Cucumber Mint Quinoa Salad

Quick easy quinoa salad with cucumbers and mint. Perfect for a summer picnic salad!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated May 24, 2022
Elise Bauer
Cucumber Mint Quinoa Salad
Elise Bauer

Are you a gardener? What kind of cucumbers do you grow?

I used to grow lemon cucumbers, but gave up because they got too big and seedy.

These days I'm growing Persian cucumbers, which are beautifully thin skinned, with delicate seeds. I usually pick them when they are still on the small side, but even when they grow as big as regular cucumbers, they're still not at all bitter.

The cucumbers are just now coming in, which means every day I have a small harvest that needs to used (or given away to lucky neighbors).

Cucumber Quinoa Salad
Elise Bauer

This recipe is inspired by a quinoa cucumber salad I had while visiting my fellow gardener food bloggers Diane and Todd of White on Rice Couple.

Simple Cucumber Quinoa Salad

It's wonderfully simple, just cooked red quinoa tossed with chopped fresh cucumbers and mint, and dressed with seasoned rice vinegar.

You can also add a chopped avocado to the salad if you want it to be a little more substantial.

By the way, quinoa looks and acts like a grain, but it's actually a seed, and therefore higher in protein and lower in starch than most grains.

Cucumber Mint Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

If you don't have seasoned rice vinegar, just add a little honey or sugar and some salt and pepper to regular rice vinegar until you get the balance of sweet and sour you like.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (we prefer red quinoa)

  • 2 cups water

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 large cucumber, peeled if thick-skinned, unpeeled if thin-skinned (about 3/4 pound cucumber)

  • 1/4 cup mint, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon green onion, thinly sliced, or chives, chopped

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 avocado, peeled and chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Cook the quinoa:

    Check your package of quinoa. If it says to rinse it, then rinse it. If not, then skip. Place the quinoa in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart sized saucepan. Add the water. Add half a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

    Cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat.

    boil quinoa in water
    Elise Bauer
    cooked quinoa in pot for salad
    Elise Bauer
  2. Cool the quinoa:

    Let the cooked quinoa cool to room temperature. You can help cool down the quinoa quickly by spreading it out on a sheet pan.

    spread hot quinoa out in sheet pan to cool for salad
    Elise Bauer
  3. Prep cucumbers:

    Cut the cucumber in half in the middle. Then cut each half lengthwise into quarters. Scoop out most of the seeds and discard. Cut the cucumber pieces again, this time crosswise in 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick slices.

    prep cucumbers for cucumber quinoa salad
    Elise Bauer
  4. Assemble the salad:

    When the quinoa has cooled, place it in a large bowl and gently with the cucumber chunks, the mint, and green onion.

    Sprinkle with seasoned rice vinegar and toss again. Sprinkle with olive oil and gently toss. Add more salt or seasoned rice vinegar to taste. Gently fold in chopped avocado if using.

    Combine ingredients for cucumber quinoa salad
    Elise Bauer
Cucumber Quinoa Salad
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
144 Calories
3g Fat
26g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 144
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 173mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 188mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.