Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad
Updated April 09, 2020
Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad – this protein-packed Mediterranean salad is full of flavor and great served as a main dish or side dish.
Perfect Mediterranean Salad
I hibernate during the cold winter months. I leave my house to go to the gym, grocery store, church, and that’s about it unless something special comes up. I hide under my covers and wait for the snow to melt. We got a ton of snow over the holidays and I don’t think it is going anywhere anytime soon, so I am trying to find ways to survive inside.
Last week, I made my favorite Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad. Mediterranean recipes always make me happy. I usually make this Mediterranean salad in the summer, but I needed a little pick me up to help me beat the winter blues and this salad did the trick. It is light, refreshing, and reminds me of summertime. It is a great salad for anytime of the year!
Mediterranean Salad for Healthy Eating
Mediterranean recipes are generally healthy, and this one is actually perfect for the new year because it is loaded with protein and veggies. This Mediterranean salad has three types of beans-green beans, garbanzo beans, and white cannellini beans, along with the quinoa. It also has cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and fresh basil. You will love all of the color and flavors.
Oh, and you can cook the quinoa on the stove, but I tried cooking the quinoa in our new Instant Pot and it came out perfectly in just minutes. So if you have an Instant Pot, try it out! It is great for cooking up quinoa. So easy!
Mediterranean Salad Tips
- Before serving, I dress the salad with a simple balsamic dressing.
- This salad is great served as a main dish for lunch or dinner or you can serve it alongside chicken or fish.
- This salad will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. I love the leftovers and I have even pulled this salad out for breakfast. Starting the day with veggies and protein is always a good idea. You could even scramble up some eggs to go on the side.
- This salad is perfect for potlucks, parties, picnics, and barbecues.
This Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad is good any time of the day and is perfect for sharing. Make it and take it to your next potluck. It is always a hit!
If you like this Mediterranean Salad, you might also like:
- Creamy Greek Pasta Salad
- Greek Tortellini Salad
- Easy Quinoa Salad
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
How to Make Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- For the Salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ lb. green beans trimmed and snapped into 2-inch pieces
- 1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper seeds removed and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper seeds removed and chopped
- 1 cup chopped seedless cucumber
- 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until for 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, covered. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, blanch the green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain the green beans and place in a bowl of ice water. Drain well and pat dry.
- Add the green beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, olives, and basil to the bowl with the quinoa.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and gently stir until salad is coated with dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve.
- Note-if you have an Instant Pot, you can cook the quinoa in your Instant Pot. It only takes one minute.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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This salad looks SO good! I love the mix of ingredients, and being a vegetarian this recipe has my name all over it! Now…just have to convince my fiancé to eat salad in the winter
Ha! This is a filling salad!
This looks so delicious!
Beautiful healthy salad!!
hey girl- this looks so good! We also got some snow 2-3″ inches is all we got here in Oklahoma last friday! I want more snow!
Yum this looks so delicious and very filling!
So funny! I am making a Greek-themed menu for our next church activity, and this would be PERFECT! Thanks for sharing!
Perfect for a Greek party! Enjoy!
This salad looks incredible! I need this in my life asap.
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
First, I am so intrigued by the insta-pot! Do I nee dot get one? Also, this salad looks beautiful! I love all the colors!
I made this salad last night.it was huge and I even had some leftover salad the next night. My husband and I both loved it. It could use some more salt and pepper which I will definitely add next time. It’s a repeat salad for sure.
I made this salad last night. It was huge and I even had some leftover salad which I devoured the next night. Both my husband and I are big salad lovers so this was really good. It’s a definite repeat in my salad rotation. Thanks a lot!!
Making this for the second time tonight! I love that it makes a lot too! plenty of left-overs! fantastic!
Made this tonight with a few changes. Used black beans instead of white.. added a little more balsamic vinager after it was tossed. Beautiful looking salad and can definitely be served for company. Delicious and healthy
This looks so good! I was thinking of making a big batch to eat for lunch all week…how long do you think it would be good for without getting gross?
I think you can eat leftovers for 2 days. I did and thought it still tasted good:)
How in the world do I access this recipe? I have been literally going up and down and back and forth through your website for 10 minutes and can’t figure it out!!! Help! This salad looks AMAZING and I must make it!! 🙂
nutritional info??? is it available? just curious about protein content… with quinoa and garbanzo beans I’m thinkin possibly around 15-20 g.???
This is a definite must try!! Looks delicious!!
I did this recipe tonight. It does make a big bowl, so be ready for that. However, it was delicious. Therefore, I have some leftovers for a day or two as I use it mostly as a side dish. I sent a picture to my husband who is working out of town and said that it looked really good….and he is not a fan of quinoa. I will have to make him try it.
Is there a portion size or calorie count for this recipe?
Thank you.
I love all the colors!
Thanks!
would love to try this but we are not a fan of quinoa any suggestions what I could substitute?
You can use pasta and make a pasta salad!
1st time making this and we loved it! Flavorful nutritious and delicious! Definately in my “make this again” file.
Glad you liked the salad!
I loved this. It makes a lot. Great for a pot luck. Her picture shows more olives and feta. It did need more than the directions in my opinion. I also chopped two garlic cloves because I didn’t have a press. It was too much garlic But I like garlic.
Can’t wait to try this!! Would red wine vinegar be a good substitute for the balsamic vinegar??
love it! My husband and I eat this as an entree. It is plenty filling, healthy and great flavor!
Calories anyone?
This is a really good salad. Hearty and filling. I needed more dressing,so I squeezed some fresh lemon juice on it.
Next time I may doubly the dressing.
Would it be possible to get the carb count for this salad?
Can someone pro at tre macros?
I love it. I made a recipe, shared half and I regret that! Now, I have to go back to the store so I can make it again. This time I won’t share. I can eat this ANYTIME. A very good recipe.
I made this and want to enter it into an app but I do not know what the serving size is? One cup??? I found the nutrition break down on Yummly.com but there is nothing to indicate what the serving size is. 500 calories for one cup seems like A LOT.
like all of the beans in this recipe, I’ve been looking for more legume recipes since that’s part of my new diet thing, so thank you!
Made this last week for the first time and I couldn’t believe how filling it is. It was a side dish the first night for dinner and then it was also used as a main dish for lunches. I’m making it again this weekend and will probably have it for lunch all week at work.
Glad you liked the recipe!
Would pesto be alright to use instead of basil?
Like to give it a try. Looks awesome.
Sounds good to me!
Loved this! The basil and the green beans are a nice variation on a traditional Mediterranean salad.
I’ve made this twice, can’t wait to make it again! A wonderful blend of tastes and textures, and so colorful! It disappears quickly!!!
A road trip is NOT a road trip unless you have some car/trailer malfunction or a wrong turn somewhere, to make it interesting. Just like Without Salad food is incomplete.
Hi! I love your recipes, and have made so many. I was wondering, have you ever have thought about including the calories per serving in them? I realize that your blog is not necessarily a “health” blog (even though many of your recipes are so nutritious), so it may be not appropriate.
Oh my goodness, my husband has been trying for so long to get me to eat quinoa salad. I finally found one that I honestly like. Give it a try!
Delicious and very flavorful salad! I serve it over a bed of spinach as an easy and healthy lunch. This is my second time making it! My family loves it! Thanks for the great recipe.
I wish the nutritional information was included with servicing size.
I had this at Josh and Maria’s house once and I HAD to make, it’s just so good!
I need the nutrition info. Have not made it yet but I’m going to make it if I can get the nutrition information, it sounds wonderful for a BBQ.
Looks delicious ! I have to make this !
This salad is delicious! I made it Saturday night and everyone was raving about it. I’m always hesitant to serve a new dish that I haven’t made before for guests but this was perfect and easy to make. Great for my gluten free and vegetarian guests. So glad I found it.
This salad is delicious but I prefer more balsalmic vinegar . You will want to sample it before serving. THe prep time is listed at 15 minutes. IT took me almost an hour so allow extra time the first time you make it.
Dan
I’ve followed the recipe exactly most times I’ve made this and it’s most flavorful using the original recipe. However, I’ve used edamame as one of the beans, I’ve made it without using a dressing at all & it’s still very good, I’ve added chopped kale, I’ve added pinons… The original is BEST and I’m making it again for about the twentieth time. I never get tired of it! ***** Five stars!
So happy you liked it!
Does this salad freeze well?
This looks so delicious! Is there a calorie count for this recipe?
I am not sure on the calories.
I liked the salad but I did not follow the recipe strictly because I didn’t have the peppers , cucumbers or green beans. It still tastes good. However, it made a large amount so I’m forced to consider freezing it in individual portions. I know the herbs and tomatoes will become mushy, but that’s ok. Any other suggestions. I don’t have anyone to give it to.
Easy to make. Family loved it!
Love it! Very flavorful and satisfying, even for a meat lover like me. I’d like to know the nutritional breakdown on it—calories, protein, etc. it’s got to be very healthy.
Could this revipe be halved? Or do you think it would freeze ok?
Yes, you can half it!
I made this salad and i must say i was a little hesitant trying a recipe from my usual website , (trying new recipes from different websites has had discusting outcomes) but it looked so good I decided to take a chance. All I can say is OMG… it was soooo good. I shared it with my co-workers and they all wanted the recipe. The little amount of dressing on this big salad was a bit wondering, but I said “ok I will try it” and it turned out fabulous, I have made it several times since. I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe.
I’d love to make this but I have to count carbs. Do you have any idea how many carbs are in a serving?
I made this today and added some roasted pecans and dried cranberries for a little sweetness. Delicious!!! We don’t like garbanzo beans so we added a few more White beans.
Is it supposed to be one cup uncooked quinoa, or one cup cooked? Thanks!
Uncooked, you are going to cook it. See the instructions. Enjoy!
Can I add the dressing the first day and then refrigerate and it will last for another few days?? I’m always worried about adding the dressing but would rather be able to put it “all” together else I forget to add the misc ingredients the next day. I’m bringing this to a chickie Xmas part tomorrow.
I make this at least once a month. The best Mediterranean Quinoa salad out there.
I made this salad, it makes a lot, and everyone loved it. Even my husband who normally would not eat this type of food. It is the best quinoa salad.
I’ve made this a few times and it’s always good. I use what I have on hand as it isn’t always easy to find good looking green beans this time of year. I like my vinaigrette more acidic than oily so I always add more vinegar and a squeeze of lemon but my guests have loved it even when I make it the original way. I now always add some fresh parsley along with the basil and it’s so fresh tasting. Such a great recipe and easy to add to if needed. Thanks.
What are the caliries, fat and carb numbers?
Me, again. I love this salad but too many beans is my bane. I cut the chickpeas out and the other legumes as well and doubled up on the green beans & tomatoes. I take that back, I leave the edamame in. Such a great salad – I double the recipe and love eating it for days.
It’s awesome. Serving with bbq chicken breasts. Halved the quinoa as we are only a fam of 3. Perfect for work lunches. Xo
What is the nutritional label per
Portions and size of portions?
Nutrition facts are posted below the recipe.
This looks delicious. I do have a question: 1 C quinoa………always find this confusing in recipes…..is that 1 C uncooked or cooked???
For this recipe, it is uncooked quinoa.
Going to try this. Are the green beans raw? Or what kind of beans do you use?
Made as directed other then using a pre made balsamic dressing. Great fresh flavors. Very light but filling. Makes a LOT! Did half the recipe and still had a ton of leftovers. Great (healthier)
substitution for pasta!
This salad is excellent! My vegetable hating husband even likes it!
I have done this recipe for quite some times now, and it is delicious!! The amount of dressing is perfect! Thank you for sucha delectable healthy option!
I love this stuff, my neighbors love this stuff, my friends love this stuff… have made this recipe several times since last fall when I “discovered” it online and am making it now. The green beans are seemingly out of place with the other ingredients, but yet they work so well! My only swaps are that I use capers rather than olives (I don’t like olives) and I use about a 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar for a little added punch. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
So glad I found this recipe! Thank you So Much for posting! Tried it tonight for a dinner salad as my husband has gone plant based diet recently. Very easy to put together and I doubled the recipe so we can much on it for a couple days. I tripled the dressing and saved back some to add to it next time we have it. Very pretty salad as well. Will probably take to our next pot luck as it is very good and healthy. Those watching carbs can enjoy as the card factor is mostly proteins as well.
Hi!
Any idea how long if this would work well made the day before, minus the cucumber, I could easily add that the day of? Thanks!
You can make it the day before! You can wait to add the dressing if you are worried, but I always eat leftovers and it’s really good!
Made this last night. It was a hit! What a great recipe.
Sorry to say I found it sort of bland ;/ i added more salt, feta and balsamic. cranberries would be a good addition too!
Hillary, add more garlic than noted on the recipe. That really kicks up the flavor. I made this with Bulgur and Quinoa, half and half.
Looove this! I didn’t have green beans so used black beans. This makes so much that it will last us all week. And such a pretty salad.
Love the swap! Thanks for sharing!
Looks delicious. I like all the ingredients. Can’t wait to try it.
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I love this recipe. I have never put beans in it before … yum. I do put artichokes and green olives also.
I’ve made this salad quite a few times. Delicious every time!
Delicious and easy salad. Very healthy tasting and looking. Great for lunch or dinner by itself during the hot summer months. Highly recommend it.
Made it twice. Great tastes and fuel. So many variations possible.
Would this be good unrefrigerated for about three hours?
Yeah, that is fine.
Easy and delish!!!
We absolutely love the mediterranean quinoa salad. I have been making it for about 4 years and it is still a favorite. The only change is that I double the dressing. Occasionally I will add celery and carrots as well.
I made this salad today. It is so yummy and comes together very easily.
Glad you enjoyed the salad!
If you put the dressing on the salad will it still last for a few days
Yes!
Delicious! Followed recipe about 90% due to some replacements needed. But, its a great one!
This a great recipe, but when I make it I change the amounts of some of the ingredients. I’ve been using a whole English cucumber and I’m very generous with the olives and the feta cheese. I also double the dressing because a bowl of this salad makes a whole week of lunches for me and the dressing tends to get absorbed as the week passes.
Are the white beans, white kidney beans? Or navy beans? What is a “white” bean?
Thanks!
You can use either!
Outstanding~ it was much lunch and dinner today.
Great salad for summer
This salad is a favorite of mine! I cook the quinoa in broth to add more flavor. I find its also even better the next day when all the flavors have absorbed!
Yes, a great meal prep salad!
Just made this today. It makes A LOT of salad!, worth all the prep work and great way to use the produce from my garden! I doubled the olives and feta. I also doubled the dressing but still only used 2 cloves of garlic and that was plenty for my liking. Having company in 2 days, hope it hold up! Thanks for the recipe, looking forward to trying more of them!
It is a great meal prep recipe! I love the leftovers.