Quinoa Chickpea Salad
This quinoa chickpea salad is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that make it only delicious but also beautiful and filling.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 95kcal
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
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. 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
Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g