Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This zesty lemon Quinoa Chickpea Salad is so refreshing and great for potlucks, BBQs, picnics and more. Its bursting with flavors and is packed with protein and colorful fresh vegetables.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword how to make quinoa chickpea salad, quinoa and chickpea salad, quinoa and garbanzo bean salad, quinoa chickpea salad recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 240kcal

Author Gunjan

Ingredients

for quinoa

3/4 cup rinsed quinoa
2 cups water
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

for the salad

1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels (canned or frozen)
1/2 cup chopped mixed bell peppers (red and yellow)
1/4 cup sliced cherry/grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

for the dressing

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

In a saucepan bring 2 cups of water to a boil and fold in rinsed quinoa. Stir and let it cook at high flame until half of the liquid is absorbed. Add 1/8 tsp salt and ¼ tsp garlic powder to it and stir. Lower the flame and cook covered until all the liquid is absorbed. Turn it off and remove the lid. Fluff with fork and let it cool.
In the meanwhile, drain and rinse chickpeas and combine it in a large mixing bowl. Combine all the rest of the salad ingredients ( onion, cucumber, carrots, corn kernel, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, parsley) with chickpeas in the mixing bowl. Keep it aside.
In a small glass bowl, combine dressing ingredients (lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano) and stir well. Keep this aside too.
Toss quinoa in the salad bowl along with chickpeas and vegetables. Drizzle the dressing over it. Mix with a big salad spoon. Adjust salt and pepper as per taste and serve immediately.

Notes

I personally prefer it at room temperature. Leftovers can be refrigerated in a glass container for about 1 week.
You may cook quinoa ahead of time or a day before and refrigerate and toss all the ingredients when ready. However, cooked quinoa can be refrigerated for about 4-5 days.
Lemon dressing also can be refrigerated in a glass container for about 2-3 days.
If you are not on oil free diet then add 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil in the dressing to make the salad moister and it adds a bit more flavor to this recipe.
I would highly recommend using fresh lemons to make this dressing for the best results. However, make sure to measure the squeezed lemon juice up to ¼ cup.
feel free to mix red and white quinoa if desired.

Nutrition