Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This healthy quinoa chickpea salad is loaded with veggies and makes a light and delicious lunch option that can be made ahead of time for easy lunches throughout the week. Great for meal prep!

I had all intentions of posting a dessert recipe today, but then I realized that it’s only 13 days into January and I’ve already posted two snacky-type recipes (here and here) and not one salad. Oops!

A quick change of plans occurred and now you have this bowl of deliciousness to stare at. You can thank me later — after you try the recipe. 🙂

The idea for this little gem actually came from one of my local health coaching clients. She and I were chatting about how much we love The Daily Kitchen and Bar, a Richmond restaurant known for its cool vibe and healthy menu options. I like every dish that I’ve tried there, but what I really love is their massive salads (oh, and the sweet potato fries!!).  Unlike some restaurants that give you a bowl of limp greens, a mushy tomato and a few shredded carrots on a plate, The Daily gives you a massive bowl of greens that loaded with tasty toppings. It’s the type of place where you can order a salad for your meal and feel completely full and satisfied.

My client mentioned that the quinoa salad was her favorite dish and I proceeded to rave about the Mediterranean salmon salad, which is my go-to. After that convo I decided to create a quinoa salad similar to the one served at The Daily so that my client would be able to make it at home whenever she wanted.

The result is this salad — a surprisingly simple, yet flavorful combo. With a base of chickpeas, quinoa and bright veggies, this salad is loaded with nutrients and very filling.

I’m not 100% sure what sort of dressing The Daily uses but I kept it simple with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. The feta and fresh parsley add quite a bit of flavor so the light dressing is really all you need.

I had it for lunch several times last week served over a big bowl of spring mix for some extra volume. Perfection!

Like most quinoa salads, this is a great meal prep salad that you can prep on Sunday for lunches throughout the week! If you pack it for lunch, I’d probably just bring along extra oil and vinegar in case the quinoa soaks up all the dressing and you want to add a splash right before digging in.

If you make this quinoa chickpea salad be sure to leave a comment and a rating for the recipe below. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Also, you can checkout my roundup of other quinoa salad recipes.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mullins
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 5 cups

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Description

This healthy quinoa chickpea salad is loaded with veggies and makes a light and delicious lunch option that can be made ahead of time for easy lunches throughout the week. Great for meal prep!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon red wine or white balsamic vinegar
• 2–3 Tablespoons feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a big bowl. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
2. Serve over your favorite leafy greens and top with an extra drizzle of more oil and vinegar.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 215
• Sugar: 2g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 6g

More Quinoa Salad Recipes:

• 19 Quinoa Salad Recipes
• Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad
• Carrot Raisin Salad
• Southwestern Quinoa Salad
• Greek Quinoa Salad
• Corn Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad