Description
A vibrant and nutritious Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Salad tossed with a zesty lemon-tahini dressing. This refreshing salad combines fluffy quinoa, protein-rich chickpeas, fresh herbs, crunchy toasted pepitas, and tangy feta for a perfect light meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or additional parsley)
- 1/3 cup chopped green onion (green parts only)
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
Lemon-Tahini Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until quinoa absorbs all water, about 15 minutes, adjusting heat as needed. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes to fluff.
- Toast the Pepitas: While quinoa cooks, toast pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and popping sounds occur, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add remaining lemon juice and more pepper as desired for a zesty flavor.
- Assemble Salad: Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl with pepitas. Stir in chickpeas, baby spinach, parsley, cilantro, green onion, and crumbled feta. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
- Serve or Store: Serve immediately for fresh flavor or let cool and refrigerate. This salad keeps well, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Rinsing quinoa before cooking helps remove its natural bitterness.
- Toasted pepitas add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor; don’t skip toasting them for best texture.
- Use fresh herbs for maximum flavor; parsley and cilantro can be adjusted to taste.
- Salad can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- For a vegan option, omit feta cheese or substitute with a plant-based alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
