Mediterranean Quinoa Chickpeas Salad (Printable)

Vibrant quinoa salad with chickpeas, crisp veggies, and lemon-herb dressing; light yet satisfying.

# What You Need:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
07 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

→ Fresh Herbs

09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

→ Cheese (optional)

11 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

12 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper, Kalamata olives, parsley, and mint.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.
06 - Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to eat as a main course, no apologies needed.
  • You can make it on Sunday and eat it all week without it getting soggy or sad.
  • The lemon-herb dressing tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few hours ahead if you're serving it the same day, or the vegetables will get soft and weepy.
  • If you're making it ahead for the week, keep the dressing separate and dress it fresh each time you eat it—this salad actually gets better tasting over a few days, but the texture stays best this way.
03 -
  • Toast a handful of pine nuts or sunflower seeds and scatter them on top right before serving for an extra layer of texture and richness.
  • If your lemon is small or not very juicy, zest it into the dressing too—the bright oils in the zest add complexity that bottled juice can't match.

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