This lemony quinoa and chickpea salad might just be the easiest you’ve ever made. And with loads of lemon, tons of chickpeas, and dill, possibly the tastiest too!
Well, this quinoa and chickpea salad was kind of a weird little revelation for me. It’s just SO EASY to whip up and have in the fridge, at the ready for snack attacks or quick lunches.
And by easy, I really do mean easy and so simple. Only 8 ingredients, and that’s including the olive oil and salt!
This salad really is super easy to throw together, especially if I’m cooking up a batch of quinoa for another meal. I cook extra to throw together this salad, add a can of drained chickpeas, some scallions, a whole lotta fresh dill (YUM), and the super simple dressing. DONE!
This quinoa chickpea salad tastes best after a day of lounging around in the fridge, giving the dill time to really mingle with the other ingredients.
It’s delicious atop a bed of arugula for an easy lunch or perfect as a hearty side with dinner. I’ll be honest, I’ve even had it for breakfast – with all that protein, it’s kinda perfect for that meal too.
Lemony Quinoa & Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed with cold water (about 1 1/2 cups cooked))
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans) (about 1 1/2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
- About 6 scallions (sliced (about 1/2 cup))
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (1 generous handful)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 medium lemons)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Rinse quinoa under cold water and drain. Place in a small pot on the stove and add 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15 minutes, just until tender and translucent, with the white tail removed from the seed. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Stir and spread a bit to let cool some (but it does not need to cool completely).
- Add the chickpeas, scallions, and dill. Stir gently to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to combine.
- Taste and add more salt if desired. Flavors will develop more after the salad chills.
- Cover and refrigerate until it’s time to eat. Best flavor is achieved after about 24 hours but it’s still delicious right after mixing! Keeps about 4 days in the fridge.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
Made this for a brunch that we hosted and then my family ate the leftovers for days. So simple to make and got so many compliments on it!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you tried (and enjoyed) this one! Thanks so much for the review.
Do you rinse and drain chickpeas
Yes yes! Thank you so much for asking, I’ve updated the recipe to clarify.
This looks delicious. Next time I head to the store I am definitely snagging everything to make this! I might have some of the ingredients at home thankfully. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve made this several times already and the leftovers are even better! I love to toss it with arugula for a fast and easy lunch!
I love the arugula idea (and am totally stealing it). Thanks so much for the review; I’m so glad you like this one! 🙂
Hi Kare,
This recipe looks great. I plan to make this soon. Can i make this before hand? and is there a replacement for Dijon Mustard?
Thanks,
Keerthi
Hi Keerthi, yes, it’s perfect for making ahead of time. 🙂 If you need to leave out mustard altogether, it should probably still be tasty without it. If you feel like it’s missing something, perhaps a dash of red wine vinegar to add a bit of tang.
This looks awesome, i love using chickpeas for their fiber content & they taste so dang good.
Thanks so much, Autumn! And yes – chickpeas are king! 🙂
I don’t understand how something so simple can be so tasty! This has definitely entered regular rotation, and I love it as it’s light and fresh as well as filling!
Thanks so much, Kay! I’m so glad you like it. 🙂
I put red pepper, cucumber and dried cranberries in mine. Also a little honey in the vinaigrette😊
I made this today and put cucumber , red peppers and dried cranberries in it. Also a little honey in the vinaigrette😊
So quick and easy ! Loved this salad so flavourful. Made it with my leftover dill from salmon and have been enjoying the leftovers as a topper on my salads the last few days Looking forward to making this again soon.
Love having this in my fridge for an easy grab and go healthy lunch. And the flavors are even better the second day. Thanks so much for this!
Hi Kristen! I’m so glad this one is a winner for you. 🙂 Thanks so much for the review!
This is so delicious! And it hasn’t even had time to sit yet, haha! Will definitely be making it again.
So glad it’s a winner for you!
Looks delicious and easy for lunches! How many servings is this?
I added some diced avocado as well. It hit the spot for an easy summer lunch.
So the quinoa is cooked twice?
I see now – guess my tired brain was not keeping up – sorry.
This salad was delicious! I found it a bit heavy to eat on its own. I put it over a bed of lettuce with some goat cheese and it was amazing!