Quinoa Salad with Feta and Fresh Peaches for Summer Meals

This quinoa salad with feta is a bright, satisfying summer dish. Greens, quinoa, peaches, and feta are tossed with a lemon-apricot vinaigrette for a healthy, filling salad. If peaches aren’t available, strawberries, apples, or grapes make great substitutes.

If you haven’t tried adding quinoa to salads, give it a try—cooked quinoa adds texture and plant-based protein that makes a salad more satisfying. In this version, juicy sliced peaches add sweetness and contrast, though strawberries or other seasonal fruit work well too.

A great salad always begins with a tasty dressing. This lemon-apricot vinaigrette is simple to make and far better than most store-bought dressings. It’s bright, slightly sweet, and complements the fruit and feta perfectly.

The dressing is just a few ingredients and blends up quickly, creating a creamy vinaigrette that clings to the greens and mixes into the quinoa for even flavor.

Quinoa Salad Ingredients

Below are the components that make this quinoa feta salad so fresh and balanced.

• Lemon Apricot Vinaigrette – A simple, three-ingredient dressing. Apricot jam adds a pleasant sweetness that pairs beautifully with lemon.
• Mixed Greens – Spring mix works well, but any tender greens or a kale-and-spring-mix blend are good options.
• Peaches – Use fresh, ripe peaches when available. If not in season, substitute sliced strawberries, apples, or red grapes.
• Walnuts – Provide crunch and a toasty, slightly bitter counterpoint to the fruit.
• Golden Raisins – Add mild, sunny sweetness; dried cranberries or cherries are fine alternatives.
• Feta Cheese – Adds a salty, creamy element. About ¾ cup (roughly a 5-ounce tub) is a good amount.
• Cooked Quinoa – Cook and cool the quinoa before adding it to the salad so the greens don’t wilt.
• Red Onion – Thinly sliced for a sharp bite; omit if you prefer.

How to Make Quinoa Salad with Feta

Make the lemon-apricot vinaigrette – Combine olive oil, fresh lemon juice, apricot jam, and a pinch of kosher salt in a mini food processor and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a mini processor, use a tall cup with an immersion blender. Blending produces a creamier vinaigrette than whisking.

Combine the salad ingredients – In a large bowl, add the mixed greens, sliced peaches (or chosen fruit), chopped walnuts, golden raisins, crumbled feta, cooked quinoa, and thinly sliced red onion.

Toss with the vinaigrette – Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add the remaining dressing and toss again, adjusting the amount to taste. If you prefer a more heavily dressed salad, double the vinaigrette recipe.

Recipe Tips

• Prep elements ahead: cook a batch of quinoa and store it in the fridge for quick assembly during the week.
• Fruit swaps: if peaches aren’t available, use strawberries, Honeycrisp apples, grapes, or blueberries.
• Dressing amount: start with half the vinaigrette and add more if needed—easy to add, impossible to remove.
• Cook quinoa properly: avoid mushy quinoa by following a reliable method and cooling it before mixing into the salad.

Variations

Customize the salad with these simple swaps:

• Nuts & Seeds: Try sliced almonds, pistachios, pecans, pumpkin seeds, cashews, or pine nuts instead of walnuts.
• Dried Fruit: Swap golden raisins for dried cranberries, raisins, dried blueberries, dried cherries, or dried mango.
• Fresh Fruit: Use strawberries, apples, grapes, or blueberries when peaches aren’t in season.
• Onions: Replace raw red onion with pickled red onions or pickled shallots for a sweeter, tangy bite.
• Cheese: Substitute goat cheese or gorgonzola for feta if you prefer; avoid sharp cheddar with citrus dressings.

FAQs

More Quinoa & Salad Recipes

• Spinach Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette & Pears
• Herby Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Chickpeas
• Mango Cucumber Salad
• Simple Grilled Chicken Salad
• Pear and Arugula Salad
• Kale Crunch Salad (Chick‑fil‑A style)

Quinoa Salad with Feta & Peaches

Carolyn

This quinoa salad with feta is a perfect summer bite—greens, quinoa, peaches, and feta tossed in a citrus vinaigrette for a healthy, filling salad.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 345 kcal

Equipment

• Large Bowl
• Immersion blender or mini food processor

Ingredients

For the lemon apricot vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• Pinch of kosher salt

For the salad:

• 5 ounces mixed greens
• 2 cups sliced peaches or strawberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ⅓ cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries/cherries)
• ¾ cup feta cheese
• 1½ cups cooked quinoa
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

To make the dressing:

• In a mini food processor, combine olive oil, apricot jam, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Pulse until smooth and slightly thick. Alternatively, blend in a tall cup with an immersion blender.

Assemble the salad:

• In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, sliced peaches, chopped walnuts, golden raisins, crumbled feta, cooked quinoa, and sliced red onion.
• Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Add the remaining dressing and toss again to coat evenly.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

If you prefer a more heavily dressed salad, double the vinaigrette recipe and add to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 345 kcal
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 23 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 13 g

Keyword cold quinoa salad, feta quinoa salad, lemon quinoa salad, quinoa feta salad

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