Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This easy quinoa salad with chickpeas recipe is the perfect summer salad! It is full of veggies, chickpeas, quinoa, herbs, tossed in a homemade lemony dressing.

If you are looking for a healthy and wholesome salad, then this delectable Quinoa Salad is a go-to recipe! 

It is refreshing, light, and full of flavors made with protein-packed chickpeas, quinoa, fresh veggies, herbs, tossed in a lime vinaigrette for a citrusy tang.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Chickpea Quinoa Salad Recipe
• Ingredients to make Chickpea Quinoa Salad
• How to Make Quinoa Chickpea Salad Recipe
• What do you serve with Quinoa Salad?
• Tips for making the best Quinoa Chickpeas Salad
• Popular Substitutions & Additions
• Make Ahead and Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Quinoa Recipes
• More Salad Recipes
• Quinoa Chickpea Salad

Why You'll Love This Chickpea Quinoa Salad Recipe

• Hearty, filling, and packed with flavors
• Can be made ahead of time
• Perfect for lunch, barbecue, picnics, and potlucks.
• Dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free

Ingredients to make Chickpea Quinoa Salad

• Quinoa: While you can use any variety of quinoa (white, black, red, or tri-color) you want for this recipe, I prefer white. Learn how to cook quinoa.
• Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans): You can use either canned or cooked chickpeas. Today, I have used dried chickpeas. I like to soak them overnight and cook them in a pressure cooker. Learn How to cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot. If using canned, make sure to rinse and drain before using.
• Cucumber: I like to use English or Persian cucumbers for salads. But, you can use any type of cucumber you like.
• Bell peppers: I used red bell peppers because they are the sweetest and the juiciest. But feel free to use any color you like.
• Tomatoes: I like to use grape (or cherry) tomatoes in this salad as they are sweet. You can also use diced Roma tomatoes.
• Red onions: Red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch to the salad.
• Olive oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is preferred for this salad. You can also substitute any type of vinegar, like distilled white, apple cider vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar. If you prefer, you can also zest half the lime for extra lemony flavor.
• Garlic: Use freshly minced or pressed garlic.
• Fresh Herbs: Use fresh cilantro (or parsley) and mint (or dill). Make sure to chop them just before using them for maximum freshness.
• Seasoning: salt and freshly ground black pepper are all that are needed.

How to Make Quinoa Chickpea Salad Recipe

Cook Quinoa

• Instant Pot Pressure cooker: I generally cook the Quinoa in an Instant Pot as it is very easy, and we get a perfect fluffy separated grain every time. Pressure cook 1 cup quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water (or vegetable broth) on High pressure for 1 minute and let the pressure release naturally.
• In Traditional Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Pressure cook the rinsed quinoa with 1.5 cups water for two whistles on medium-low heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
• On Stovetop in a Pot: Cook 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water on medium-low heat until cooked, and let it cool.

Dressing:

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a glass jar to make the dressing.

Assemble

In a large mixing bowl, place all the salad ingredients.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad ingredients.

Toss gently to combine.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

What do you serve with Quinoa Salad?

This Quinoa Salad is wholesome and can be served as a main. It is also great as a side dish, serve this alongside soup or sandwiches.

Tips for making the best Quinoa Chickpeas Salad

• Rinse the quinoa under running water before cooking it. Otherwise, it tastes bitter because of the natural coating called saponin on the quinoa.
• Cool the quinoa before adding it to the salad. Otherwise, warm quinoa will wilt the fresh veggies and lose their freshness.
• Use Fresh Herbs. Fresh herbs add so much more flavor than dried ones.

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Cheese:  Add ½ cup crumbed or cubed feta cheese just before serving. You may also use cottage cheese.
• Make it Spicier: add freshly chopped jalapeño pepper or red chili flakes.
• Other fresh herbs: Try fresh Italian parsley and dill.
• Add some diced avocado. Avocado adds creaminess and healthy fats to this salad. Add it right before serving to avoid them from browning.
• Protein: Chickpeas can be substituted with other canned beans like white beans.
• Add nuts – Add almonds, walnuts, or pecans for some nice crunch.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make-Ahead: You can cook quinoa, and chickpeas, prep the veggies, herbs, and dressing the night before serving. Store the dressing and salad ingredients in a separate container for prolonged shelf life, and assemble when you are ready to serve.
• Storage: Leftover quinoa salad will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container or mason jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Quinoa Recipes

• Quinoa Fried Rice
• Lemon Quinoa
• Vegetable Quinoa Pulao
• Quinoa Lentil Soup
• Quinoa Biryani

More Salad Recipes

• Chickpea Cucumber Salad
• Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Dressing
• Quinoa Black Bean Salad
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad

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