Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
This fresh, herbed quinoa and chickpea salad makes a satisfying lunch. It's also a great side dish for holidays and potlucks. Gluten free and easily vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Last Thursday turned into a fiasco. I woke up and started powering through my to-do list, for once. Emails? Check. Laundry? Check. Groceries? Check. High five, self!
Then my landlord came over to work on some things. As I was talking to him and trying to clean off the counters, Cookie leapt up in a truly impressive feat and swiped a hunk of dark chocolate cake off the counter. She gobbled it down before I could stop her. I tried the hydrogen peroxide thing, but it wasn’t enough, so we zoomed over to the vet.
My Cookie girl spent the afternoon behind closed doors, and we went back the next afternoon, too. We’ve both been moving a little slow since then. She’s generally such an exuberant force, and she’s recovered about ninety percent now. It’s cute when she grabs cabbage from the counter, but chocolate, not so much (I’m careful, too).
I finalized these salad details while she was away, and it was a relief to come home to a healthy dinner after a stressful day. Quinoa salads can be both super nutritious and delicious, and this one is definitely both.
In addition to quinoa (which is cooked to fluffy perfection using my preferred method), I added chickpeas, which are rich in fiber, protein and nutrients like manganeses and folate (source). I added loads of fresh flavor to the quinoa-chickpea base with spinach, parsley, cilantro and green onion.
The salad wasn’t quite awesome enough until I added freshly toasted pepitas and some creamy, crumbled feta cheese (which could be replaced by sliced Kalamata olives, if you’d rather). Then I poured in a zippy, garlicky, lemony dressing made lightly creamy with some tahini. This salad would be a great packed lunch, and it would also be a lovely vegetarian (easily vegan) addition to your holiday table.
This is my last post created to celebrate the United Nation’s International Year of Pulses. “Pulse” is the more general name for beans, lentils and peas (a few of my favorite ingredients). For more information about the benefits of pulses, and to join me in committing to eat one serving of pulses every week, visit PulsePledge.com. To see my other recipes, check out my Greek lentil salad, fresh seven-layer dip and broccoli, chickpea and avocado chickpea pita sandwiches.
Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa
Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
This fresh, herbed quinoa and chickpea salad makes a satisfying lunch. It’s also a great side dish for holidays and potlucks. Recipe yields 2 large, meal-sized portions or 4 side salads (you could easily double or triple this recipe).
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup 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 ½ cups roughly chopped baby spinach
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or additional parsley)
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion (green parts only)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- ⅓ cup toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
Lemon-tahini dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 large clove 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 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, which gives it time to fluff up.
- Meanwhile, toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a large serving bowl to cool for a few minutes (we’ll add more to the bowl in a minute).
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt and several twists of freshly ground pepper. Taste, and add up to 1 more tablespoon of lemon juice and/or more pepper, if necessary (I like my dressing pretty zippy for this salad, so I used the full 4 tablespoons).
- Once the quinoa is ready to use, add it to the large bowl. Add the chickpeas, spinach, parsley, cilantro, green onion, feta and toasted pepitas. Drizzle all of the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or let it cool and refrigerate for later. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might like to add some thinly sliced Kalamata olives to make up for it.
Change it up: You could add shredded carrots and/or top with diced avocado.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my Greek Lentil Salad and Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post was created in partnership with USA Pulses and Pulses Canada. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
This was a massive hit! I made 1.5 times the recipe to have left-overs for lunch. Then this weekend I made a Xmas version, using goji berries (these I tossed into the quinoa whilst it was doing that last-minute steaming business & had the added advantage of sucking up any of that left-over water), toasted macadamia nuts and a blackberry balsamic vinegar dressing. I used chopped kale instead of parsley. Vegan and totally divine, and very colourful.
My neighbor brought this salad to our Christmas party in the ‘hood. I loved it and am making it for my work team’s celebration lunch tomorrow. I was surprised that you suggested it could be completed, dressing and all and hold to serve another day! Hope that works!
Delicious! I had to use peanut butter instead of tahini because none of the stores open around me carried it, but this salad is still great.
Kate,
This salad is so good. I made it for my husband and he ate half the bowl in one sitting. Made it again for dinner at my sister’s and they loved it. It was requested for Christmas dinner. My nephew’s wife is vegan, so we will serve the feta on the side. I already printed up several copies of the recipe because I know everyone will ask for it. Thanks for such a yummy recipe, and easy and nutritious!
Loved this. Served it as a side with pan-fried fish and the combo was perfection. Served it as a side of a roasted potato & broccoli mixture and that was scrumptious as well. Nom!
This salad is so good, definitely one of the best I’ve had or made in a long time. It’s the perfect post-workout meal for a vegetarian because it is packed with protein and greens! And the dressing is delicious!
Based on the contents of our fridge/pantry, we had a salad of quinoa, arugula, chickpeas, parsley and pine nuts with the tahini dressing as written. It was really wonderful and satisfying! Look forward to trying the “correct” version.
Hi Kate! I found myself looking for a healthy way to eat some quinoa and I knew I could find something on your site. This salad was so yummy! I love tahini and have been wondering how I could use it as a dressing–this was the perfect recipe. I almost went without the pepitas but I’m glad I decided to add them because they bring a nice texture variation. But I bet you already knew that ;) Thanks for this great salad recipe made with mostly household staples. I’ll totally be making this again!
This makes me happy, Melanie! And yes, the pepitas give a much-needed crunch :)
I keep coming back to your recipes and each time, I am not let down with the quality and taste. This quinoa chickpea salad has a beautiful creaminess that I pairs so well with the chickpeas. Just one modification I added was some sweet peppers I diced up to add more color and a bright, juicy crunch that offsets the creaminess going on. I’m withholding the feta cheese because it just doesn’t even need it, and makes it that much easier with a lactose intolerant family member :)
Your version sounds awesome, Grace. Glad it worked out for everyone’s needs.
Amazing! So flavorful! Thank you
You’re welcome, Marie-Charlotte!
YUM! I made this for a potluck and it was a huge hit. I added about double the amount of lemon to the dressing. I also don’t like cilantro, so I used parsley instead. This is a great side dish. Thank you so so much!
Wonderful Recipie. I am gonna try tomorrow for sure. Already preparing my grocery list now
Can I ask how much calorie 1 bowl of salad could be ?
Thanks,
Hi, Riddhi. Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. Thanks!
I loved this salad! I added the entire 1/4 cup of lemon juice plus the juice of another lemon — I like it tangy. The feta was a nice addition. I didn’t have any pipitas on hand, but will definitely try it with the roasted pipitas the next time.
Sounds extra-tangy, Ginger. Thanks!
This salad is absolutely delicious! Being vegan, I substituted Kalamata olives for feta cheese (as Kate suggested). Also, I chopped and added a leftover tomato that really needed to be used up. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. This is just the thing for a spring day in sunny, warm Phoenix. Thanks so much for this one, Kate. It’s a huge hit at our house.
Oh, I’m already feeling jealous of that sunshine, Jonny! So happy everyone loves the salad. Enjoy your warm days!
Wow! This might be my new favorite recipe. I’m new to your blog and this is the second recipe I have tried – both have been amazing! Looking forward to your cookbook release in May. Congrats!
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad you found my blog.
Hi Kate. I was just wondering if I plan to make the salad ahead of time, would you recommend storing the salad and dressing separately? Many thanks in advance.
Absolutely! That’s always good practice to keep things from getting wilted or soggy.
This recipe is the third recipe of yours I’ve tried, and like the other two, it’s super delicious!
Yes! Three out of three! I hope I can keep up the winning streak. :)
I just made this salad with the toasted sesame oil substitution for tahini (couldn’t find it at the store and didn’t feel like making another stop on my errands yesterday). It’s three days of lunch for me and it’s delicious. I’ve been trying to do salads for lunches lately to save money and eat better, and this one and the Mexican-ish kale & quinoa salad have been staples for me. I love adding the grain to the salad to make it heartier and more of a complete meal.
I’m so glad this one fit the bill, Allison! Thanks.
I made this at college last semester for a thanskgiving potluck among volunteer farmers on the student farm. Everyone loved it, me among the everyone, so thank you for this recipe!
I have just made it again–I added peas and broccoli, and used argula and walnuts instead of pepitas and spinach. (I think I added brocoli and peas the first time too–I always add more vegetables)
:D
Yes! The more veggies, the better. I’m always an advocate for that. I’m so glad you and your friends enjoyed it!
I make this almost every weekend to take with me to work for lunch during the week. I have celiac disease so I’m always looking for new GF recipes. This is so delicious. I use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds and also add pomegranate craisins. Divine! Thank you for sharing!
Yum! Those craisins sound sweet and delicious, Mandy. I’ll have to try that.
simple and oh so tasty!
Thank you, Beckie!
Made this last night,excellent!Taking some with me for today’s lunch.I did add a few chopped kalamata olives and I used red quinoa.
Yum! Sounds delicious, Mary.
This is my new favorite summer salad! I love the herbs (especially cilantro) and the bite of the pumpkin seeds. It tastes so fresh!
Thanks, Meghan!
Made this for the first time last week for a cookout and everyone was raving and taking seconds! Major winner! Added a little sriracha and honey to the dressing for a little extra something :) and sun dried tomatoes!
Sounds kicky and delicious, Sarah! I’m so glad everyone loved this.
Just made this for my work lunches this week and had enough for my lunch today as well (I doubled the recipe). My husband reluctantly tried a bite and then was surprised at how tasty the salad was! And he served himself some salad as well! Next time, I think I’ll try adding some craisins and leaving out the feta. We love the dressing! We are not vegetarian, but I’m desperately trying to add more vegetables / beans / nuts & seeds to my diet and this was perfect.
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try another salad recipe next weekend.
Hey, Kristen! Thanks. I’m glad both of you were pleasantly surprised!
I plan on using this as a side dish to my lunch meals. This should last 3 days. Just wondering if i should leave the dressing off until i am ready to eat the meal. I don’t want it to become soggy.
Hi, Katie. I think it’s a good idea to keep the salad dressing separate, and then dress it right before eating. I hope this works out!
Any idea of calorie count?
Hi, Robbin! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
This is epic. So so good.
YES! Thanks, Max.
I made this for my lunch for the week. I roasted my canned chickpeas with cayenne, oregano, salt & pepper. I also added some cucumbers and tomatoes to make it a meal. Turned out really good!!
Yum! Thanks, Zo!
Made this to bring to work for lunch this week. Very tasty. Bought your cookbook, too, without even checking it out of the library first as a test run. Everything I’ve tried from your blog has been delicious and my idea of healthy, so I decided to add it to my cart for free shipping. So far, it’s looking like a very good impulse buy.
I made this last night and it turned out great! Definitely one of my new faves. I did toss my chickpeas in a skillet with a little olive oil and spices, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. I think it will be even better today:) Any salad that combines chickpeas AND cilantro has to be great…right? Thanks for sharing!
Sometimes the second day is the best day! All the the flavors marinate. Yes! Thank you, Cass.
I want to make the vegan version without feta, but I’m not a fan of olives either. I’m thinking 1 T. capers might be a comparable swap? Or maybe some chopped or thinly sliced roasted red peppers, though those wouldn’t give the same salty profile of feta, olives, or capers. I’d like to make this for a potluck at work, and I want there to be at least one dish there (mine) that I will be able to eat. :)
Hi Lori – Capers are a great substitute if you aren’t a fan of olives! Let me know what you think.
I took this to our Christmas potluck at work last week, and I got several compliments on it. I also referred your website to three people that wanted the recipe. I chose to use all parsley instead of using cilantro. I used about 1 tablespoon capers and roughly chopped them. It was so delicious, and I was glad that there was some leftover to bring back home for lunches! I’m saving this recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Hi Kate,
This recipe was delicious and very satisfying. I made a few substitutions. I subbed fresh sorrel greens from my CSA box for spinach, chives for green onions, all cilantro instead of parsley, and red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. I am vegan and I took your suggestion of adding thinly sliced olives (I used green ones).
Thank you!
Those sound like great substitutions, Laura. Thank you for your review!
Another amazing recipe from CookieandKate! My wife and I finished every last drop of this salad, even though I had planned on leftovers and she asked “can we have this dressing on everything?!!
So satisfying and delicious! Thank you!
Thank you, Nicole! So happy to hear that. I really appreciate your comment and review.
I was looking for something quick and healthy to make for work last week. I had all the ingredients on hand, so I pulled this together rather quick. The team loved it! I had two people ask if they can take the leftovers home.
I love when I have all the ingredients on hand! Thanks for sharing and for your review, Cindy. I’m glad it was a hit.
Just made this for my lunch this week and it’s delicious! Easy to make and tastes so fresh and delicious!
Happy you think so, Anna! I appreciate the comment and review.
Hi there! Can I make this ahead by just a night?
Sure! This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
I love this salad! I serve it with a sliced hard-boiled egg on top. Its healthy and full of vegetarian protein. I make it regularly. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Amorell!
I cooked some quinoa but only put some pomegranite seeds in it and it tasted quite refreshing and simple
Thanks for sharing, Maria!
I simply love all that you post. Especially the prep videos! Love your Cookie I have a Ziggy like your fur baby. Please keep up the research on new dishes. I tried the pesto with spinach and almonds because basil doesn’t like me. You expanded my interests. I had gotten my first exposure on PBS the French chef on pesto exchanges. I want to try pumpkin seeds and other greens. Thank you Teresa
I so happy to hear that! I love the video myself, but glad you think they are helpful. Thanks so much for your comment.
Yum, loved this recipe and there was enough left over for lunch. I added some raw red capsicum and baby tomatoes. Hm Hmmm! Love your recipes.
Janelle, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia xx
Thanks for sharing, Janelle!
Thank you for yet another amazing recipe. I made this last night: added a carrot and a red bell pepper and absolutely loved it!
Loved this recipe!!! Made extra dressing and couldn’t find tahini so I substituted with sunflower butter plus a bit of sesame oil and it was still delicious!!!
Sounds like a great alternative! Thanks for sharing, Alisa.
I’ve been trying to be healthier and better at meal prepping instead of eating out. Whenever I look for new recipes, I keep coming back to yours! Easy to make and simple with wholesome ingredients!! Thank you! I just made this today to have lunch throughout the week, and I’m thawing some of the spicy black bean soup (your recipe too) that I froze to have for dinner throughout the week. Thank you for sharing your creations! Delicious!
That sounds like a delicious combination, Sarah!
This is delicious! Pretty simple to make, the tahini lemon dressing is awesome! I love your site Kate, I feel like it’s the jackpot for healthy vegetarian recipes :) Your recipes are easy to follow and your tips are always helpful. Definitely my go-to, I’ve never been disappointed, thank you!
I’m excited you like the dressing! Thanks for your review, Kelly.
Really yummy and easy salad! I omitted the feta and added 2 shredded carrots and some sliced red grapes for sweet, tart bursts throughout. I thought the grapes complimented the other textures and flavours nicely.
Thank you for your review! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Sunita.
Just made this and it’s outstanding! I used sunflower seeds instead of pepitas (because I’m cheap, haha!), but it was still amazing! 5 stars!
I’m glad you loved it! Sunflower seeds add a nice crunch, too.
I stumbled across this recipe from another site, and just made it, and it is straight fire. I made enough for a few meals and it’s absolutely perfect for a protein filled salad with lots of flavor.
Thank you for your review, Maxwell!
So delicious! A hearty salad and the dressing was flavorful but not overwhelming. I added extra spinach for more green. Will definitely make again.
Great to hear, Leslie!
My absolute favourite salad and always adored by those who I serve it to. Yum!!
Thank you for sharing, Jaimie!