Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas
Bring this easy Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas to picnics, potlucks, barbecues, and more! Tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, it’s deliciously refreshing and packed full of veggies.
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 318kcal
Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced small red onion
- 2 cups diced english cucumber
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegan feta optional
Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- few shakes black pepper
Cook the quinoa
Rinse the quinoa well under cold water in a fine mesh strainer to remove the bitter coating.
Add the rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan and pour in the water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat so the quinoa is simmering and cover the pot.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let the quinoa rest in the pot for about 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and let cool a bit before adding the rest of the salad ingredients. I transfer it to a bowl and move it to the refrigerator or freezer to speed up cooling. You can also prepare the quinoa 2-3 days in advance.
Assemble the salad
In a large bowl, add all vegetables and chickpeas. Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the bowl.
Drizzle the dressing in and toss to generously coat everything.
If desired, add the vegan feta, if using. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The salad is best enjoyed the same day, but will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. If not serving right away, don't add the avocado until right before you serve it.
- Quinoa variety - May use any variety of quinoa for this salad.
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Add some greens - Feel free to mix in some baby kale or spinach if desired. Or leave out any veggies you don't like and add what you want.
Serving: 1of 6 servings | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 479IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg