Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN ·
Published July 8, 2022 ·
< 1 min read
Summary

Chickpeas, fresh herbs, nutty quinoa, and peppery arugula come together for a light, refreshing, and zingy salad experience. This salad is so simple, delicious, and versatile, that you’ll find many plant-based combinations you can make. Try it out with your favorite tempeh or tofu recipe or add your favorite crunchy vegetables for extra texture, flavor, and nutrition.

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Yields2 ServingsPrep Time15 minsTotal Time15 mins

Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

 1 ½ cups chickpeas (home-cooked or BPA-free canned, drained and rinsed)
 1 cup organic quinoa (cooked)
 1 cup organic red bell pepper (seeded and diced)
 1 cup cucumber (diced, skin on if unwaxed and peeled if waxed)
 ¾ cup red onion (diced)
 1 ½ cups organic arugula
Dressing
 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
 3 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 ½ tsp garlic powder
Other Ingredients
 2 tbsp fresh dill (minced)
 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
 2 tbsp hemp seeds (hulled)
 salt (optional) to taste
 pepper (optional) to taste

Directions

1

Add the chickpeas, quinoa, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and arugula to a large salad bowl.

2

In a separate small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder.

3

Drizzle the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss well.

4

Toss the salad with the dill, parsley, and hemp seeds.

5

Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
Instead of chickpeas, use another white bean of your choice.

Use lentils, black beans, or edamame in place of chickpeas.

Substitute another gluten-free whole grain of choice, like millet, buckwheat, or brown rice.

For the pepper, use orange, yellow, or green in place of red bell pepper.

Substitute white or yellow onion or shallots in place of red onion.

Use jicama or celery in place of cucumber.

Substitute microgreens, sprouts, or another (chopped) leafy green of choice in place of arugula.

Use lime juice or orange juice in place of lemon juice.

Substitute tahini for the olive oil for a whole food fat alternative.

Prep Ahead
Make the dressing ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week before making this salad.

Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–5 days.

Ingredients

 1 ½ cups chickpeas (home-cooked or BPA-free canned, drained and rinsed)
 1 cup organic quinoa (cooked)
 1 cup organic red bell pepper (seeded and diced)
 1 cup cucumber (diced, skin on if unwaxed and peeled if waxed)
 ¾ cup red onion (diced)
 1 ½ cups organic arugula
Dressing
 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
 3 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 ½ tsp garlic powder
Other Ingredients
 2 tbsp fresh dill (minced)
 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
 2 tbsp hemp seeds (hulled)
 salt (optional) to taste
 pepper (optional) to taste
Chickpea Quinoa Salad
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Plant-Based Dietitian, Author, Recipe Developer

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