High Protein Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Printable Version)

Protein-packed quinoa and chickpeas with fresh vegetables, feta, and a zesty lemon dressing. 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 lemon juice
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water until water runs clear.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
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 for 30 minutes for a cooler, more refreshing salad.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It delivers serious protein without feeling heavy, so you stay satisfied without that sluggish afternoon feeling.
  • The colors alone make you want to eat it, and the crunch from cucumber against creamy feta is honestly addictive.
  • You can make it ahead and it tastes even better the next day after the flavors marry in the fridge.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa cool before adding it to the salad or the heat will wilt your herbs and turn the feta into a greasy puddle.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it over everything because underseasoned dressing makes the whole salad taste flat, and it's much harder to fix once it's mixed in.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in the dry saucepan for a minute before adding liquid to deepen its nutty flavor and give the salad an extra layer of richness.
  • Use block feta and crumble it yourself because pre-crumbled versions are coated in anti-caking agents that dull the tangy, creamy taste you're after.
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