High Protein Quinoa & Chickpea Salad (Printable)

Protein-packed Mediterranean bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and tangy feta in zesty lemon dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains & Legumes

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

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Dairy

06 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water to remove saponins and improve texture.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and cool for several minutes.
03 - While quinoa cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and chop fresh herbs. Keep each component separate until assembly.
04 - Transfer cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Add chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chopped herbs, and crumbled feta cheese.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to ensure even coating without crushing ingredients.
07 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it the perfect meal prep solution when youre tired of sad desk lunches.
  • Every bite gives you a satisfying mix of textures, from fluffy grains to creamy cheese and crisp vegetables.
  • You can throw it together in the time it takes to cook the quinoa, no complicated techniques or fancy equipment needed.
02 -
  • Let the quinoa cool before adding the feta or it will turn into a melted mess instead of staying in nice creamy crumbles.
  • If the salad tastes flat, you probably need more salt and a squeeze of extra lemon, quinoa absorbs a lot of flavor.
  • Rinsing the chickpeas removes the canned taste and makes them taste fresher and less starchy.
03 -
  • Use vegetable broth instead of water to cook the quinoa, it adds a subtle depth of flavor that makes the whole salad taste more intentional.
  • Toss the salad while the quinoa is still slightly warm so the grains absorb the dressing better and everything melds together.
  • Always taste before serving and adjust the lemon and salt, this salad needs bold seasoning to really shine.
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