Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Summer Vegetables
This fresh Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe features summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, basil and mint! It's light, healthy and delicious.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Anna Watson Carl did it all when she self-published her lovely cookbook, The Yellow Table: A Celebration of Everyday Gatherings, which is the source of this salad recipe. She documented the process on her blog, which is also called The Yellow Table.
Today, I’m tipping my hat to Anna and sharing this incredible quinoa salad from her book. It’s simple and fresh and just perfect for late summer. She combined ratatouille vegetables with quinoa and Mediterranean flavors. Leftovers are so good, I just ate them for breakfast!
When I was young, my mom published a few travel books about Oklahoma. This was back before you could even Google, “How to self-publish a book,” and find answers. She made those books happen, though, and I got to sit shotgun on our way to book signings. Back then, all I wanted to do was read, so I’d get lost in the children’s section while she sold and signed books.
I know how much goes into self publishing—writing a book is a feat in itself, so to take on the printing, distribution and marketing as well is a major accomplishment. Huge, really. Congrats, Anna, and thank you for this delicious recipe.
Watch How to Make Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Summer Vegetables
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Summer Vegetables
This fresh Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe features summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, basil and mint! It’s light, healthy and delicious. Recipe yields 4 larger servings or 6 side servings. It makes for great leftovers, so feel free to double the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), diced
- 1 medium-to-large zucchini, diced
- 1 medium-to-large yellow squash (or another zucchini), diced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa)
- 1 cup water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes (quarter any larger tomatoes)
- ⅔ ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- ⅔ ounce fresh mint leaves, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds or pine nuts, toasted
- ½ to ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash between the two baking sheets. Drizzle each baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss. (Add a little more if necessary; you want enough to lightly coat the vegetables.) Sprinkle each pan with ¼ teaspoon salt and 5 twists of pepper. Roast until the veggies are softened and browning along the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Set the roasted vegetables aside to cool.
- To cook the quinoa, combine the uncooked quinoa with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let the quinoa steam with the lid on for 5 minutes. Remove lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.
- To toast the almonds or pine nuts, cook them in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they’re turning lightly golden and fragrant, about 4 to 8 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Transfer them to a bowl to cool.
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and garlic. Slowly pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil while whisking constantly. Add the tomatoes, quinoa, basil, mint, roasted vegetables and nuts, and gently stir to combine. Season generously with salt (I add another ¼ teaspoon or more), pepper and maybe another squeeze of lemon, to taste. Stir in the crumbled feta, if you’d like. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Yellow Table by Anna Watson Carl. I revisited this recipe in 2025 and increased the amount of herbs and lemon juice, as well as increased the baking time for the vegetables to ensure proper browning.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Skip the feta and add some sliced, pitted Kalamata olives to make up for feta’s salty punch.
Make it nut free: Don’t use almonds. Technically, pine nuts are seeds, not nuts. If you’re sensitive to them, though, omit them!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Dear Kate
I love this salad and have leftovers. And I really need to know whether I can keep them fore 5 days, since I do not want to throw it away, but you said “up to 3 days” were okay, so I’m really uncertain.
Do you think I can still eat it without worries after 5 or 6 days?
I’ve kept it in the fridge and only opened the lid of the container to see whether everything is still ok
I really need your advice
Thank you, love your spirit:)
I am a whole food plant based eater which means no dairy or oil. This salad came out amazingly even after omitting the cheese and oil. I tossed the veggies in vegetable broth before roasting instead of oil. Have made this several times within the last 2 weeks. An absolute family favorite!
That’s excellent, Loretta! So happy your variation worked out well.
I couldn’t find any fresh mint or any good looking basil so I used dry. I measured 1/2 t. each, rubbed them in the palm of my hand, and added to the vegetables and quinoa before cooking and to the dressing; so in all I used 1.5 t. each. I sweated the eggplant for 45 minutes because my husband and daughter do not like it if it hasn’t been. Half of the dressing was plenty for us. I wish I had doubled this in order to have leftovers! I will make this again with fresh herbs when I can find them.
Sounds great, Erin! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Kate, I love many of your recipes. However, this was not one of my favorites. I think it had too much olive oil and was lacking something though I couldn’t say what. I’m sorry. It just didn’t, in my humble opinion, rise to your usual standard. Maybe …. dates?
Sorry this one disappointed, Pam. Feel free to experiment with some sweeter add-ins.
I added chopped apples and left out the pine nuts…for a but of sweet and crunch with the mint. I was marvelous.
Fresh, crisp apples sound like an excellent addition to this, Daniella. Thanks so much!
So tasty! I tried toasted pépites in place of pine nuts (allergies) and it was all delicious. Such a nice fresh taste to this recipe and it looks so colorful on the table!
Wonderful, Kathryn!
I added a can of garbanzo beans to make it a full meal. Delicious!
Awesome! Great tip, Marjorie.
This dish is amazing!! I made it twice in one week. I Brought it to a BBQ and and everyone’s loved it
Awesome! I’m glad it was a hit, Jeanne!
I had eggplant from a produce bin, and I’ve never loved, or even really liked, it. I was pretty confident, though, that if you used it and liked it, I would too, so I tried this recipe and – yes! – so good. Thank you for once again choosing a delicious recipe.
You’re welcome, Molly! I hope this one changed your mind a bit about the eggplant. :)
First time making this recipe- I could eat the whole bowl myself. Next time I will double it. I diced the vegetables into smaller than normal pieces and they taste like savory nuggets from the roasti
I’m so glad you liked it, Linda! I hope the next time goes just as well.
I made this for my family this evening. The only change I made was that I substituted toasted walnuts for the pine nuts as my husband doesn’t care for them. I did I add the feta too. This was absolutely delicious. The fresh mint and basil is a great addition. I will definitely be making again! Love your cookbook as well!
Great recipe. I doubled the quinoa – I would suggest you update your posting if you can and change that measurement. I also doubled the tomatoes and the basil and mint. I left all other ingredients the same. I like having the feta on the side as a garnish – especially for my non-dairy friends. Delicious!
Thanks, Dominique! Glad your version turned out great.
Wow! This is really delicious. The only changes I made were to add the whole cherry tomatoes about 15 minutes before the vegetables were done roasting, and I omitted the feta. I also skipped the mint because I couldn’t find any that looked decent (at this time of year that seems unbelievable). I think next time I make it (and there will be next time very soon) I will try roasting a few garlic cloves for the dressing instead of using raw. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
That’s weird that none of the mint looked good! That’s too bad. I hope there are some better options for you next time you’re at the market. I’m glad it all still tasted great, though!
Made it today for a family gathering. I didn’t have pine nuts or mint, and I used Apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. Fantastic recipe!
Made this for dinner yesterday. OMG. Fabulous.
I didn’t have quinoa and didn’t feel like going to the store so I used bulgar.
My husband loved it and even went for seconds. I’ll definitely make this again.
My teen sons announced their vegan status Jan 1, 2017. So, as an old dog learning new tricks, I turned to the Internet for recipes to replace my stable of memorized favorites.It started with your Veggie Chili, then on to your spectacularly easy Roasted Cauliflower Soup. At that point we ordered your cookbook. It has become our go-to source for reliably amazing recipes. You made our transition easy, and we are grateful!
I am happy the blog and cookbook are helpful for you, Wendy!
This is simply amazing I love it so light yet so much flavor! I followed the recipe all the way with no alterations which I rarely do, and it is still so delicious!
Thank you! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
I made a double recipe yesterday, serving both book group brunch and my adult family for dinner. It was a hit all around! beautiful color and layers of taste. The flavors seem to have bloomed in the batch that got to chill during the day. Definitely 5 stars!
Great! Quite the entertainer I would say. Thank you, Carol. I really appreciate it!
Best summer veggie salad EVER!!!! This salad is seriously the BEST and so healthy. Even tastes great the second day. Thanks again for another great recipe. You’re my go to gal when I need inspiration.
Well, thank you Sherry!
I made this today and it’s SO good! I doubled it so it took some extra time to roast all of the veggies but definitely worth it! I doubled everything except the olive oil, I added about 5 Tbsp instead of 6-8 and it was plenty. Added the feta which put it over the top, YUM! I hadn’t thought of these ingredients for a quinoa salad, great idea :)
I’m glad you loved it!
I tried this today and it was delicious and very easy to make! Definitely a keeper for my Mediterranean diet! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Carole! Thanks for your review.
As a reader surfing for good recipes, I would much prefer to see comments by individuals who have actually tried the recipe. I want to know how the meal tastes, not how people think the meal will taste.
I’m sorry you are frustrated, Judy! I do encourage readers to share their experience and what they are excited to try.
I made this dish last night and have to say, I think it was fabulous. Not only did it look pretty but it was delicious. I made it for a houseguest who is vegan. But for me I put a bit of feta on top which really made it. The only thing I would do differently is maybe do about 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. But then again I love quinoa.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Rebecca!
I’ve already made in twice this week and served it to two friends who also loved it. Seriously one of my favorite recipes now. BTW the fresh herbs that I picked from my garden really made it. Would never have thought to pup mint and basil together. Brilliant!
Thanks so much.
I made this with the addition of chickpeas for some added protein and it was so tasty!
Thank you for you sharing, Catherine!
This was delightful– nature’s bounty in one beautiful and delicious bowl!
Thank you for your review, Kim!
Perfection! This is so good. I received some eggplants and summer squash in my veggie box a few days ago. Plus cherry tomatoes and leek. This was the perfect recipe to enjoy my veggies in. I roasted cherry tomatoes and leek with the rest of the veggies and it all came out absolutely delicious. I already had some leftover brown rice so I used that instead of the quinoa since I always try to use up what I already have so that it doesn’t go to waste. The lemon garlic vinaigrette is so simple but perfect on this incredible salad. I can’t wait to have more for lunch tomorrow. If it lasts that long… I’m going back for seconds now.
Thank you, Kate for sharing this recipe. It was absolutely delicious and quite simple to make. The left overs were even the nicer the next day after all flavours were absorbed.
I can certainly recommend tossing a few whole cherry tomatoes in the oven with the rest of veges near the end, it gives a nice rich flavour to the salad.
Hi-5 for all that you do!
Thank you, Alex!
Hi, how many grams are in a serving? Thanks
I’m not a metric expert, sorry!
Loved this recipe! So flavorful!
This was delicious! I added some roasted asparagus and did a combination of fresh tomatoes / red bell pepper. I also added some fresh parsley. Perfect leftovers for lunch.
This was tasty! I made a cup of dried quinoa based on other reviewers and I’m glad that I did. It only made two large servings for us as a main dish. The mint was a nice touch! My husband who normally doesn’t like eggplants liked them in this recipe. To be repeated. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Annie! I’m glad you loved it. Thanks for your review.
So, so, SO good. Made exactly as written except I subbed fresh parsley for mint. Very good flavor from the roasted veggies, and the garlic-lemon-olive oil emulsion was perfect!
This salad is one of my favorites after making it last weekend! The basil is a must and I left the garlic out of the dressing.
This salad is SO delicious!
Ticks all of my boxes: comes together quick, delicious and nutritious!
Plus, its great for a weeknight meal or a dinner party/BBQ!
Thank you so much for another awesome recipe to add to the ol’ rolodex!
This salad is simply perfect! And still tastes great the following day! Definitely one of my new favorites! Thanks so much!
This was divine! Beautiful flavours. Thanks for a wonderful recipe :)
You’re welcome, Mariam! Thank you for your review.
Cookie, could you please pass on a message to Kate ? Please tell Kate
that she is brilliant and she has great taste in co-pilot. Also in making the Best recipes!!!
You’re so sweet, Jan! This made my morning. I’m delighted you are enjoying my recipes.
I had a similar salad at a restaurant in Danville and fell in love. That very night I scoured the web for something similar and found yours. I leave out the eggplant and mint, and it is identical to the one I had. I absolutely love this and have passed on the recipe to everyone who asks for it, which is everyone who has it eaten here in my home.
Would this work warm instead of cold? I’m thinking it would be nice as a warm salad with halloumi.
Hi! You could try it. Let me know what you think!
I made this tonight to serve with some lemon and oregano chicken skewers. Everything was absolutely delicious! I love all the fresh herbs (I used heaps!) and the roasted veggies. It made for such a nice break from my usual side dishes. Thank you for sharing, Kate!
You’re welcome, Emily! Thank you for your review.
This recipe is amazing. Makes a great veggie main or a side with fish. So good warm or cold the next day. Definitely going into my meal rotation.
I’m delighted you love it, Connie. Thank you for your review!
This recipe is in our normal rotation for vegan dinners – we love it! I actually have served it warm ever since the first time I made it and it really works well that way! I add more quinoa (1 cup uncooked) and do not add feta, but everything else I keep the same. We like to add more cherry tomatoes, too, as a personal preference :)
Thanks for all your yummy recipes, Kate!
Great recipe to go with all the fresh vegetables that came in my CSA box (eggplant, summer squash, and zucchini). I modified the recipe a bit to go with the other herbs that I had and it was a delicious!
Thank you for sharing, Lesley!
Wow this is gorgeous!! I’ve just made it for tonight’s dinner…………Hubbys not home for 30 minutes and I’m not sure if there will be much left!! Great recipe thank you!!
You’re welcome, Hannah!
Very delicious! Even my boyfriend who apparently didn’t like either pumpkin or eggplant, loved it :)
Thank you for sharing, Kristina!
Hi, Kate!
I have made this recipe over and over for several years. It is so delicious! The flavor combinations are perfect. I wanted a vegan version so I substituted kalamata olives for the feta cheese, as you suggested and that was great! Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Teresa.
I really enjoyed this recipe and expect to make it over and over. I don’t have access to quinoa, so I substituted barley. I added a few more veggies: corn, onion, cucumber. I’ll put a little less lemon next time. A friend came over yesterday and she also loved it. This is one of my favorite websites to look for recipes now. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing how you made it, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
I would love it but my husband would not.. he doesn’t like eggplant or zuccinni or squash. Suggestions for other veggies?
Thinking of other veggiws i sould use….Peppers, broccoli, ???
Diane
Hi Diane, sure you could try it with those veggies. Let me know what you think!
Love this dish! It will be one of our weekly go to recipes. Thanks SO much Cookie and Kate!
You’re welcome, Laurie!
I made this recipe for my book club and it was awesome! Only changes I made:
I roasted the tomatoes with the other veggies and added shallots.
I also added chickpeas (I add to everything!).
I’m glad I found your site and recipes.