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This Quinoa Chickpea Salad is the perfect make-ahead dish. Enjoy it this week as a meal-prep lunch, or bring it to a party!
Meet the recipe I always bring to book club and other potlucks. It’s naturally gluten-free and always a crowd-pleaser.
This quinoa salad features Mediterranean flavors and is packed with veggies and fresh herbs. Chopped cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onion provide plenty of crunch, and you can customize it with any other vegetables you have on hand.
Paired with fresh lemon juice, parsley, and dill, this dish tastes like it came from a restaurant. The added chickpeas make it filling, and if you omit the optional feta, it’s dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
Serve it as a side dish or a main course with your favorite protein.
How to Make Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Start by cooking the quinoa. Rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. It will likely look bubbly on top; keep rinsing until the bubbles disappear.
Transfer the rinsed quinoa to a small saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Once it’s boiling, cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat, but keep the lid on the pot for 5 more minutes. This will let the quinoa finish cooking without burning to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir briefly to combine.
Next, add half a diced red onion, one large diced cucumber, and one diced red bell pepper (remove the seeds and pith). Stir to toss the veggies in the dressing.
Add the slightly cooled quinoa to the bowl of veggies and dressing. Give it another stir to help cool down the quinoa even more. Then add a half cup each of chopped flat-leaf parsley and dill, along with 3 chopped green onions.
Stir again, then add in one (15 oz.) can of drained and rinsed chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans). Stir everything together and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Add more salt, about a half teaspoon at a time, until the salad tastes flavorful. Then this quinoa chickpea salad is ready to serve! It tastes just as delicious after marinating in the fridge, so this is easy to prep ahead of time.
Seasoning Tip
I usually add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt total, but this will vary based on the variety of salt you use. Celtic salt, Himalayan pink salt, Kosher salt, and white table salt will all taste slightly different. Start by adding just a 1/4 teaspoon at a time, so you don’t end up oversalting the dish.
Feel free to customize this quinoa salad with any favorite add-ins.
Add nuts or seeds for crunch, like sliced almonds, pepitas, or sunflower seeds. You can also add some crumbled feta cheese for an extra salty, tangy flavor. (I usually serve this on the side for my dairy-free friends.)
Sliced kalamata olives or cherry tomatoes make an excellent add-in, too.
Storage Tip
This quinoa chickpea salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Divide it between mason jars for an easy packed lunch!
Looking for more quinoa salads? Try Quinoa Black Bean Salad (with cilantro) or Quinoa Tabbouleh (with fresh mint) for more variations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ red onion , diced
- 1 large cucumber , diced
- 1 red bell pepper , seeds removed and diced
- ½ cup fresh dill , chopped
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley , chopped
- 3 green onions , chopped
- salt and black pepper
- 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the dry quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse it under running water until no more foam or bubbles appear. Transfer the quinoa to a small saucepan and cover it with 1 ½ cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and lower the heat. Let it cook covered for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat but leave the lid on for 5 more minutes. This will let the quinoa finish cooking without burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the 5 minutes are up, remove the lid and fluff it with a fork.
- While you wait on the quinoa to cook, add the olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the diced red onion, cucumber, and bell pepper to the bowl of dressing and stir well. When the quinoa is done, add it to the bowl and stir again. Then add the freshly chopped dill, parsley, and green onion.
- Finally, stir in the drained chickpeas and season the salad to your liking. I usually add another ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt, but this will vary based on the type of salt you use and your own personal taste buds. You can serve this right away, but I think it tastes even better after an hour in the fridge.
- Store this quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can top it with nuts for crunch, feta for extra tangy flavor, or your favorite protein.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Quinoa Chickpea Salad, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
