High Protein Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Print Version)

Fluffy quinoa and chickpeas with fresh vegetables and feta in a light lemon dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy

06 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
02 - While quinoa cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and chop fresh herbs. Keep vegetables in separate piles for easy assembly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, drained chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped herbs, and crumbled feta cheese.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, so you can make it once and eat well all week.
  • The textures play off each other perfectly: fluffy quinoa, creamy feta, crisp cucumber, and tender chickpeas in every bite.
  • You can toss it together in under half an hour, even on your most distracted evenings.
  • It works as a main dish, a side, or something to bring when you need to look like you have your life together.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa cool before mixing it with the other ingredients, or the heat will wilt the herbs and make the feta sweaty.
  • Rinse your chickpeas really well, that canned liquid can make the whole salad taste tinny if you skip this step.
  • Taste the salad before serving and add more lemon juice, salt, or olive oil if it feels flat, quinoa soaks up seasoning like a sponge.
03 -
  • Cook your quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water for deeper, savory flavor that makes the whole salad more interesting.
  • If you have time, let the dressed salad sit for 10 minutes before serving so the quinoa can soak up the lemony dressing and taste even better.
  • Always taste and adjust seasoning at the end, a little extra salt or a splash more lemon juice can transform the dish from good to unforgettable.
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