High Protein Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Printable)

Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas with fresh vegetables and feta in lemon dressing

# 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 - ½ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy

06 - ½ 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 until water runs clear. 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 absorbs and grains are tender.
02 - While quinoa cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and chop fresh herbs. Set aside in separate containers.
03 - Remove cooked quinoa from heat and let stand uncovered for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
04 - Transfer cooled quinoa to large mixing bowl. Add chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chopped herbs, and crumbled feta cheese.
05 - In small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
07 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate 30 minutes for chilled presentation.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting for a few hours, which means you can make it in the morning and actually enjoy your afternoon.
  • The protein from quinoa and chickpeas keeps you full without that heavy, sleepy feeling some lunches leave behind.
  • Every bite has texture: creamy feta, snappy cucumbers, soft quinoa, and those little pops of tomato.
  • You can eat it cold, room temperature, or slightly warm and it works every single time.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa cool for at least 5 minutes before mixing it with the other ingredients or the heat will wilt your herbs and make the feta greasy.
  • If your salad tastes flat, you probably need more salt or another squeeze of lemon, it's almost always one of those two.
  • Don't skip rinsing the chickpeas, that canning liquid has a weird starchy slime that will make your salad taste like it came from a cafeteria.
03 -
  • Cook your quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water for a deeper, richer flavor that makes the whole salad taste more complex.
  • If you're making this ahead, wait to add the tomatoes and cucumber until a few hours before serving so they stay firm and don't water down the dressing.
  • Always taste the salad after it's dressed and adjust the lemon, salt, or olive oil, your palate is the best tool you have.
Go Back