Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Quinoa Chickpea Salad is an easy-to-make, delicious meal recipe ideal for busy weekdays, meal prep, potlucks, picnics, or as a side dish for dinner gatherings. It is protein-packed, vegan, and gluten-free.
Servings: 6
Calories: 235kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- ½ cup Chickpeas dried or 2 cups canned
- 1 cup Cucumber chopped
- ½ cup Tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup Red onions chopped
- 2 Avocado pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro parsley chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
For the cilantro lemon dressing
- 2 tablespoon Coconut oil
- 4 tablespoon Lemon juice or lime
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ⅓ cup Cilantro
- 1 to 2 Green chilies or Jalapeno
Instructions
How to cook chickpeas?
- If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them thoroughly.½ cup Chickpeas
- If using dried chickpeas, ensure you soak them for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. This will reduce cooking time and will also cook thoroughly.
- Stovetop: Drain and add the soaked chickpeas with water atleast 1 to 2 inches above the chickpeas and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles until cooked through. Drain the water in which chickpeas are cooked and keep aside. The drained water can be served as a soup.
- Instant pot: Rinse and add the soaked chickpeas with water enough to submerge them (atleast an inch above) and close the lid of your IP. Pressure cook on HIGH for 12-16 minutes. Then, quickly release and drain the excess liquid. (The longer you soak, the quicker it cooks. A minimum of 12 minutes is needed)
How to cook quinoa?
- Stovetop: Boil water in a pot. Wash and rinse quinoa. Add salt and quinoa and cook as per package instructions. Let this cool completely.½ cup quinoa
- Instant pot: Add the quinoa and ¾ cup of water to your Instant Pot and stir. Secure the lid by making sure the steam valve is in a sealed position. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Once it beeps or the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Let the quinoa cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prep all the veggies.
Make the dressing
- Add coconut oil, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, and green chilies in a blender and blend it to a smooth paste. (Adjust all the ingredients to taste)2 tablespoon Coconut oil, 4 tablespoon Lemon juice, 2 cloves Garlic, ⅓ cup Cilantro, 1 to 2 Green chilies or Jalapeno
Making of the salad
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, onions, avocado, cilantro, salt, pepper, and dressing to a bowl and toss until combined.1 cup Cucumber, ½ cup Tomatoes, ½ cup Red onions, 2 Avocado, ¼ cup cilantro, Salt, Pepper
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Add spices like cumin for extra flavor.
- Adjust all the ingredients, including quinoa and chickpeas, to your liking.
- You can skip green chilies and add pepper flakes or paprika.
- Add greens like spinach, kale, etc.
- Olive oil can be used for coconut oil.
- Even before adding veggies with quinoa, ensure it is cooled completely.
- Leftover salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 329IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg