This healthy Quinoa Salad is packed with fresh vegetables, chickpeas, herbs, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for meal prep or bringing to a barbecue, potluck, or cookout.
Looking for more healthy salad recipes? Try my Kale Salad next!
About This Recipe
This quinoa salad has been a regular in my meal plan for as long as I can remember. It's healthy, easy to make, and is amazing for meal prep. Now that summer is fast approaching, my wife and I are transitioning from hearty soups to refreshing salads, and what better way to start it off than this quinoa salad!
I brought this salad to my father-in-law's birthday barbecue this week. The recipe makes a big batch, so it's great for sharing with others. I always find there is never enough salads or carbs at barbecues, but this quinoa salad checks both boxes. Everyone loved it!
This salad is great for making ahead of time because the quinoa will absorb the dressing and any leftover liquid from the vegetables (salad dressings tend to pull out moisture from veggies over time). If you're looking to get ahead for the coming week, make a big batch and keep it in your refrigerator for easy lunches and dinners. Thank me later!
Key Ingredients
Uncooked quinoa: This will typically take about 20-25 minutes to cook, and you'll need to cool it down before combining it with the other ingredients.
Canned chickpeas: You can also use dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) if you care for a crisper texture.
Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onions.
Herbs: I recommend either parsley, cilantro, mint, or a combination of all three.
Feta cheese: I love the salty, cheesy taste that feta brings to this salad.
Dressing: You'll need olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
Instructions
STEP 1: Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
STEP 2: Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
STEP 3: Add all the other ingredients to a large bowl.
STEP 4: Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine (my bowl ended up not being big enough so I swapped to a larger white bowl). The salad will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
๐ Recipe
Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 (15-ounce) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium cucumber (diced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- ยผ small red onion (finely chopped)
- โ cup chopped parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves (or combination of 3)
- ยผ cup crumbled feta (optional)
For the dressing
- ยผ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl.
- To the large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss to evenly coat. Enjoy!
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