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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with avocado and lemon dill dressing on a plate with spoon

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Dill Dressing

A delicious and nourishing quinoa salad with lemon-dill dressing! Great for make-ahead lunches, meal prep, barbeques, potlucks, and more.
AuthorKaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:30 minutes
CourseMain Dish, Salad, Side Dish
CuisineGluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings8 (1-cup servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white quinoa
  • 15 oz. can chickpeas
  • 1 pint grape/cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium cucumber (I use English/hothouse)
  • 4 green onions (or red onion)
  • 1 large avocado (or 2 small)
  • Optional: extra dill, Kalamata olives, vegan feta crumbles

For the lemon-dill dressing:

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
  • 1-2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)
  • Optional: lemon zest, Dijon mustard, black pepper, 2 tsp. maple syrup

Instructions

  • Rinse and cook quinoa according to package instructions.*
  • Prepare veggies: Halve/quarter tomatoes, dice cucumber, slice green onions, and dice avocado (peel and pit removed). Place in a large bowl.
  • Rinse and drain chickpeas. Add to bowl.
  • Make dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar.
  • Add cooked quinoa to large bowl.
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss well to combine. Add more dill, or salt/pepper if desired.
  • Can enjoy immediately, but the flavor is best after it chills in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight.

Notes

*To cook quinoa: Place 1 cup quinoa (rinsed + drained) in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Herbs: Change it up with fresh parsley, basil, cilantro, chives, or a combination of herbs.
Veggies: Swap in your own favorites like sweet corn, bell pepper, roasted tomatoes, artichokes, or chopped greens like baby spinach, kale, or arugula.
Yield: Recipe makes about 8 to 9 cups salad.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Calories: 185 kcal | Carbohydrates: 27 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Potassium: 535 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 538 IU | Vitamin C: 23 mg | Calcium: 52 mg | Iron: 2 mg