Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing

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 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

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. 

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)

Tips for success

1. 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.
2. 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!
3. 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. 

Other recipes you may enjoy

• Slow Cooker Potato and Chickpea Tikka Masala
• Thai Pumpkin Curry
• Southwest Sweet Potato, Kale and Black Bean Skillet
• Moroccan Couscous with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas
• Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a review below!
I’d love to hear from you!