Do you have to rinse quinoa before using?

Short answer: no, not usually. Long answer: quinoa has a bitter natural coating (saponin) that needs to be rinsed in order to remove, otherwise your quinoa will taste a bit off. That being said, almost every brand of quinoa on the market pre-rinses the grain before packaging, so it's not necessary for you to rinse again at home. If you're not sure about the source (for example, if you buy quinoa in bulk), go ahead and give it a quick rinse just to be safe.

What other vegetables can you add to quinoa chickpea salad?

There are so many options – this salad tastes great with just about any fresh veggies! We love adding finely chopped broccoli, red onion, olives, sautéed zucchini and diced avocado.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Vegan)

Name: Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup yellow onion, diced (1 small onion); 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced (2 cloves); 1 cup finely chopped spinach; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cup cucumber, finely diced; 3/4 cup grated carrot; 3/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper); 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 14.5 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well; 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan (or regular); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard; 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or agave); 1 tsp fine grain kosher salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Description

This Quinoa Chickpea Salad is packed with fresh vegetables and a flavorful whole grain mustard and balsamic vinaigrette! It's vegan, gluten free, perfect for meal prep and so quick and easy to make in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad:

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, diced (1 small onion)
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced (2 cloves)
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, finely diced
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 14.5 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan (or regular)

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or agave)
1 tsp fine grain kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

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Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions and add 1/2 tsp of salt to the water.
While quinoa is cooking, add olive oil to a small skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, until softened and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Once the quinoa is done cooking, transfer to a bowl to cool slightly (you can place in the fridge or freezer to speed this up).
Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
Prep the spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, pepper and parsley.
Add all ingredients (cooked quinoa, onions/garlic, vegetables, parmesan) to a large mixing bowl and toss well with the vinaigrette.
Optional: refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour before serving (or enjoy right away!).

Notes

Refrigerate for an hour before serving: this isn't required, but encouraged. After you toss everything together, give the quinoa chickpea salad an hour or so to soak up all of the flavor from the vinaigrette. The salad will be more flavorful, and it tastes better chilled. If you don't have time, no worries!

Quinoa: we use basic white quinoa in this recipe, which is typically easiest to find in most grocery stores. You can also sub with tricolor or red quinoa, which taste very similar.

Spinach: you can also sub with another leafy green, like baby kale, arugula, microgreens, pea shoots, etc. Since it's not being cooked down, we like to chop ours finely before adding to the salad so you don't end up with any huge pieces of spinach.

Whole grain dijon mustard: we LOVE the intense flavor and texture of whole grain mustard in this vinaigrette. If you'd prefer, you can sub with an equal amount of regular dijon mustard.

Storage: this salad stores really well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It's perfect for meal prep and you can make several days before serving!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Salads
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 337
Sugar: 4.7 g
Sodium: 660.4 mg
Fat: 16.9 g
Carbohydrates: 38.7 g
Fiber: 6.7 g
Protein: 9.7 g