Description
Bright, herb-forward quinoa tossed with chickpeas, lemon, and olive oil — a simple, protein-packed salad you can serve warm or chilled. Quick to make, great for meal prep, and endlessly tweakable.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa (about 170 g) — rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water (about 480 ml)
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 3–4 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (≈60 ml)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (≈60 ml) plus 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1–2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¾ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- Optional additions: diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, halved Kalamata olives
Instructions
-
Rinse the quinoa. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and run cold water over it for ~30 seconds to remove any bitterness.
-
Cook the grain. Put rinsed quinoa and the broth (or water) into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 5–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool slightly.
-
Prep the produce. While the quinoa cooks, chop the parsley, mint, dill, and slice the scallions. Dice cucumber and halve tomatoes if using. Drain and pat the chickpeas dry.
-
Make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper in a jar or bowl until combined. Taste and tweak — more lemon for brightness, more oil for richness.
-
Assemble. In a large bowl combine the warm (or cooled) quinoa, chickpeas, herbs, scallions, and any optional veggies. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
-
Rest & serve. Let the salad sit 10–15 minutes so the flavors meld. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Finish with extra herbs, a lemon wedge, or a sprinkle of feta if desired.
Notes
- Rinse the quinoa well — this removes the natural saponin coating and avoids bitterness.
- Use warm quinoa if you want herbs to release aroma; use cooled quinoa for a crisp, chilled salad.
- Adjust seasoning after tossing — quinoa absorbs dressing, so taste and add a bit more salt, lemon, or oil if needed.
- Meal-prep friendly: stores in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. Add fresh herbs just before serving for best color and brightness.
- Swap grains (farro, brown rice) or proteins (lentils, grilled chicken) to make different meals from the same base.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg