Quinoa Chickpea Salad

This quinoa chickpea salad is loaded with fresh ingredients and bursting with flavor! It’s delicious, nutritious, and best of all, incredibly easy to make.

Summertime is approaching, my friends, and along with the warmer temperatures and longer days, we have all the crisp, refreshing flavors of the season to get excited about. Enter, quinoa chickpea salad.

This light yet supremely satisfying dish is filled with fresh veggies and packed with plant-based protein. It is perfect as a complete vegetarian lunch option or as a crowd-pleasing side dish. 

We are taking garbanzo bean salad to the next level with fresh chopped vegetables, hand-crumbled feta, and perfectly cooked quinoa. With all the barbeques and potlucks on the horizon, you are going to love this chickpea quinoa salad! 

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post: 

• All the fresh ingredients you need to make this easy chickpea quinoa salad
• Step-by-step instructions on how to make the best quinoa salad
• Expert tips on selecting and preparing the best quinoa for your recipe

The combination of fresh, crisp textures and light, bright flavors makes this quinoa salad an instant classic. Gather your ingredients, and prepare to amaze both yourself and your family.

How to make Quinoa Chickpea Salad

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Wash and dice your shallots, bell pepper, and cucumber.

STEP TWO: Open, drain, and rinse the can of chickpeas.

STEP THREE: Crumble feta cheese into small pieces with your hands.

STEP FOUR: Finely chop the parsley and cut green olives into halves.

STEP FIVE: Combine quinoa, chickpeas, vegetables, feta, olives, and parsley in a large salad bowl. 

STEP SIX: In a separate small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk to combine well.

STEP SEVEN: Add the dressing mixture to your salad bowl and mix all ingredients thoroughly.

STEP EIGHT: Wait one hour for maximum flavor development or dig in if desired.

How Much QUinoa Do I Need To COok?

Quinoa fluffs up quite a lot after being cooked, so you only need 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to equal 4 cups of cooked quinoa.

Just rinse it, cook according to package directions, and add it to this delicious quinoa salad!

What Do I Serve with Quinoa Salad?

Quinoa chickpea salad is hearty enough to be served all by itself and versatile enough to go with almost any meal.

Offer this crisp and refreshing salad at a family barbeque or a community potluck or pack it for a delightful picnic lunch. It is the perfect, satisfying snack or light meal on a hot day. 

If you are looking for other ideas to serve alongside it, try out our BBQ hot dogs, easy cold lunch ideas and healthy lunch ideas.

Do I Need to Rinse my Quinoa Before Cooking?

Absolutely! Do not skip this step! To avoid a bitter batch of quinoa, always rinse thoroughly with cold water in a fine-mesh sieve before cooking. This removes the bitter-tasting saponin that occurs naturally on the quinoa seeds. 

I use these sieves for rinsing quinoa. They’re easy to clean as long as you rinse out the residual quinoa out immediately after use.

What Can I Substitute in this Quinoa Salad Recipe? 

This recipe is easy to make and easy to modify. Do not despair if your available ingredients are slightly different. Be creative and don’t forget to have fun in the process. A few possible changes include:

• Try black or kalamata olives instead of green.
• Substitute red, yellow, or green onion in place of shallots.
• Instead of chickpeas, try black beans, lentils, or another legume.
• Experiment with red, black, or tri-color quinoa.
• Add your favorite fresh herbs like dill or cilantro.
• Go wild with additional veggies such as shredded carrots or diced zucchini.
• Omit the feta cheese for a vegan option.
• Add grilled chicken chunks for a truly satisfying dish.

Start with the basic recipe and the possibilities are endless. I love creativity in the kitchen! 

What Variety of Quinoa Should I Choose?

I suggest white quinoa for this salad due to its superior fluffiness and lighter texture. Other varieties such as red or black quinoa are okay to use in a pinch but have a more hearty and chewy texture. 

Should Quinoa Salad Be Served Hot or Cold?

This recipe is intended to be served cold. To help, all ingredients may be prepared a day in advance and chilled in the refrigerator. If you choose to do this, wait until a couple of hours before serving to add the dressing to the other ingredients. 

Is Quinoa Salad Healthy?

You bet it is! Quinoa chickpea salad is super healthy. This recipe is packed with fresh veggies and herbs alongside protein-packed quinoa and chickpeas.

That means lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, plus it’s gluten-free and vegetarian. If you have vegan friends or family, simply make a small portion without feta.

What to Do with Leftover Quinoa Salad

In my house, this dish is gobbled up almost immediately. However, in the event you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing will alter the texture of the vegetables and is not recommended. 

Other Salad Recipes You’ll Love:

• Broccoli Salad 
• Creamy Instant Pot Potato Salad
• 5 Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipe
• BBQ Chicken Pasta
• Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
• Simple Italian Pasta Salad with No Meat