Description
A vibrant and healthy quinoa salad packed with chickpeas and fresh vegetables, perfect for any meal or gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dried quinoa
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cup edamame (shelled)
- 1 can (14oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups English cucumber, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 2 medium lemons
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Gently rinse 1 cup of quinoa under running water to remove any dust. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 3/4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, remove the pot from heat, let it stand for another 15 minutes, then fluff it up with a fork.
- Prepare the dressing: While the quinoa is cooking, grab a small bowl and whisk together the minced garlic, juice of 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and an optional 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Taste it and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Chop your vegetables—the cucumber, yellow bell pepper, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and red onion (don’t forget the edamame!). Place all these beautiful chopped vegetables, along with the drained chickpeas and parsley (if using), in a large bowl.
- Combine: Once your quinoa has cooled down a bit, add it to the bowl of veggies and pour in the dressing. Gently toss everything together until well coated.
- Serve: The salad can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. Serve it with an extra sprinkle of sea salt, cracked pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon on top to brighten it even more. Leftovers stay great for 5 to 6 days in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Notes
This salad can be customized with any vegetables you have on hand. For added flavor, let it marinate in the fridge before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: quinoa salad, chickpeas, healthy salad, vegetarian meal, fresh vegetables
