on my box of quinoa, it says to cook for 15 minutes; whereas this recipe says to cook for 40 minutes. Are there different types of quinoa that cook for different lengths, like white rice vs. brown rice?
Update! The quinoa needed to cook for 35 minutes, despite what it said on the box.
Hi Barbara, right now I am super busy with creating content for this site. Unfortunately, entering each and every recipe into a nutrition calculator is not something I have the time to do (maybe someday when I have a staff to help– right now, it’s just me!). However, there are many nutrition calculators online that can help you out, just search “nutrition calculator” and many will come up. Hope that helps!
the frozen variety i have seen in kosher stores and they all seem to be artichoke bottoms, which really are different….also one can find artichoke bottoms with a kosher certification. it seems like an integral part of the recipe or i would substitute. thanks for your quick response. i love your newsletters.
where does one find kosher artichoke hearts? no kosher food stores sell it. i’m told there is too many bugs to find a reputable kosher agency to supervise them.
Hi Sherri– I’m not sure about artichoke hearts with a kosher hechsher, since I don’t personally look for a hechsher on all my packaged foods. I believe Birds Eye offers the frozen variety with a hechsher, but depending on where you live it may not be stocked in your local market. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
We served quinoa for Passover for the first time this year. It was popular. I just posted it.
This Greek style sounds absolutely delicious. Love the artichoke hearts in there too.
LL
What a lovely edition to the potluck. I have some quinoa burning a hole in my pocket, now I know what to do with it.
This would be a hit with my family. Great flavor combo! 🙂
Love this – so fresh, and quinoa is my favorite grain.
Is quinoa considered a grain or not?
Quinoa is technically a seed, not a grain (though it is commonly referred to as a grain because it is so grain-like in texture). It is closely related to spinach and Swiss chard. Most kosher authorities agree that it is kosher for Passover, though some put it into the category of kitniyot (many do not). There are brands that are certified kosher for Passover. If you’re unsure about it, ask a trusted rabbinical authority.
Wow – that looks delish! I love this sort of dish – and you rocked it!
All favorite ingredients in one dish! Thanks for the idea,Samantha. I hate feeling sluggish in the afternoons, bet this one would be a good leftover dish.
What a fabulous salad! Yum!
Looks like you left the feta out of the ingredient list, but otherwise this looks terrific.
Hi Elle– thanks for the heads up! I corrected the post.