Costco Quinoa Salad Recipe (Easy Copycat!)

by Kayla Berman on June 4, 2024 3 comments

This Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad is the perfect fresh, light, and nutritious recipe! Made with tons of fresh vegetables, lentils, quinoa, feta cheese, and a simple lemon vinaigrette – this refreshing, cold salad is full of fiber and plant powered protein. It works wonderfully as a side dish or the base of a main meal!

If you love quinoa salads as much as I do, you’ll have to stop by my Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad and Zesty Quinoa & Black Bean Salad next.

This post is sponsored by Success Rice but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Wellness by Kay possible!

Why You’ll Love This Costco Quinoa Salad

Incredibly Nutritious: I have nicknamed my take on Costco’s quinoa salad my superfood salad. It is truly bursting at the seam with nutrients! You have tons of fiber and plant based protein from the lentils and quinoa. Then extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the fresh veggies. You simply can’t beat it!
Easy To Make: This salad is super duper easy to make too! Especially when you use Success Boil-in-Bag Tri-Color Quinoa. All you have to do is chop the veggies, cook the quinoa and lentils, prepare a simple dressing, and then combine. That’s it!
Fresh & Colorful: If you are looking for a cold salad that screams summer, you have found just the right recipe. Loaded with bright lemon flavor and crunchy, colorful, fresh veggies – this recipe is truly perfect for the warmer months.
Keeps Well: The cherry on top of all of the greatness that is this quinoa salad, is that it keep so well. It is one of those salads that gets better the longer it sits. Don’t you just love that? It’s a meal prep dream!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This recipe for Costco quinoa salad requires a handful of simple and healthy ingredients! They are honestly so good-for-you that I actually like to call this my superfood salad.

You will need fiber-rich lentils, plant powered quinoa, fresh veggies, salty feta, and the ingredients for a homemade dressing.

Quinoa: The first base of this great salad is quinoa. I love to use Success Boil-in-Bag Tri Color Quinoa for quick and easy preparation. It is mess free and comes out perfectly cooked each time! However, you can use any white quinoa or red quinoa of your choice as well.
Lentils: The other base here is lentils! I love the texture and nutrition they add to this salad. Green lentils or brown lentils will both work wonderfully here.
Feta Cheese: Feta cheese is probably my favorite ingredient in this salad. It adds such delicious salty flavor. What can I say!?! I just love cheese!
Vegetables: This copycat recipe is jam packed with fresh veggies. They make for such a light and refreshing summer salad! It’s the best. You will need cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell pepper. I like to use mini cucumbers or English cucumber, grape tomatoes, and a red bell pepper.
Chives & Parsley: Fresh herbs and alliums, parsley and chives, really give this side dish salad it’s bright flavor. They are very important ingredients!
Olive Oil: I recommend using a high quality extra virgin olive oil here since it is a major component of the tangy lemon dressing.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds that bright pop of flavor that this salad needs!
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard helps create a smooth, well blended dressing here. It also adds an additional bit of strong flavor!
Honey: I always love to add some sweetness to my salad dressings. A good replacement for the honey here is maple syrup. You can most times use the two interchangeably.
Seasonings: This quinoa lentil salad calls for only simple seasonings! Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes basic is best!

Equipment Needed

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How To Make This Recipe

This homemade version of Costco’s quinoa salad is incredibly easy to make! You’ll just have to cook the quinoa and lentils, chop the fresh vegetables, and combine the simple salad dressing.

Then toss! Plus add a bit of extra seasoning, if needed, until this healthy salad tastes perfect to you.

Step 1: Cook lentils. First cook the lentils according to the package directions. I cook mine for 15-20 minutes at a light simmer. I find this is the perfect amount of time for the lentils to still have a bit of a bite and firmness. Do not overcook – the lentils will be mushy!

Step 2: Prepare the Success Boil-In-Bag Tri-Color Quinoa according to the package directions. Set aside.

Step 3: Prepare the lemon vinaigrette. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, and Italian seasoning to a small bowl or jar. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 4: Add ingredients. Add the cooked lentils, cooked quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, red bell pepper, chives, fresh parsley, and feta cheese to a large mixing bowl.

Step 5: Combine. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss until evenly combined. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 6: (Optional) Let chill. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Step 7: Serve and enjoy!

quinoa salad ingredients in a mixing bowl

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

While I think this lentil quinoa salad is quite perfect as is, there is always room for substitutions and variations for it to be perfect for you!

Vegan: This recipe is very close to a vegan salad as written. It is loaded with plant based goodness! The only swap you’ll have to make is for the feta cheese. Either remove it from the salad completely or use a vegan version.
Different Cheese: A fan of cheese but not a fan of feta cheese? Not to worry, you could use any cheese you’d like here. I think parmesan cheese would make a wonderful substitute. Perhaps a cheddar cheese or goat cheese as well. Fresh mozzarella balls might be yummy too!
Quinoa: You can swap in any grain of your choice if you don’t enjoy quinoa. Perhaps brown rice, farro, or bulgur wheat. The original Costco recipe actually includes bulgur in addition to quinoa!
Lentils: While I don’t think there is a super similar substitute to lentils, you could alternatively add a different legume. Perhaps chickpeas! You could try mung beans too … another item on the ingredient list of the store-bought version.
Nuts: I think chopped nuts would be a fabulous addition to this salad. They would add a perfect crunch! Perhaps almonds, walnuts, or pistachios.
Extra Veggies: This recipe is already chock full of vegetables, but you can never have too much! A leafy green, like baby spinach or baby kale, would be a tasty add. I think avocado would be great too … for a creamy texture and extra healthy fats.

Expert Tips

Use Success Rice! Using Success Rice products in my recipes is one of my greatest cooking tips and tricks. I love Success Boil-in-Bag Quinoa for this recipe – it cooks perfectly in just about 10 minutes and has the best light, nutty flavor. Plus with no measuring and no mess, it is one less thing for me to worry about in the kitchen!

Fresh, High Quality Ingredients! This is a recipe where the main ingredients really shine through. Make sure to use the freshest veggies and best quality ingredients you can.

Season To Taste! For a recipe like this I always like to say that the measurements are simply a guide. To make the best salad possible you’ll want to add lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to your liking.

Let Cool Before Serving! This is one of those recipes where it tastes better the next day. You will not regret allowing the ingredients and flavors some time to marinate and combine.

Prep Ahead! To save yourself some time you can cook the lentils and quinoa ahead of time. This way when you are actually assembling the salad all you will have to do is add the ingredients and combine. No cooking.

Don’t Overcook The Lentils! You do not want mushy lentils in your salad. It is so wonderful when they still have a bit of a bite to them, a soft but slightly firm texture. I recommend cooking the lentils for about 15 minutes, making sure to check on their status throughout the cooking time.

Serving Suggestions

There are endless ways to enjoy this fresh and delicious salad! I love it as both a side dish or a main meal.

For a main meal, I do tend to bulk it up with some extra lean protein. I would recommend pairing with my Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins or Pan Seared Shrimp. Easy Salmon Bites would be great too!

This recipe is also just a wonderful meal prep option to have in the fridge throughout the week. You can enjoy a small serving as a fiber and protein packed snack or serve on the side of your weeknight dinners. It also packs super well for work or school lunches.

Last, but certainly not least, I love this Costco quinoa and lentil salad as a summer side dish. It is so light, bright, and fresh that it is perfect for the warmer months! You can bring it to your next backyard barbecue or add to your next dinner party menu for a healthy option that still tastes delicious.

If you need more summer salad ideas you’ll have to check out my Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad and Mediterranean Chickpea Couscous Salad too.

Storing Suggestions

Store this cold quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep best for 3-5 days!

FAQs

Can this quinoa and lentil salad be served as a full meal?

This salad could potentially be served as a full meal if you eat a large serving of it!

However, I would recommend bulking it up a bit with extra protein. Like Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets, Air Fryer Chicken Bites, or Air Fryer Shrimp! This will make it a more well rounded, satiating meal.

Which lentils should I use for this salad?

You can use green lentils or brown lentils in this salad! I would not use red lentils, this variety is most commonly used in Indian dishes, such as daal. They break down and become mushy quickly, so they are not the best option for a cold salad.

French lentils may actually be your best bet! They are thick skinned, thus the least mushy option. Which makes them ideal for recipes like this.

Is this quinoa salad from Costco healthy?

I am not a dietician or nutritionist, but yes in my opinion this copycat of the salad found in Costco’s pre-made meal section is VERY healthy! It is jam packed with nutrients! Legumes and quinoa are both often called “superfoods” and so I like to refer to this recipe as my superfood salad.

Lentils and quinoa, the two main ingredients, are loaded with plant powered protein and fiber. Which are probably the most important nutrients in a healthy diet! The combo of the two is a recipe for success when it comes to staying full and feeling satisfied.

Then on top of that you have loads more fresh vegetables in this recipe. They provide more fiber, plus vitamins and minerals too!

Is this recipe good for meal prep?

Yes, this recipe is fabulous for meal prep! The base of this lettuce-less salad makes it sturdy enough to keep well for a few days.

Plus it is one of those salads that tastes better after you have allowed all the flavors to really develop and mix. Which is pretty much a dream for meal prep!

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If you make this copycat Costco quinoa salad recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

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