This Actually Good Quinoa Salad is no ordinary quinoa salad. Featuring toasted quinoa tossed with marinated chickpeas and seasonal vegetables, it’s a textural feat with layers of complex, mouth-watering flavors! It’s still quick and easy to make, and perfect for lunches, weeknight dinners, picnics, and potlucks.
50 min
Serves
4
Easy
American
Vegetarian
Gluten Free
Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (180 g) uncooked quinoa
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, (divided)
- Spring: asparagus, snap peas, fennel (early spring)
- Summer: sweet cherry/grape tomatoes, (halved)
- Fall: any winter squash
- Winter: fennel, broccoli or cauliflower or Brussels sprouts
- 1 (15-oz/425 g) can chickpeas, (drained and rinsed)
- 1 medium shallot, (finely diced (or 1/4 cup / 30 g finely diced red onion)
- 1 medium lemon, (zested + 2 tbsp juice (more juice for the end)
- 1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic vinegar, see Note 2)
- 1 big handful (1 cup / 16 g) of flat-leaf parsley leaves (or basil or dill, depending on vegetable used), chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves, (crushed with a press or grated finely)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake (optional for a touch of heat)
- 1/2 cup (70 g) roasted almonds and/or pistachios, (chopped (optional; see Note 3 for nut-free)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) vegan feta, (crumbled)
- Something pickled, like pickled onions
- A big handful of sweet cherry tomatoes, (halved or quartered)
Preparation
Not specified
Cooking
- Bring 1 ¼ cups of water (300 mL) to a boil.
- Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water.
- Once the water is boiling, add the rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid has evaporated and quinoa is tender, about 12 minutes.
- Open the pot and fluff with a fork.
- Transfer quinoa to a sheet pan and spread out in an even layer.
- Allow to cool somewhat.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF/218ºC.
- Arrange a rack in the bottommost and in the top third of the oven.
- Meanwhile, slice your vegetables (see Note 1).
- Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan in a single layer as much as possible.
- Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.a.
- If the quinoa is not done yet, start on the chickpeas (step 8).
- To the cooked quinoa on the other sheet pan, toss with 1 ½ tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Mix with your hands to coat.
- Spread out with as little overlap as possible.
- Roast the quinoa and veggies: Transfer the vegetables to the bottom rack and quinoa to the upper rack.
- After 15 minutes, toss the quinoa (no need to toss veggies).
- Continue baking, checking the quinoa every 5 minutes until the quinoa is crispy and golden brown in spots and the vegetables are tender and browned in spots (they both should take about 25 minutes).
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, shallot, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice, pomegranate molasses, herbs, garlic, salt, pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Toss well and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes or longer.
- Toss a few times.
- Add the roasted vegetables, toasted quinoa, and toasted nuts to the marinated chickpeas.
- Gently toss.
- Crumble in the feta if using and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Before serving, squeeze a little lemon juice on top if you have leftover lemon from the marinated chickpeas.
Plating & Serving
Not specified
Suggested Sides
Recipe Details
