Quinoa Chickpea Salad
The ultimate blend of grains, veggies, and plant protein. Everyone loves the textures, flavor, and light lemon dressing!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 bell pepper any color
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa very well in a fine-mesh strainer, then combine it with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low, so the water settles on a gentle simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool to room temperature—about 30 minutes. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling if needed.)
- While the quinoa cooks, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Halve the tomatoes, and chop the cucumber, pepper, onion, and parsley into small pieces.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to make the dressing. (Start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper; add more to taste.)
- Combine cooled quinoa in a large bowl with the chickpeas and veggies. Toss well, then drizzle dressing on top and toss once again to mix.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 318 kcal, Carbohydrates: 42 g, Protein: 11 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Sodium: 11 mg, Potassium: 541 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 802 IU, Vitamin C: 37 mg, Calcium: 60 mg, Iron: 4 mg
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