Quinoa & Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs & Lemon
A light, refreshing, and protein-packed salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, peas, and mint, tossed in a zesty lemon dressing.
- Prep10 min
- Cook15 min
- Total25 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
This quinoa and chickpea salad is a perfect make-ahead lunch or light dinner. It's packed with plant-based protein, fresh vegetables, and bright citrus flavors.
The combination of fluffy quinoa, tender chickpeas, sweet cherry tomatoes, and crunchy spring onions, all tied together with a cumin and chili kick, makes this salad anything but boring. It's a complete meal in a bowl, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water.
- Drain the quinoa well, then add it to the boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Drain the quinoa in the sieve and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
- Finely chop the mint leaves and add them to the bowl.
- Add the peas (if using frozen, no need to thaw) and the drained chickpeas.
- Finely chop the spring onions and add them to the bowl.
- Add the cumin, chili flakes, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Mix everything well until combined. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
💡 Tips
- For extra flavor, toast the cumin in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding.
- If using dried chickpeas, soak and cook them beforehand; you'll need about 130 g dried.
- This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days; add a splash of lemon juice before serving.
Inspired by a recipe from Άκης Πετρετζίκης