High Protein Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Print Version)

Fluffy quinoa and hearty chickpeas tossed with fresh vegetables, herbs, and tangy feta in a light lemon-olive oil 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 - 0.5 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 0.5 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a 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.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, drained chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, 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 dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes for a colder presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes less than half an hour but tastes like you spent all morning in the kitchen.
  • The protein keeps you full for hours without that heavy, sluggish feeling.
  • Leftovers actually get better as the flavors soak into the quinoa overnight.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are sitting in your fridge and it still works.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa cool for at least five minutes before mixing it in, or the feta will melt and the herbs will wilt.
  • If the salad tastes flat, it probably needs more lemon juice and a pinch of salt, quinoa absorbs flavor like a sponge.
  • Don't overdress it, you can always add more but you can't take it back once it's soggy.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for two minutes before cooking it, this adds a subtle nutty flavor that makes a difference.
  • Use vegetable broth instead of water when cooking the quinoa for deeper, richer taste.
  • Massage the kale or spinach with a little olive oil and lemon if you're adding greens, it softens them and makes them less bitter.
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