• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Simple Healthy Kitchen
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
    • Popular Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Juices & Smoothies
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soups
    • Vegan
  • What’s in Season?
  • Contact
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • What’s in Season?
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • What’s in Season?
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » 30 Min. or Less

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Spiced Mini Burgers

    Last Updated February 27, 2021. Originally Published July 18, 2015 By Susan Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mediterranean quinoa salad -simplehealthykitchen.com  (1 of 1)

    What do you get when you mix healthy protein rich quinoa with crisp cool cucumber, summer ripe tomatoes and feta? Mediterranean delight! Add some spiced mini burgers (small falafel size burgers rubbed with Mediterranean spices like cumin, coriander and fennel) and you have a complete light and healthy summer meal!

    For a vegetarian option, you can always opt to substitute the mini burgers with mini versions of Healthy Oven Baked Falafel.

    Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, high in protein, and has a stellar resume of nutritional benefits  including being good for your heart and blood sugar ( you can read more about that here).

    I like to make a big batch of quinoa on weekends and use it during the week for all kinds of dishes. It's so versatile, you can even use it in place of oatmeal (did you know quinoa is higher in protein than oatmeal?) like I did in this recipe for Honey Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa, or top it with any of your favorite veggies (grilled or roasted..or even raw), make it into patties,  use in place of rice for your favorite stir-fry dishes etc....there are so many options!

    Fresh in season cucumbers and tomatoes are showcased in this Mediterranean salad bowl that literally comes together in just a matter of minutes. Add fresh cucumber, tomatoes and scallions to cooked quinoa. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. The mini burgers get a Mediterranean twist by being rubbed in flavorful spices such as cumin, coriander, and fennel., and can be made in a skillet on the stove-top or on the BBQ.

    Mediterranean quinoa bowl

    Serve with sliced pita, some crumbled feta cheese and a dollop of hummus. Oh...the fresh tastes of the Mediterranean and summer!

    Mediterranean quinoa salad bowl  -simplehealthykitchen.com #quinoa  (1 of 1)

     

    recipe adapted from Real Simple

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Spiced Mini Burgers

    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Author: Susan | SimpleHealthyKitchen.com

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups quinoa cooked *
    • 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef or turkey / chicken / lamb
    • 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp ground fennel **
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
    • 6 scallions sliced
    • 4 Roma tomatoes diced
    • 1 English cucumber cut into half-moons
    • 1 lemon quartered
    • 1 cup mixed salad greens torn into bite size pieces
    • 4 oz. hummus optional
    • 2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese for topping (optional)
    • 4 warm pitas optional

    Instructions

    • Form ground beef into 12 small patties, approx. 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander, fennel, and salt and pepper (to taste).
    • In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Place the patties in the pan and cook to desired doneness. (Approx. 4 min. each side for medium)
    • In a large mixing bowl, toss quinoa, scallions, tomatoes, cucumber with the remaining 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Salt and Pepper to taste.
    • Divide salad greens into 4 bowls. Add 1/4 quinoa mixture and 3 burgers per bowl, and one lemon wedge. If desired serve with a dollop of hummus, crumbled feta cheese, and a warm pita.

    * to yield 3 cups cooked quinoa, use 1 cup uncooked quinoa + 2 cups water and cook according to package directions.

      ** if you cant find ground fennel, you can ground fennel seeds yourself in a coffee grinder, or place seeds in a plastic ziplock baggie and mash with a heavy object like a kitchen mallet .

        Share on Facebook Pin Recipe
        Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Mention @shkitchen or tag #simplehealthykitchen!

         

        Share on pinterest
        Pinterest
        Share on twitter
        Twitter
        Share on facebook
        Facebook
        Share on reddit
        Reddit
        Share on tumblr
        Tumblr
        Share on stumbleupon
        Stumbleupon
        Share on yummly
        Yummly
        Share on email
        Email
        Share on print
        Print
        « Strawberry Avocado and Feta Salad + Poppy Seed Dressing
        Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade {Sugar-free} »

        About Susan

        Reader Interactions

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Primary Sidebar

        Hi I'm Susan!

        Thanks for stopping by Simple Healthy Kitchen- a food blog featuring simple healthy meal ideas that can be prepared in 30 min. or less, using seasonally fresh ingredients. Read More…

        GET THE LATEST RECIPES

        Visit our sister site- Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

        Footer

        GET THE LATEST RECIPES !

        • Bloglovin
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • Pinterest
        • RSS
        • Twitter

        As Seen On:

        Logos of publications Simple Healthy Kitchen has been seen on. Listed are Buzz Feed, NBC News, Country Living, People Food and Woman's Day

        • Home
        • About
        • Recipes
        • What's in Season?
        • Contact
        • Privacy Policy & Disclosures

        Copyright © 2023