High Protein Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Printer Friendly)

Vibrant Mediterranean bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and tangy feta. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You 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 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

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

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and cool briefly.
03 - While quinoa cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and chop fresh herbs.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chopped herbs, and crumbled feta cheese.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
07 - Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator 30 minutes for a colder, more refreshing salad.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes like you spent way longer on it.
  • The protein from quinoa and chickpeas keeps you full without that heavy, sluggish feeling.
  • You can eat it cold straight from the fridge or at room temperature, making it perfect for packed lunches.
  • Every bite has texture, crunch, creaminess, and brightness all at once.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the quinoa, the salad will have a bitter, almost soapy aftertaste that no amount of lemon can fix.
  • Add the dressing only after the quinoa has cooled, or the heat will make the fresh herbs turn dark and limp.
  • Taste before serving and add more salt than you think, quinoa is a sponge and needs aggressive seasoning to shine.
03 -
  • Cook the quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water to add a subtle savory backbone without any extra effort.
  • Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes after dressing it, the quinoa absorbs the lemon and olive oil and tastes even better.
  • If you're bringing this somewhere, pack the feta separately and sprinkle it on top right before serving so it stays creamy and doesn't get soggy.
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