Name: Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa (uncooked); 1 1/2 cups cucumber (chopped into 1/4-inch thick quarters); 2 bell peppers, small dice (red, yellow, or orange); 1 cup carrot, small dice (about 2 medium carrots); 1/4 cup green onion, chopped (white and light green part only); 1 19oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1/3 cup olive oil; 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped; 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt; 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard; black pepper (to taste)

This quinoa chickpea salad is like summer in a bowl and comes together in less than 30 minutes! Quinoa and chickpeas are tossed with fresh cucumbers, crisp bell peppers and crunchy carrots, then drizzled with a light lemon dill dressing. Perfect for meal prep, potlucks and a side dish during BBQ season.

If you’re a fan of quinoa salad and looking for more ideas, check out my Almond Apple Quinoa Salad!

quinoa chickpea salad in large glass bowl with wooden spoon

Quinoa salad is one of my all-time favourite easy recipes. I have been making variations of this recipe for years, and it’s always a crowd pleaser. If I’m having this quinoa chickpea salad as a meal by itself, I like to serve it on a bed of spinach or mixed field greens.

I especially love the flexibility of this recipe. I suggest my favourite mix ins below, but you can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make it. See the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions. For the salad you’ll need

Quinoa
Cucumber – I use English cucumber, but you can also peel and seed a regular cucumber
Bell peppers – I prefer the sweeter flavour of red, yellow or orange pepper, rather than green pepper
Carrot
Green onion
Chickpeas – I used a 19oz can, but it’s fine to use a 15oz can. Use what you’ve got!

For the dressing you’ll need

Olive oil
Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
Fresh dill – chopped and to taste (see tip 2 below)
Fine-grain sea salt
Dijon mustard
Black pepper – to taste

Step-by-step instructions

Step one: Make the quinoa

With a dry measure, scoop one cup of quinoa into a medium sauce pan
Using the same measuring cup, add two cups of water to the quinoa
Place sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil; once boiling, turn down to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let the quinoa rest for 5-10 minutes
Fluff with a fork

Step two: Prepare the mix ins

While the quinoa is cooking, rinse and drain the chickpeas (be sure they drain well or the residual water could dilute the flavour of the dressing)
Wash and chop all the vegetables and dill
Place the vegetables and chickpeas in a large bowl

ingredients for quinoa chickpea salad in glass bowls

Step three: Prepare the dressing

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, Dijon mustard and black pepper. Stir well.

whisking lemon dill dressing in a glass bowl

Step four: Prepare the salad

Add the fluffed quinoa to the large bowl with the vegetables and chickpeas
Pour on the prepared dressing and stir until the quinoa is well coated
Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes or more to allow the flavours to blend (optional, but recommended)

ingredients for quinoa chickpea salad displayed in large bowl

Tips for success

Be sure to rinse the quinoa if it doesn’t come pre-washed to avoid undesirable flavour and texture. I like to buy a pre-washed variety to save time.
You can use more or less dill in the dressing, depending on your taste. I found one tablespoon gave only a hint of dill, so I increased the amount to two tablespoons. Play with the amount to suit your taste!
I find this salad tastes even better when made ahead of time, so it’s perfect for meal prep. I like to make this salad a few hours before serving, to allow the flavours to blend together. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

quinoa chickpea salad in off-white bowls

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