Looking for an easy and tasty side salad? This quinoa and chickpea salad is a delicious, light and healthy salad with quinoa, chickpeas, scallions, cilantro, mint and lime. It takes 10 minutes to make (plus the quinoa cooking time). You can chop while the quinoa cooks so depending on your quinoa selection, total time 15-20 minutes. The combination of textures and the light simple dressing make this salad one of my favorites.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Quinoa – Use a plain quinoa, not flavored. drain and rinse them.
- Chickpeas – Give the salad nice texture and even more nutrients. Be sure to rinse and drain them.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – With salads or any uncooked dish, you want a good quality oil. One of my favorites is Olio Taibi Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Red Pepper – For the crunch factor and the color. Feel free to substitute orange, yellow or green bell pepper.
- Scallions – For a mild oniony flavor
- Garlic – Don’t overdo the garlic because it will take over the salad. One small clove or 1/2 of a larger clove will do. If raw garlic does not agree with you, use a sprinkling of garlic powder instead.
- Cilantro and Mint – Add freshness, flavor and fragrance. Parsley can stand in for cilantro, if you are not a fan.
Preparation
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions
- Add the quinoa and all of the other ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well.
This salad is best after sitting for a bit. For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. This is not required but recommended. SO yes! It can definitely be made a day or two in advance. Trust me, it will be even better!
What to Serve with Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
The options for serving this yummy quinoa and chickpea salad are endless. It pairs well with baked chicken, grilled kabobs (chicken, turkey, beef, lamb). I like it with grilled salmon, Orange Ginger Salmon or Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass or any grilled or baked fish. It also makes for a fantastic light lunch.
Equipment
PrintQuinoa & Chickpea Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
This light, healthy quinoa and chickpea salad with mint, cilantro and lime is a perfect dinner side or lunch main.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 4 mint sprigs, stems removed and chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Remove the cover and let it cool.
- Add the quinoa to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well to combine.
Equipment
Notes
You can serve the salad after mixing all of the ingredients together but if time allows, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour or longer. The flavors will marry and it will taste even better.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salads & Sides
Keywords: Quinoa Salad, Chickpea Salad, Healthy Sides
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