Mediterranean Octopus & Quinoa Salad Stack
An elegant Mediterranean salad stack featuring grilled octopus atop a vibrant quinoa and chickpea mixture with fresh vegetables and a citrusy olive oil dressing. Light, refreshing, and full of gourmet flair.
- Author: Djihane
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilled / Assembled
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Low Calorie
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (white or tri-color)
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 red onion, minced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 cooked octopus tentacles (about 6–8 oz total)
- Fresh thyme or microgreens, for garnish
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, diced red and green bell peppers, red onion, and carrot.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to mix.
- Using a ring mold, pack the quinoa salad mixture onto each serving plate to form a compact stack.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly sear the cooked octopus tentacles for 2–3 minutes on each side until slightly crisp.
- Place one tentacle over each quinoa stack.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or microgreens and a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can substitute shrimp or grilled calamari for the octopus.
- Use a ring mold for a polished presentation, or serve in a bowl for a casual version.
- Make the quinoa salad a day ahead to let the flavors meld.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stack
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: octopus salad, quinoa salad stack, Mediterranean salad, seafood salad, gourmet quinoa dish