Delicious and Nutritious Quinoa Chickpea Salad Recipe for Healthy Meals

What’s the Best Dressing for Quinoa and Chickpea Salad?

When it comes to grain salads, oil-based dressings tend to work exceptionally well. While you can certainly use any dressing you enjoy, oil and vinegar or oil and lemon dressings coat the grains effectively and infuse them with flavors as they sit in the fridge. For this salad, I recommend a zesty lemon garlic dressing—it’s light and fresh, perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, and gatherings!

Storage

This quinoa chickpea salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For an extra touch of freshness and flavor, consider adding a bit more lemon juice or a drizzle of dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This quinoa chickpea salad recipe serves as an excellent side or main course. It also maintains its quality in the fridge for several days, making it a fantastic choice for healthy meal prep, and it’s so delectable that it’s sure to become your preferred quinoa salad recipe.

Ingredients

1cup quinoa, dry
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, strained and rinsed
2 cups cucumber, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, and/or basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
2 cloves of garlic, grated
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

Cook the quinoa: In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and quinoa. Cook for 15 minutes or as per package directions until tender. Drain the warm quinoa in a fine mesh colander, rinse under cold water to cool, and shake the colander to remove excess water.
Prepare the chickpeas: You can use dry or canned chickpeas for this salad. If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook until tender. If using canned chickpeas, strain and rinse them under cold water before adding to the salad.
Chop the vegetables: Dice the cucumber, carrot, and red onion. Finely chop the spinach and fresh herbs.
Mix the dressing: In a small jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Mix, toss, and serve: In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, strained chickpeas, chopped vegetables, and herbs. Toss until well mixed. If desired, top with crumbled feta cheese for added flavor.