Healthy eating goals are in full swing and this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Lime Vinaigrette is going to keep you on the right path.
There is nothing bad about this salad. Full of whole grains, veggies, fiber, monounsaturated fats and FLAVOR!
Quinoa has taken a bit of a back seat lately. It was a superfood for so long and then other gluten free grains swept in and put them out of the spotlight. I don’t know about you, but I still keep a giant bag of quinoa in my pantry and I always have a can of garbanzo beans. I like to whip up some hummus on lazy days, so that’s a staple for me.
This is a great salad warm or cold. I’ve had it both ways. The first time I made it, I had to prep everything in advance, so we ate it cold with steaming hot grilled chicken. The next time I made it, it was warm and I ate it as a main dish salad. Both delicious, both perfect.
One of my favorite things about this salad is the ability to substitute veggies. I love mediterranean flavors, but I also love this salad as a tex mex option with the same vinaigrette. The tex-mex version uses black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, salsa, and black olives. Goodness, I could go for that right now!
Here’s what you need to make it!
Enjoy:)
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Lime Vinaigrette
Author: Sarah Pflugradt
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1, 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- For the Vinaigrette
- 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add quinoa, water, and salt
- Cook according to package directions or bring to a boil, turn down heat to simmer, simmer for 12 minutes, remove from heat and allow to rest for 15 minutes
- Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to the quinoa and fluff with a fork, set aside until ready to use
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Place rinsed chickpeas on a small baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes (this is a dry roast)
- Remove from oven and set aside until ready to assemble salad
- Add all vinaigrette ingredients into a small jar and shake to combine
- In a serving bowl, add quinoa and assemble ingredients on the top – chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives
- Sprinkle with green onions and feta cheese
- Drizzle with vinaigrette
NotesIf making this ahead, prep all ingredients and keep in separate containers until ready to assemble salad
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