West Seattle Style Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Salad

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

A vibrant and hearty grilled vegetable salad tossed with fluffy quinoa and a zesty lemon vinaigrette, perfect for a healthy community park picnic. This mediterranean (vegetarian) ready in about 35 minutes pairs rinsed quinoa, water, divided olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, rinsed quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds zucchini
• 1 large, cut into 1-inch strips red bell pepper
• 1 medium, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings red onion
• 4 tbsp, divided olive oil
• 3 tbsp, fresh lemon juice
• 1, minced garlic clove
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup, crumbled (optional) feta cheese

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
2. Step 2: Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Toss 1 sliced zucchini, 1 large red bell pepper cut into strips, and 1 medium red onion cut into rings with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Grill vegetables for 3-4 minutes per side until tender and slightly charred. Remove and chop into bite-sized pieces.
4. Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified.
5. Step 5: Add the cooked quinoa, grilled vegetables, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley to the bowl with dressing. Toss gently to combine.
6. Step 6: If using, sprinkle 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese over the salad before serving for a creamy finish.