Quinoa Chickpea Salad

Quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and cilantro tossed in a homemade lemon-garlic dressing, then chilled for 30 minutes. About 1 hour start to finish, including the chill. Serves 6.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Chill30

Total Time1

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chickpea salad recipe, quinoa and chickpea salad, quinoa chickpea salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 276kcal

Author: Sara Nelson

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 medium-sized cucumber chopped
1 medium-sized red bell pepper chopped
⅔ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup finely chopped cilantro

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil
Juice from 2 lemons (~¼ cup)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper plus more for garnish

Instructions

Cook Quinoa: In a medium saucepan, bring the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Then remove from heat, remove lid, and set aside to start to cool. (To cool it down faster, spread it out on a baking sheet.)
Combine Salad Ingredients: To a large bowl, add chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, parsley, and cilantro. Gently toss to combine everything. Set aside.
Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined, then set aside.
Prepare Salad: To the bowl of chickpeas and veggies, add the cooled quinoa and the dressing. Toss until everything is thoroughly combined.
Chill: Transfer salad to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serve: Remove chilled salad from refrigerator, taste, and add more salt as needed. Freshly crack pepper on top, then serve.

Notes

Prepping To Make in Advance: Cook the quinoa and chop the vegetables as directed. Store them separately in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, combine the ingredients, mix in the dressing, and chill for at least 30 minutes. The dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in a separate airtight container.

Refrigerator Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Ideally, store the dressing separately to keep the salad fresh and crisp. Toss the salad with the dressing, then serve.

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