This Greek cucumber salad is loaded with delicious and filling veggies, topped with creamy hummus and comes together in just 20 minutes!
Do you have one of those meals that you just keep going back to, time and time again? The ones that don’t really require specific quantities, have amazing flavors, and taste great no matter what? That’s what this Greek Cucumber Salad is for me. One taste and you’ll want to add this bowl to your weekly rotation too. Let’s have a build-a-bowl party.
The combination of cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, and hummus tastes like a momentary Mediterranean vacation, without the cost of a plane ticket. In fact, it’s even more affordable than any fancy restaurant’s replicas you might find nearby. Plus, you have an edge on the competition because you can combine any amount of these ingredients that you want because, well, it’s your bowl!
Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Salad
- Timeless appeal. It goes with just about anything your heart desires and is the perfect carb for a bowl meal for brunch, lunch, or dinner at pretty much any time of the day.
- No cooking needed. You don’t even have to turn on the stove if you have cooked quinoa ready to go! As a matter of assembly more than cooking, you don’t even need a full recipe to master the concept.
- Highly adaptable and customizable. If you love cucumbers, go ahead and double up! Not so crazy about olives? Cut them out. This is your bowl, and you can make it exactly the way you want.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Quinoa – It takes about 15 minutes to cook dry quinoa, but you can skip right ahead by getting either frozen or shelf-stable pouches of prepared quinoa that are ready to use.
- Cucumbers
- Olives – Kalamata are ideal for their authentic Greek flavors, but all olives are good olives. Just make sure they’re pitted!
- Vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta – For a quick fix, my favorite brands of vegan feta are Violife and Follow Your Heart.
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Parsley
- Hummus – Homemade or store-bought, in any flavor you like best!
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Lime wedge
Recipe Variations
The beauty of this recipe is that you can use it as a build-your-own-bowl blueprint for anything you’re craving.
- Mexican: Use guacamole instead of hummus, cilantro instead of parsley, and shredded vegan cheddar-style cheese instead of feta. Add black beans and sliced jalapenos.
- Japanese: Use sliced avocado instead of hummus, pickled ginger instead of olives, and snow peas instead of tomatoes. Add edamame and a splash of soy sauce.
- Thai: Use peanut sauce instead of hummus, roasted sweet potato instead of tomatoes, and toasted cashews instead of feta. Add shredded carrots and baked tofu or tempeh.
- Indian: Use plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt instead of hummus, toasted peanuts instead of feta, and achaar (mango pickles) instead of olives. Add curried chickpeas and chopped peppers.
How to Make Greek Cucumber Salad
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions and let cool.
- Split the ingredients in half and add to each quinoa bowl as desired. Spoon hummus on top and mix all the ingredients together if desired. Drizzle olive oil, and grind salt and black pepper over each quinoa bowl. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over olives, cheese, tomatoes, and red onions.
Tips for the Best Quinoa Salad
- If you don’t have vegan feta cheese and don’t want to make your own , you can omit it and add more olives for a similar briny, salty sensation.
- Raw onions can be a bit harsh. To take some of the bite out, blanch them (that is, plunge them into boiling water for a minute than rinse in ice water) before using. Alternately, replace them with sliced scallions.
- You can use any whole grain instead of quinoa to switch up your routine. Try cooked brown rice, barley, millet, buckwheat, or farro.
How to Store Cucumber Salad
If you want to prepare this bowl ahead of time, I recommend preparing all the ingredients in advance, storing them all in separate airtight containers. That way, you can just reheat individual components and then put the entire bowl together. You can make the whole bowl, fully assembled, up to a day in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping it together for longer than that.
If you’re making this for lunch, just assemble it all together the morning of, or pack in a mason jar for easier transport.
More Vegan Salad Recipes
- 15-Minute Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Easy Vegan Caesar Salad
- The Best Vegan Potato Salad
- Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Ginger Sauce
- The Best Kale Salad with Sesame Tahini Dressing
If you try this Greek Cucumber Salad please let me know in the comment section below, or tag me on instagram with the hashtag #jessicainthekitchen ! For more exclusive recipes follow me on Instagram AND on Snapchat: jessinkitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1/4 cup chopped olives
- 1/4 cup vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta
- 1/4 cup tomatoes , diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil + salt + black pepper
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions and as desired: see here how to cook quinoa
Per Bowl
- Split the ingredients in half and add to each quinoa bowl as desired. Spoon hummus on top and mix all the ingredients together if desired. Drizzle olive oil, and grind salt and black pepper over each quinoa bowl. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over olives, cheese, tomatoes and red onions.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have vegan feta cheese and don’t want to make your own , you can omit it and add more olives for a similar briny, salty sensation.
- Raw onions can be a bit harsh. To take some of the bite out, blanch them (that is, plunge them into boiling water for a minute than rinse in ice water) before using. Alternately, replace them with sliced scallions.
- You can use any whole grain instead of quinoa to switch up your routine. Try cooked brown rice, barley, millet, buckwheat, or farro.
This Greek cucumber salad is loaded with delicious and filling veggies, topped with creamy hummus and comes together in just 20 minutes!
Do you have one of those meals that you just keep going back to, time and time again? The ones that don’t really require specific quantities, have amazing flavors, and taste great no matter what? That’s what this Greek Cucumber Salad is for me. One taste and you’ll want to add this bowl to your weekly rotation too. Let’s have a build-a-bowl party.
The combination of cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, and hummus tastes like a momentary Mediterranean vacation, without the cost of a plane ticket. In fact, it’s even more affordable than any fancy restaurant’s replicas you might find nearby. Plus, you have an edge on the competition because you can combine any amount of these ingredients that you want because, well, it’s your bowl!
Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Salad
- Timeless appeal. It goes with just about anything your heart desires and is the perfect carb for a bowl meal for brunch, lunch, or dinner at pretty much any time of the day.
- No cooking needed. You don’t even have to turn on the stove if you have cooked quinoa ready to go! As a matter of assembly more than cooking, you don’t even need a full recipe to master the concept.
- Highly adaptable and customizable. If you love cucumbers, go ahead and double up! Not so crazy about olives? Cut them out. This is your bowl, and you can make it exactly the way you want.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Quinoa – It takes about 15 minutes to cook dry quinoa, but you can skip right ahead by getting either frozen or shelf-stable pouches of prepared quinoa that are ready to use.
- Cucumbers
- Olives – Kalamata are ideal for their authentic Greek flavors, but all olives are good olives. Just make sure they’re pitted!
- Vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta – For a quick fix, my favorite brands of vegan feta are Violife and Follow Your Heart.
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Parsley
- Hummus – Homemade or store-bought, in any flavor you like best!
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Lime wedge
Recipe Variations
The beauty of this recipe is that you can use it as a build-your-own-bowl blueprint for anything you’re craving.
- Mexican: Use guacamole instead of hummus, cilantro instead of parsley, and shredded vegan cheddar-style cheese instead of feta. Add black beans and sliced jalapenos.
- Japanese: Use sliced avocado instead of hummus, pickled ginger instead of olives, and snow peas instead of tomatoes. Add edamame and a splash of soy sauce.
- Thai: Use peanut sauce instead of hummus, roasted sweet potato instead of tomatoes, and toasted cashews instead of feta. Add shredded carrots and baked tofu or tempeh.
- Indian: Use plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt instead of hummus, toasted peanuts instead of feta, and achaar (mango pickles) instead of olives. Add curried chickpeas and chopped peppers.
How to Make Greek Cucumber Salad
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions and let cool.
- Split the ingredients in half and add to each quinoa bowl as desired. Spoon hummus on top and mix all the ingredients together if desired. Drizzle olive oil, and grind salt and black pepper over each quinoa bowl. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over olives, cheese, tomatoes, and red onions.
Tips for the Best Quinoa Salad
- If you don’t have vegan feta cheese and don’t want to make your own , you can omit it and add more olives for a similar briny, salty sensation.
- Raw onions can be a bit harsh. To take some of the bite out, blanch them (that is, plunge them into boiling water for a minute than rinse in ice water) before using. Alternately, replace them with sliced scallions.
- You can use any whole grain instead of quinoa to switch up your routine. Try cooked brown rice, barley, millet, buckwheat, or farro.
How to Store Cucumber Salad
If you want to prepare this bowl ahead of time, I recommend preparing all the ingredients in advance, storing them all in separate airtight containers. That way, you can just reheat individual components and then put the entire bowl together. You can make the whole bowl, fully assembled, up to a day in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping it together for longer than that.
If you’re making this for lunch, just assemble it all together the morning of, or pack in a mason jar for easier transport.
More Vegan Salad Recipes
- 15-Minute Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Easy Vegan Caesar Salad
- The Best Vegan Potato Salad
- Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Ginger Sauce
- The Best Kale Salad with Sesame Tahini Dressing
If you try this Greek Cucumber Salad please let me know in the comment section below, or tag me on instagram with the hashtag #jessicainthekitchen ! For more exclusive recipes follow me on Instagram AND on Snapchat: jessinkitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1/4 cup chopped olives
- 1/4 cup vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta
- 1/4 cup tomatoes , diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil + salt + black pepper
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions and as desired: see here how to cook quinoa
Per Bowl
- Split the ingredients in half and add to each quinoa bowl as desired. Spoon hummus on top and mix all the ingredients together if desired. Drizzle olive oil, and grind salt and black pepper over each quinoa bowl. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over olives, cheese, tomatoes and red onions.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have vegan feta cheese and don’t want to make your own , you can omit it and add more olives for a similar briny, salty sensation.
- Raw onions can be a bit harsh. To take some of the bite out, blanch them (that is, plunge them into boiling water for a minute than rinse in ice water) before using. Alternately, replace them with sliced scallions.
- You can use any whole grain instead of quinoa to switch up your routine. Try cooked brown rice, barley, millet, buckwheat, or farro.
Greek Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1/4 cup chopped olives
- 1/4 cup vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta
- 1/4 cup tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil + salt + black pepper
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions and as desired: see here how to cook quinoa
Per Bowl
- Split the ingredients in half and add to each quinoa bowl as desired. Spoon hummus on top and mix all the ingredients together if desired. Drizzle olive oil, and grind salt and black pepper over each quinoa bowl. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over olives, cheese, tomatoes and red onions.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have vegan feta cheese and don’t want to make your own , you can omit it and add more olives for a similar briny, salty sensation.
- Raw onions can be a bit harsh. To take some of the bite out, blanch them (that is, plunge them into boiling water for a minute than rinse in ice water) before using. Alternately, replace them with sliced scallions.
- You can use any whole grain instead of quinoa to switch up your routine. Try cooked brown rice, barley, millet, buckwheat, or farro.
Nutrition
Greek Cucumber Salad https://jessicainthekitchen.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad-bowl/ January 2, 2023
This vegan Instant Pot potato soup is rich, hearty, and packed with winter flavors. It’s super creamy thanks to non-dairy milk, and it takes less than 45 minutes to make.
One of my favorite things to cook during the winter is a hearty soup or stew. And this vegan Instant Pot potato soup is exactly that. Potatoes are one of the heartiest ingredients out there, and when added to a rich soup, they create a comforting and cozy meal. Vegan milk and nutritional yeast make this dish super creamy, while a unique blend of herbs and spices make it taste extra wintry.
I’m a huge fan of making soup in the Instant Pot. Using a pressure cooker allows you to get so much flavor in such a short amount of time. This dish is a winter weekday staple in my home, because it takes less than 45 minutes to make. But thanks to the Instant Pot, it tastes like it’s been cooking on your stove all day long.
Notes on Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you need to make this creamy, hearty, vegan soup. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article for the exact amounts of each ingredient.
- Olive oil
- Onion – I like to use yellow onions for this recipe, but red or white onions will also work.
- Carrots
- Potatoes – A mixture of yellow and red potatoes is best for this soup.
- Vegetable broth
- Garlic
- Salt
- Black pepper – Be sure to use freshly-ground black pepper.
- Celery seed
- Paprika
- Dry mustard
- Thyme
- Non-dairy milk – You can use whatever type of vegan milk you prefer, just make sure that it’s unseasoned and unsweetened.
- Lemon juice – Make sure you use fresh lemon juice.
- Nutritional yeast
How to Make Creamy Vegan Instant Pot Potato Soup
Here’s how to make this quick and cozy soup.
- Prep. Turn your Instant Pot on to the sauté setting.
- Cook the onions. Add the oil and the onions to the Instant Pot, and cook for 7 minutes, while occasionally stirring, then turn off the sauté setting.
- Add most of the other ingredients. Place the vegetable broth, potatoes, carrots, garlic, celery seed, paprika, dry mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in the Instant Pot.
- Cook. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the vent to seal, then cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, quick release the pressure.
- Blend. Take the lid off the Instant Pot, and use an immersion blender to puree the potatoes. If you don’t have an immersion blender , you can transfer the soup to a standard blender. If you want soup that’s chunkier, don’t blend all of the potatoes.
- Finish the soup. Add the dairy-free milk, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast to the soup. Stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Set the Instant Pot to the keep warm setting, and serve the soup.
Tips for Success
Here are some things you can do to ensure that you get the most out of this soup every time you make it.
- Use homemade broth. One of the best ways to increase the flavor in this soup is to make your own vegetable broth. Store-bought broth will make for a delicious soup, but nothing beats homemade stock. I recommend using my vegetable broth recipe that uses veggie scraps.
- Add fun toppings. I love to put fun toppings on my soups. It’s a great way to take them to the next level, while also offering some customization. My favorite toppings for this soup are shredded vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, vegan bacon bits, chives, and green onions. But you can add whatever you’d like!
- Make it extra creamy. This vegan Instant Pot potato soup is already creamy, but you can make it even creamier by substituting ½ cup of the non-dairy milk with vegan sour cream.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is very comforting, and I think it goes well with some hearty vegetables, or some good bread. Here are some of my favorite things to serve alongside this potato soup.
- Garlic and rosemary focaccia bread
- Vegan garlic parmesan dinner rolls
- Roasted garlic bread
- Maple roasted Brussels sprouts with apples and pecans
- Balsamic roasted vegetables
How to Store Instant Pot Potato Soup
You can store this soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat over medium heat on the stove for 5 minutes, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 80% power.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
This is a great recipe to freeze for an easy meal down the road. It will last for 3 months in the freezer if stored in an airtight container. Defrost or thaw entirely before reheating.
More Vegan Soups to Make
Hopefully you enjoyed this creamy vegan Instant Pot potato soup. If so, then be sure to try some of my other favorite vegan soup recipes.
- White bean and kale soup
- Creamy vegan mushroom wild rice soup
- Easy lentil soup
- Tuscan white bean soup
- Vegan coconut curry lentil soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion , diced
- 1 cup carrots , cut into slices
- 3 pounds potatoes , peeled and cut into chunks (use a mixture of yellow and red potatoes)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- pinch of thyme
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Set the instant pot to saute.
- Add the oil and onions to the pot. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cancel the saute setting.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, vegetable broth, garlic, salt, pepper, celery seed, paprika, dry mustard and thyme to the instant pot.
- Place the lid on and set the vent to seal.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure when cooking is finished.
- Open the lid. Using an immersion blender, puree the potatoes. If you like chunks of potato in the soup, only puree half of the potatoes.
- Add the milk, lemon juice and nutritional yeast to the potatoes. Stir well.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or keep warm in the instant pot with the Keep Warm setting.
