Quinoa Chickpea Salad
This oil-free quinoa chickpea salad is so delicious because it’s bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors from a mix of colorful veggies, herbs, and a zesty orange miso dressing. The quinoa and chickpeas add a satisfying, protein-packed heartiness that makes every bite both nourishing and satisfying.
This quinoa chickpea salad is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that make it not only delicious but also beautiful and filling. It is a light and easy salad that includes fresh ingredients like quinoa, chickpeas, and veggies with a delicious orange miso dressing.
Perfect for lunch, picnics, and family gatherings. I’ve taken it to a number of social functions and always come home with an empty bowl. A couple of other great picnic dishes are our vegan coleslaw and this amazing dairy-free broccoli salad. We have lots of healthy vegan picnic recipes on this website for you to try out.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Nutrient-Rich and Healthy: This salad is packed with protein from quinoa and chickpeas, plus vitamins and minerals from fresh vegetables, making it a nutritious and well-balanced meal.
- Oil-Free and Vegan: Ideal for those following an oil-free or vegan diet, this recipe eliminates oils and animal products while still delivering rich flavors and satisfying textures.
- Easy to Prepare: With a simple preparation process and minimal cooking time, this quinoa chickpea salad is perfect for quick weeknight dinners or meal prepping for busy schedules.
- Delicious Miso Dressing: The miso dressing adds a unique umami-citrus flavor that enhances the taste of the salad, making it a delicious and flavorful choice that stands out from other salads.
Ingredients you will need
- Quinoa- This gluten-free whole grain adds a satisfying, nutty flavor and a hearty texture while boosting the dish with its complete protein and rich nutrient profile.
- Chickpeas- Garbanzo beans enhance this quinoa salad by adding a satisfying crunch, extra protein, and a complementary flavor
- Veggies- Cherry tomatoes, green onions, and fresh cilantro add flavor and beautiful color to this healthy protein-packed salad.
- Miso dressing- Our orange miso dressing combines the citrusy flavor of fresh oranges with the savory depth of miso, creating a delicious and healthy salad dressing.
How to make quinoa chickpea salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Rinse the dry quinoa in a rice rinsing bowl. If it isn’t rinsed well, quinoa can have a bitter taste. Then, cook it according to the package directions.
Quinoa cooks on the stovetop just like rice in about 15 minutes
STEP #2: While the quinoa is cooking, go ahead and dice up the green onions, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Regular tomatoes can also be used, I like that the cherry tomatoes are round and uniform in size. They make for a beautiful salad.
STEP #3: If you are using canned chickpeas in this recipe, drain and rinse them in a colander to remove most of the salt and preservatives. I do this by dumping the container into a colander or strainer and running warm water over them.
STEP #4: Make the miso dressing by whisking together the ingredients in a small bowl. Ingredients include orange juice, rice vinegar, miso, garlic, ginger, sweetener, and black sesame seeds.
STEP #5: Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl and add the other ingredients–chickpeas, diced veggies, and orange miso dressing. Mix together thoroughly to coat well.
STEP #6: Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Allowing it time to marinate enhances the flavors.
*Originally published September 25, 2015.
Recipe from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Tips & Suggestions
- Quinoa- Always rinse the quinoa before cooking, as the package directs. There is a natural film on the quinoa that can taste bitter if not rinsed off before cooking.
- Beans- If you are using canned chickpeas for this recipe, remember to drain and rinse the liquid before adding it to the salad.
- Miso Dressing- I highly advise making extra dressing while you’re at it and using it on salads.
Your Questions Answered
Though I haven’t tried it, probably soy sauce would make a fair substitute. However, the miso really adds to the flavor of this recipe, so I highly recommend using it instead when possible.
Yes, it is! Quinoa and chickpeas are gluten-free as well as other ingredients.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I would imagine it would freeze just fine. There aren’t any ingredients in it that I consider nonfreezable, so I say give it a try.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa
- 1.5 cups garbanzo beans chickpeas, cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup orange juice (juice from 2 oranges)
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white or yellow miso
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated or minced
- 2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
Salad
- Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. This means first rinsing it in a rice rinsing bowl. If it isn’t rinsed well, quinoa can have a bitter taste.
- While the quinoa is cooking, go ahead and dice up the green onions, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Regular tomatoes can also be used, I just like that the cherry tomatoes are round and uniform in size. They make for a beautiful salad.
- If you are using canned chickpeas in this recipe, drain and rinse them in a colander to remove most of the salt and preservatives. I do this by dumping the container into a colander or strainer.
- Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl. This dressing recipe will actually make more than you need for this salad, so you'll have a little left to keep in the refrigerator to drizzle over those garden and/or kale salads.
- Once the quinoa has finished cooking, place it in a large bowl, and add the chickpeas, diced veggies. Pour about 1/4 cup or a little more of the orange miso dressing in and mix together thoroughly to coat well. Add more if you prefer.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Allowing it time to marinate enhances the flavors.
Video
Notes
- Quinoa- Always rinse the quinoa before cooking, as the package directs. There is a natural film on the quinoa that can taste bitter if not rinsed off before cooking. Multicolored quinoa mixes can also be used for this recipe.
- Beans- If you are using canned chickpeas for this recipe, remember to drain and rinse the liquid before adding it to the salad.
- Miso Dressing- I highly advise making extra dressing while you're at it and using it on salads.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I haven’t tried this yet, but when assembling the dressing one orange was more than 1/4c. Should I use 2 oranges or stick with the 1/4c.? Thank you! Waiting for your cookbook to come out!
Hi Nana– Stick with a 1/4 cup for the orange juice for this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Do you think it would still taste good using plain Rice Vinegar without the salt and sugar?
Hi Char- I haven’t tried it without salt and sugar, but if you are used to a diet void of those it should still taste good to you, I would think.
This looks lovely! Is there something I can use in place of miso, or may I just leave it out? Also, how much is 1 serving? I was thinking maybe 1/2 cup, but if it’s larger, even better, lol! Thank you.
Hi Aimee- I haven’t tried to substitute for the miso, but this article has some good ideas for substitutions (except for the fish sauce of course). I would say that 1/2 cup is a good guesstimate of the serving size. Hope you enjoy the salad! https://thestonesoup.com/blog/best-substitutes-miso-paste/