Introducing my favorite quinoa salad! I’ve published more than a few quinoa salads over the years and I genuinely love all of them, but this recipe is officially my favorite.
This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp and delicious. It’s made simply with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing. The salad sort of reminds me of tabouleh, an herbed Lebanese salad with tomatoes and bulgur.
The Best Quinoa Salad
Three reasons to love this recipe:
- This quinoa salad recipe is also very easy to toss together, especially if you use leftover quinoa (see recipe note). The recipe uses my preferred quinoa cooking method, which yields fluffy quinoa every time.
- This salad packs great for lunch, picnics, road trips and plane rides.
- Bring this allergy-friendly salad along to your next potluck—it’s vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free, for all to enjoy.
This recipe doesn’t taste “basic,” but it has a lot of merits that make it a staple recipe in my kitchen. I hope it becomes your go-to quinoa salad recipe, too! Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments.
Watch How to Make Quinoa Salad
My summer has been punctuated by fun, casual get-togethers with friends. Spontaneous afternoons at the pool, walks around the park, and potlucks—yes to all of the above. It’s nice to have supplies at the ready. My pool bag is packed with magazines and sunscreen, and my fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thank you, Bota Box!).
The “Bota Mini” size is super portable and easy to grab for an evening picnic at the park. The small boxes are convenient because you don’t have to remember to bring a bottle opener, and the empty boxes are lightweight and recyclable. Each 500 mL mini contains three glasses of wine, or just over half of a standard wine bottle. I recommend pairing their light, crisp Sauvignon blanc with this refreshing summer salad.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this quinoa salad becomes your favorite, too.
Craving more fresh and delicious salads? Here are a few more:
- Quinoa Broccoli Slaw
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Quinoa and Spinach Salad
- Mexican(ish) Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Herbed Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
Favorite Quinoa Salad
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)
- 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
- Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe inspired by the outrageous herbaceous chickpea salad in my cookbook (page 71) and my quinoa tabbouli.
*Quinoa note: If you happen to have 3 cups of leftover cooked quinoa, you can use it instead of cooking more.
Change it up: This salad is awesome as written. You can serve it on fresh greens with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice for dressing. Feel free to top it with crumbled feta cheese or a dollop of cashew sour cream (recipe in my cookbook, page 217).
▸ Nutrition Information
This post was sponsored by Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Sharon
I’ve been making this salad for quite sometime now – we LOVE it. We’ll have it as main dish in the summer or as a side dish any time. I make it exactly as the recipe is written except, as others have done, will add feta cheese. Thank you for this amazing recipe and all of the others you have shared with us.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Sharon! Thank you for your review.
Erin
This was delicious but I’m trying to figure out the serving size used for the nutrition facts… Is it one cup?
Kate
Hi Erin! Roughly 1.5 ups is a serving.
Jenna
Delicous
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jenna!
Sydney
I never want to be that person that’s like “delicious! Here are the fifteen changes I made!” But I did make a couple tweaks.
For a kind of Tex-mex feel, I swapped the parsley with cilantro, added a can of drained corn, and used lime juice instead of lemon. All in all, this is a super tasty salad! Very fresh and filling without weighing me down. I think a couple jalapeños would be a good addition, as well as maybe a tomato or two. I know I made a few changes, but I do think this is a great base recipe!
mkecheryl
That’s a great idea, the Tex-Mex alterations. If I did that I’d probably switch out the chickpeas for black beans, personally, but that’s just personal preference. Thanks for sharing!
Chivonne
I have made this recipe SO many times I have lost count. It is my absolute favourite and loved by all my guests :)
Grace
Absolutely loved this salad! So refreshing now that it’s getting a little warmer! I reduced the cucumbers by half, and added 1 grated carrot and some cherry tomatoes
Keith
It’s fantastic and works perfectly paired with grilled meats and fish. I’m wondering how you have the 8 side salads portioned out? Is it by cups, ounces…? I’m tracking calories and macros and this info would be so very useful. Thank you for an outstanding recipe!
Kate
Hi Keith! I would suggest cups. Thank you for you review!
Katalin
Delicious, healthy, beautiful. Loved it.
Erin
Really really good and easy to make! I didn’t have fresh parsley so I used dried – I know it would be even better with fresh, but still delicious. Even my husband who normally sticks his nose up at quinoa enjoyed this.
Kate
Great to hear, Erin!
Shari Tiller
This quinoa salad has become my family’s favorite!
Kate
Great to hear, Shari! I appreciate your review.
Jay
I have just made this and enjoyed it so much I had to leave a comment! I didn’t plan on making it but it uses ingredients that I happened to have in so it was perfect. I added some toasted almonds as well because why not. Such a perfect light yet filling lunch when working from home. Thanks for posting!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jay!
Alexa
This was delicious!!! Your instructions were clear and it was easy to make. I used three lemons and found it to be a bit too sour so in the future I’ll probably just use two (I also didn’t measure just squeezed them in), but I just added another pepper since I had one lying around and some more olive oil and it was great.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Alexa! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Terry S
Thanks for the great idea! S
Made it dozens of times and today added micro greens and arugula to make it a full meal. Yo have wonderful recipes!
Kathy
This is so easy to make and really good. I would t change a thing.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Kathy!
Randi
AHHH I don’t have any LEmon or lime in the house; what could I sub?
Kate
I really recommend it. What did you decide to do?
Chef Bill
Delicious recipe… Served it along side some spicy shrimp, avacado and topped with feta and a lemon garlic aioli. Definitely a keeper
Kate
That’s great to hear! I appreciate your review.
Emma
Hi! I know this was a few months ago, but I love the idea of topping with aioli. Did you use the original dressing in the recipe as well as the aioli, or just aioli? Thank you!
Alexandra
Please tell me more about what you served it along side of it.. did you mix the spicy shrimp with avocado chunks and then the aioli dressing on top/side and then the feta, or how did you do it?
Tina
I have your cookbook and unfortunately this recipe is not in it. I’m so happy that I can get this recipe on line! I’m going to make a large batch of this for a baby shower. The picture looks like you used multiple colored quinoa, can you share what type of quinoa you used. I want it to turn out just like yours!!!! My daughter and I both have your cookbook and love your recipes. Thank you
Kate
I’m glad you are loving my cookbook too, Tina! I appreciate your comment.
Rachel
Ok, I have to leave a comment finally. I am a pilot and this recipe has saved me for like 2 years now, I make it ALL the time and bring it on majority of my trips. Thank you so much for creating it, I just can’t get enough of it!!!
Ruth
Oh my gosh! My sister made this for me and I absolutely love it! I am trying really hard to incorporate more healthy foods into my life and this really did it for me.
Kate
I love to hear that, Ruth! Thank you for your review.
Aggie
I have been making this salad from your recipe for two years or so. It never disappoints and is always a hit! Absolutely perfect, thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Aggie! I appreciate your review.
Bev
Delicious!!!
So colorful and tasty. I’ll be making this all summer long. Thank ya for the recipe
Kate
Your’e welcome, Bev! Thank you for your review.
Margaret
Yummmm this was delicious. Made it Sunday night to enjoy all week. I added chopped up kalamata olives and some Mediterranean seasoned Feta crumbles from TJ’s because I wanted mine to be more like a Greek salad. Would definitely make again. Really good for having guests over and making in advance because I think salads like this get better after a night in the fridge.
Kate
Yes, this is great to have on hand! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Inge
That sounds great, have those ingredients so will incorporate them in this salad. Perfect for our heatwave here inUK
Régine
I have made this recipe many times, and taking it tomorrow to a picnic. It is sooo satisfying. Also, I love the fact that I can print a recipe to match the number of people I’ll serve it to.
Thank you, Kate. You are the best.
Jan
LOVE this recipe! I would have made it exactly as written except (1) I have a food sensitivity to cucumber (substituted celery, excellent!); AND (2), I roasted the chickpeas because I read it somewhere and it sounded like a good idea. It was superb. (Rinse/drain chickpeas, dry on paper towel. Toss chickpeas with a tsp. of olive oil in a ziploc bag, then spread on a sheet pan. Bake at 350°for 35-40 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through cooking time. Finish with salt, to taste. SO good and extra crunch). Just one other way this FANTASTIC recipe can be tweaked for variety. It will definitely be on regular rotation.
Phyllis hollett
Hi Kate,
This was amazing and I added avocado.It will definitely be one that I have often.Thanks for the recipe.
Paris
Love this recipe! I served it with warm roasted sweet potato and diced avocado! We are going to pack the leftovers with spinach for a salad on the go!
Kate
Yes, this makes great leftovers. I’m happy you enjoyed it, Paris!
Rizi
This is my GO TO for entertaining and it’s a hit every time. So refreshing and nutritious.
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Riti!
ChrisM
I love this recipe – even my kids like it. Great flavor and full of healthy stuff! I accidentally used cilantro instead of parsley and it’s equally as delicious. I’ve also added lemon zest.
Nancy Alt
Just made this and served it with grilled steak. Delicious. Not a bit left.
Kate
Love it! Thank you for your review, Nancy.
Cynthia
It’s been a year since I first made this quinoa salad, and it’s still my favorite! I love cilantro so I decided to switch out the parsley for cilantro. I leave out the minced garlic due to personal preference. When I’m ready to eat it I throw in some diced avocados and top with cotija cheese. I have literally made a big batch and had it everyday for lunch sometimes with a serving of chicken breast or fish
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Cynthia.
Patricia
I add marinated chopped artichoke hearts to this recipe. Perfect for a summer barbecue!
Sharon
This salad is amazing!!! I had some leftover chicken that was marinated in a Greek marinade and then grilled. I added it to some of this quinoa salad and it was delicious. Perfect cool and refreshing dinner for this scorching hot and humid night!! I highly recommend it!!!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Sharon! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Allison
Oh my!! You must make this! I read the reviews and decided to add the feta. Delish! But great without too. A real keeper!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Allison!
Dianne
Soooo good! Made this last night for an extended family gathering. Since my daughter in law has to eat gluten free, this was perfect. Everyone enjoyed it and it’s even better the next day. Also loved your fool proof way to cook quinoa.
Kate
You’re welcome, Dianne! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Julie Sullivan
I love tabouleh so I loved this salad, I had white quinoa on hand so I made it with that and I think the white quinoa was really good at taking a backgroundflavor to let the fresh vegetable flavors shine in this salad. I found myself eating bowl after bowl just because it was soooo good, served it at room temp as soon as I made it. And it kept well in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Kate
Hooray! Bowl by bowl. I love it. Thank you for your review, Julie!
Jeri
I loved this salad. I used cannellini beans instead of chic peas because that’s what I had. Still delicious!! Any chance you could provide a calorie, carb, portion summary?
Kate
Hi Jeri! The nutritional information is below the notes of the recipe. I’m glad you loved it.
Daniel
I like your recipe very much, but it is still a disappointment because it lacks a bunch of mint, an essential component of tabouleh
Kate
Hi Daniel, I would recommend my Best Tabbouleh and substitute quinoa.
Amar Choudhary
I have made this recipe SO many times I have lost count
Julie
Absolutely my new favorite! I added Kalamata olives and chopped artichoke hearts. Thank you for sharing this, it will be a permanent weekly meal now. So healthy too ♥️
Kate
Thank you for your review, Julie. I’m glad you plan to make it weekly!
Julie
Oh I had to also say I love your sweet pup, what a sweet face ♥️♥️
Kate
Thank you, Julie! I appreciate it.
Lena
Made this salad yesterday. It has a very nice flavor. Will definitely make it again. A nice vegetarian option.
Cody
I am going to make this because I love Quinoa. What type of quinoa do you use as I went to the store and there are many types. … 1. Quinoa 2. Tri Color Quinoa 3. Red Quinoa?
I am making this for an event and want it to turn out perfect! What type did you use in yours?
Kate
Hi! You can use any of those options. I hope you enjoy it!
Jennifer
I made this as a side for my grilled salmon and it is AMAZING! I could eat these with every meal. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jennifer! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Christine
Hi. I just made this salad and OMG, it’s delicious. Will be at the top of my list of great salads. i added some crumbled feta. Thanks for the recipe…
Kate
You’re welcome, Christine!
RGray
I’ve had this recipe saved for quite some time, but just got around to making it this morning as part of my meal prep for the week. I made a few minor substitutions based on what I had in my fridge- it’s almost 100 degrees where I live today and I didn’t want to have to run to the store for 2 ingredients that I had a reasonable substitute for. I had no fresh parsley, so I chopped up some baby spinach for color and texture (and added a bit of dried parsley for the flavor) and I had no red or green bell pepper, so I used extra cucumber and chopped some grape tomatoes. As others recommended, I also added some feta and a handful of slivered almonds for a little extra protein. I couldn’t wait until lunch to try it-I tasted it as soon as it was mixed, and it’s divine! I can’t wait to try it in a few hours when the flavors have really melded. Thanks for this simple, healthy, summertime recipe!
Maggie Carruthers
Awesome recipe! My husband always said he didn’t like quinoa, but he cleaned his plate, and had seconds. We had it with poached salmon. It was outstanding! Made exactly as the original. No need for feta or anything else to be added. Loved it!
Kate
That’s great, Maggie! Thank you for your review.
Lou
Loved it. We’re trying to eat healthier and this was my first time making quinoa, it was actually a quinoa bulgar mix. Turned out great, only difference was lemon juice from a bottle not fresh, I don’t think it made a difference. So good.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Lou! I appreciate your review.
Donna Ross
Made this last night with my adult niece who is visiting. We had fun chopping the ingredients together and loved eating it with a glass of wine while watching The Bachelorette. Delicious and beautiful salad.
Danika
I’m going to be making this recipe next week but don’t want to use the red wine vinegar or olive oil. Can I omit the vinegar and substitute toasted sesame oil for olive oil?
Kate
I recommend what is listed. I’m not sure sesame oil would be a great option here. You could just omit that oil if you prefer.
Catherine
So easy and delicious! Perfect for a summer meal. followed the recipe as written but add feta cheese. It keeps great in the refrigerator for leftovers ( if there are any). Definitely will make again.
Lori Kemaldean
I have made this salad dozens of times and making a triple batch tomorrow. It is incredibly delicious and the taste reminds me of my Lebanese Grandma’s tabouleh. No guilt eating this salad as it’s super healthy! ❤
Kate
I love to hear that, Lori! Thank you for your review.
Maryam Moradi
So deliouse ,a really great and clear recipe
I made it exactly as a written recipe you gave
and added some cherry tomatoes and feta cheese as well . Thank u so much it’s gonna be my favorite side dish ever❤️
Tammie
Loved it! The only thing I changed was the lemon juice I didn’t have lemons so I substitute limes (plenty of them ) and added little sugar to tone down the tanginess. It turned out so tasty. Thank you
Kate
Great to hear, Tammie! I appreciate your review.
Julie Finnegan
Love this site and really enjoyed the quinoa salad! I want to like quinoa because of it’s nutritional qualities and this recipe really did the trick! I’m also so happy with your cooking method for quinoa!!! SO much better than the now “old fashioned” way! Light and fluffy and perfect. Thank you for that!
Kate
You’re welcome, Julie! I appreciate your review.
Jackie
Super good, thanks so much for sharing. I’m needing to lose weight so I omitted the EVOO and it was still delish!
Valerie
I didn’t have chickpeas but this was delicious on a hot summer day!
Rhonda
Hello, I made this last night!! How fabulous! Love it so much and I’m sharing the recipe with my vegetarian daughter who loves to chop!! I didn’t have parsley so added some basil and coriander and also some finely chopped celery for extra crunch! Going to be eating this all summer long. Thank you.
Kate
Great to hear, Rhonda! I appreciate your review.
Nicola
About to make for the third time! Recipe is perfect as written and stays fresh in the fridge as leftovers for several days. Love all your recipes!!
Kate
Thank you, Nicola! I’m delighted you enjoy it.
Cass
My go-to when I don’t know what to have for lunch, or even dinner! Really refreshing and delicious, love this recipe!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Cass! Thank you for your review.
Alayne
I agree with Kate. This recipe is excellent as written and can be taken further to your liking. After tasting, I added sliced kalamata olives and about a tablespoon of the brine from the jar, plus about 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. These additions really brought it to life! Don’t skip the chickpeas. I wouldn’t have thought of adding them, and they add great substance! Great recipe! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you enjoy it and have adapted it to fit your tastes. I appreciate your review, Alayne!
Michou Olivera
This salad is absolutely delicious and so flavorful! Hands down my new favorite! Thank you Cookie and Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Michou! I appreciate you sharing how much you enjoyed it.
Norm S.
My wife and I love this salad and my Nutritionist approves also we changed it up a bit the Garbanzo beans do not agree with me at all can’t even eat hummas so I changed to the same amount of Jicama it gives the same amount of crunch and we also like Balsamic Vinegar instead of the Redwine Vinegar the salad turns out wonderful.
VC
I was looking for a low carb meal replacement when I stumbled upon this recipe. Taste amazing. My daughter loves it as well.
JNdF
I don’t normally have any issues with cooking quinoa but I tried this method to see how it worked. Ironically it turned out mushy (and it was a double recipe :(). It takes more attention. Normally I just can let it pretty much sit and cook for 15 mins with no fuss. This method I had to keep monitoring it and I wasn’t sure how long to keep cooking until all the water was gone, without burning it on the bottom. I ended up stirring it probably more than I should have looking to see if the water was all gone at the bottom, which may have caused the mushiness. I am not going to take off any points for that, as it was likely my error. Just seems more complicated than it needs to be. I’ll stick with the 1 to11/4 cup water to 1 cup quinoa ratio bring to a boil and then let it cook on low for 15 min. That turned out perfect for me. The rest of the recipe is wonderful. The taste is great. I will make again. Perfect for summer party.
Kate
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. Were you using a large enough pot? It sounds like you had the heat to high as once it comes to a boil, you turn down and simmer low.
Carmen
Coming back to this recipe and yes, it is delicious and perfectly balanced. I have customized it here and there but it is perfect made just as written. Feeling a little lazy this afternoon so considering using a bottled dressing in place of the dressing Ingredients… wish me luck
Michelle
Absolutely loved it! Made it as described.
Louise
This recipe is just what I’m looking for but could I switch out the parsley for fresh basil. I have a ton of basil growing in my garden.
Thanks for your advice.
Louise
Kate
You’re welcome, Louise!
Andy
Awesome recipe! It made more than I expected but I ate it in less than 2 days by myself. What a great thing to have ready to go in the fridge for a snack! Just added some vegan feta. Thanks for the great recipes!
Kate
You’re welcome, Andy! I appreciate your review.
Greta
We have over 100 degree weather where I live right now. Just made this salad to take to work for my lunches this week. It’s so yummy! Perfect. Thank you!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Greta! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Dee
This was my first time making quinoa and used your recipe for that as well. The recipe was a hit!! Everyone asked to take home leftovers, glad I doubled the recipe. Will definitely have over a bed of spinach for lunch tomorrow! TYSM
Kate
Hooray! I love to hear that, Dee.
Julia
Hey! I’ve made this 3 times already and it’s definitely my new go-to! Does it make a difference if you cook with quinoa in water vs vegetable broth?
Charlotte
This salad exceeded my expectations! Light (but filling), fresh and delicious. I added some extra veggies like carrots and broccoli, and also added red kidney beans for more protein. Will definitely make again. Thank you :)
Kate
Hooray! I’m excited you loved it, Charlotte. Thank you for taking the time to review!
DeeDee
I just made this tonight to go with some fish and this salad needs some help…… the combination of quinoa and veggies is great but the dressing is so blah… boring. It could Really use a pick me up.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, DeeDee. I appreciate your review and feedback.
Karena
I made it but I added a tsp of honey and substituted 1/4 of water for coconut milk. My kids loved it!
Diane
I’ve made this salad over and over. The best one I have. Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Diane! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Anita thompson
My one and a half year old grandson gobbled it down and the rest of us followed suit. It’s simply delicious. Easy to make can be changed around and the flavour perfect. It’s a firm fav in my house.
Kate
Love to hear that, Anita! Thank you for your review.
Elizabeth
Can you add canned chicken to it ?
Kate
Sure, but I’m a vegetarian so I prefer this as is.
Tiffany
Oops I didn’t rinse it. This recipe is the bomb.com. I added feta. Super duper! Thank you.
Ranj
Is there a substitute to red wine vinegar? Can I use regular vinegar or pomegranate molasses, as it’s used in Mediterranean cooking?
Kate
Hi, you can use white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar would be a good alternative.
Jami
Delicious! Only made a few changes based on our preferences and what I had on hand. Used cilantro instead of parsley and used a mix of lemon and lime juice because I needed to use them up. Would have added jalapeños but didn’t have any so added cayenne for some heat. Thank you!
Wholesome
This is delicious! Added jalapeños and used cilantro instead of parsley. A keeper!
Elsie
Just wondering if I can switch the quinoa with farro?
Kate
Hi, I prefer this recipe as written. But, you could try it! Let me know what you think.
KAAinPA
This is my go to salad when I need to take something to a potluck. I’ve started doubling the recipe because people often ask if they can take some home. My only addition, to what you include in this recipe, is feta cheese. I add about 1/3 cup of the feta. I buy from a local goat farm and it just compliments an already great recipe.
Chris
Can this recipe be frozen?
Kate
I wouldn’t recommend it as the vegetables won’t hold up well.
Emily Hancock
I just made this so I could have it for a meal the rest of the week and it is so good! I added carrots to mine but I am sure you can add anything according to your preferences and it will be yummy! Thanks for the recipe, I will be checking out more of your recipes soon!
Kate
Great to hear, Emily! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Tom
Hello,
We made this and it’s quite delicious. We should have made 1x. Also a deep saucepan is not as good as a wide one for the Quinoa. Mine was less fluffy. Adding Feta cheese next. It was fun to prepare.
Shannon B
Love the basics of this recipe! We skinned/peeled the chickpeas first and used freshly chopped spinach – since we don’t like parsley. We ended up adding a little bit of soy sauce to get that extra salt in and have a little more flavor kick. Next time we’ll also try toasting the quinoa first and cooking it in vegetable broth instead of water. All in all though this recipe will be added to our go to meal list, thank you!
Yasameen
I am so obsessed with this salad, it has become me and my family’s favorite. I always crave this. I added a little more lemon then written, as well as tomatoes instead of bell pepper which is absolutely amazing.
Linda
I made this today to take it to a potluck luncheon tomorrow. Just ate a small bowl and it was delicious.
Thanks!
Linda M
Sooke BC
Kate
You’re welcome, Linda! Thank you for your review.
Bob
Anyone figured out calories per serving or total calories?
Kate
Hi Bob! The nutrition information is below the notes section of the recipe.
Stacy
This quinoa salad is amazing as-is. I’ve been making a very similar gluten-free tabbouleh using quinoa instead of couscous, and it is nice to have another quinoa salad option. I do to cook my quinoa using veggie broth for a little added flavor, and I like to sprinkle chia seeds on top for their extra fiber. One delicious variation I sometimes make is to add a little hummus to the dressing. Another is to create a green salad from this by adding a serving of the quinoa salad on top of a big bed of mixed baby lettuce, with the lettuce first tossed with an extra squeeze of lemon, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. It still has all the flavor of the quinoa salad. When I make it this way, I like to add a handful of mixed olives on top. Especially nice on a hot summer day. There are so many different spins you can take with this recipe, but I love it as-is too.
Aly
Just made this salad and love it! I added a little more vinegar and substituted half cilantro for half the parsley. It’s excellent! Thank you for the great recipe, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Aly! Thank you for your review.
Ashley
Best salad!! Made it Christmas Day and it was a huge hit!! I did swapped the chickpeas for corn.
Highly recommend
Stephanie Gross
I love making this salad. I’ve made it 10+ times already. Sometimes I add some Moroccan spices as I’m living in Morocco right now. Thanks for the recipes!
Kate
Great to hear, Stephanie! Thank you for your review.
Kath
My new “go to” salad for lunches!! This is such a flavourful, tasty and satisfying salad. I’ve made this twice in two weeks and see it on the menu for the foreseeable future! The only changes was that I added fresh Basil as I had no parsley and added feta cheese. Thank you again, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Kath!
Mireille
I just made this, I didn’t have chickpeas on hand so it turned out more like a garlicky tabouleh, a tasty one tho :) I added tomatoes to add some volume and make up for the chickpeas, and, don’t tell, about 1/2 teaspoon of habanero hot sauce.
I found it a little too garlicky myself, but I am pregnant and everything tastes weird rn, my man loved it
Kate
That’s great to hear, Mireille!
Debbie
This recipe is excellent! It’s easy to prepare and is delicious. My family ate it up so fast that I had’t a moment to take a picture of the salad!
Abby
I love love love love this recipe. I’ve shared it with 5 other friends. This was such a lovely salad to make and eat!
Sarah
This sounds amazing! I am not a chickpea fan… can I leave out or substitute with something else?
Kate
Hi! You could omit or try a different bean.
Jean
Have made this recipe multiple times. I always end up adding a couple more tablespoons of red wine vinegar and a few sprinkles more of salt and black pepper. Delicious for lunch paired with “best lentil soup” recipe!
Kate
Great to hear, Jean! Thank you for your review.
Pat
I would love to make this salad. I’m not able to have any fermented products (e.g. red wine vinegar) though. Can you suggest a flavorful substitute that might work even if it’s not tangy sweet?
Kate
You could try a citrus. Let me know what you think!
Sylvie
I just made this recipe for the first time and served it to our guess for dinner. It is absolutely delicious and refreshing taste. I have passed on your recipe to family members.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sylvie!