Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup dry white quinoa 170 g; rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water 480 ml
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained; about 254 g drained
- 1 medium cucumber seeded if watery and diced; about 200 g prepared
- 1 large red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and diced; about 150 g prepared
- 0.25 cup red onion finely chopped; 40 g
- 0.5 cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped; 30 g
Lemon dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 40.5 g
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 46 g
- 1 clove garlic finely grated; 3 g
- 0.5 teaspoon fine salt 3 g
- 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper about 0.6 g
Equipment
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Shallow tray or wide dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Knife and cutting board
- Small bowl and whisk
Instructions
Cook and cool
- Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender. If still firm, add a splash of water and cook a little longer.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread the quinoa in a clean shallow tray or wide dish. Refrigerate promptly to cool for about 15 minutes, or until no longer warm enough to wilt the herbs. Do not wait for it to become cold on the counter.
Mix the salad
- While the quinoa cooks, chop the cucumber, pepper, onion and parsley. Rinse and thoroughly drain the chickpeas. Combine them in a large bowl.
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended.
- Add the cooled quinoa and dressing to the vegetables. Toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust lemon or seasoning if desired. Serve chilled, or refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days of cooking the quinoa; discard after more than 2 hours unrefrigerated, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Nutrition
Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 32.3gProtein: 7.7gFat: 9.7gSaturated Fat: 1.3gSodium: 290mgPotassium: 356.1mgFiber: 5.7gCalcium: 49mgIron: 2.3mg
Video
Notes
Timing is an estimate and includes overlapping chopping with cooking. Total time is about 50 minutes; cooling can take longer depending on the dish and refrigerator. Nutrition is estimated for one sixth of the base recipe using USDA FoodData Central ingredient records; optional additions and extra seasoning are excluded. Values vary by ingredients and drained yield. Sugar and vitamin C are not supplied because the selected dry-quinoa record does not report them.
White quinoa yields a mild base; follow the package if using a blend. The salad is vegan as written. Check labels and cross-contact where gluten avoidance is medically necessary.
Video credit: Cookie and Kate, “Favorite Quinoa Salad,” published February 14, 2018. The creator’s description includes tomato; this version uses red bell pepper and different herb, onion and dressing quantities. Follow the card for this formulation.