Watermelon Quinoa Salad with Kalamata Olives

This refreshing, hydrating and satisfying oil-free salad boasts an intriguing contrast of sweet and savory flavors. A range of plant-powered textures engage the senses from juicy watermelon chunks to creamy avocado, the fluffy pop of quinoa and the briny goodness of Kalamata olives. Easy prep that’s perfect for hot days.

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SAVORY WATERMELON INSPIRATION

The inspiration for this recipe was a Greek style watermelon salad I’d had which included Kalamata olives as well as vegan feta prepared at a small vegan café in Athens. My goal was to recreate that sweet, savory, juicy foodie experience in a way that is whole food plant-based, oil-free and which doesn’t rely on a heavily processed vegan cheese. Although the quantity of Kalamata olives used in this recipe is modest, their dense briny saltiness is doing a lot of work as a stand-in for both feta and olive oil. Cubed avocado also helps replace some of the dairy-like creaminess of vegan feta. Bouncy quinoa and crunchy, protein-packed, pumpkin seeds add a chewy layer of texture.

NO DRESSING NEEDED

The acidity of the lemon juice combined with the salt in the Kalamata olives brings out the juices in the watermelon, vegetables and herbs. In essence, this salad makes it’s own dressing. For this to happen most effectively I begin by combining the lemon juice, Kalamata olives, cucumber, onion and herbs. These are the ingredients that will begin to blend, anchoring the flavors before I add the cooked quinoa which soaks up the juices, or the more delicately textured watermelon and avocado.

VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

This recipe has some elbow room! Although I wouldn’t dream of switching out the watermelon and Kalamata olives, here are some ideas for substituting ingredients or adding to the ingredients in the recipe.

• Use a Different Grain: Instead of quinoa you could use another dense cooked whole grain such as farro, spelt, barley or wheat berries.

• Use Shallots Instead of Onions: Onions give this salad a great bite. I like the red onion aesthetic but other onions work well too and shallots would be absolutely delicious and a little bit fancy.

• Use Different Herbs: You can substitute the parsley/ mint combination with a different set of herbs, add to this herb combo, or use only mint or only parsley. Fresh oregano or cilantro would be particularly nice in this salad.

• Use a Different Seed or Nut: Instead of, or in addition to, pumpkin seeds you could use sunflower seeds, walnut pieces, pine nuts or pistachios. Really almost any nut would work so long as the pieces aren’t too big.

• Use Lime Juice Instead of Lemon Juice: I went with lemon juice for this recipe because it’s in keeping with the Greek inspired theme, but lime juice would be just as delicious.

• Add Plant-Based Feta: My recipes are mostly whole food plant-based so I avoid store-bought processed vegan cheeses. That doesn’t mean that plant-based feta wouldn’t be absolutely delightful in this recipe. If you choose to add some kind of feta then the avocado becomes less important. In other words, feta can be a substitute for avocado, or you can keep the avocado for a richer salad experience.

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Watermelon Quinoa Salad with Kalamata Olives

This refreshing, hydrating and satisfying oil-free salad boasts an intriguing contrast of sweet and savory flavors. A range of plant-powered textures engage the senses from juicy watermelon chunks to creamy avocado, the fluffy pop of quinoa and the briny goodness of Kalamata olives. Easy prep that’s perfect for hot days.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegan Fusion, Vegetarian, WFPB, WFPBNO, Whole Food Plant-Based

Servings 5

Equipment

• Large Mixing Bowl
• wooden spoon or large silicone spatula

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup cucumber, diced (any type, I like English cucumber)
• ½ cup red onion*, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped or sliced (smaller pieces work best)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (you may need more than one lemon)
• Small handful fresh parsley leaves*, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
• Small handful fresh mint leaves*, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 3 cups cooked quinoa* (any color)
• ½ cup avocado, cubed or diced
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds* (raw or toasted)

Instructions

 

Prepare the Salad

• In a large mixing bowl toss together the lemon juice, chopped Kalamata olives, cucumber, red onion, parsley and mint.
• Gently mix in the watermelon cubes, cooked quinoa and pumpkin seeds until all ingredients are mostly combined.
• Finally, fold in the avocado pieces. I like to do this last so that the avocado doesn't get mushy.

Serve or Store

• You can serve this salad immediately but it will taste better if it's allowed to sit for at least ten minutes before serving.
• You can store this salad in a sealed refrigerated container for several days. It holds up surprisingly well.

Notes

* Refer to the main recipe text for substitutions and add-ons.

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