My Go-To Quinoa Salad
To try
Servings: 6 · $3/serving · Active: 20 min · Total: 35 min ·
candidateto-tryeasyvegetarianleftoversno-cook-ish
My Go-To Quinoa Salad
Notes
- Added as a to-try option because it is a flexible grain salad with chickpeas, vegetable overlap, and good chilled-leftover potential.
- Imported from structured recipe metadata on 2026-07-30T09:02:26-04:00.
- Image saved locally at
/images/my-go-to-quinoa-salad.jpg.
Ingredients
| Quantity | Unit | Item | Section | Pantry? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | cup | uncooked quinoa (rinsed and drained) | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no |
| 1 | (15-ounce) can chickpeas (rinsed and drained) | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no | |
| 1 | red bell pepper (diced) | Baking/flour/cake mixes/sweeteners/spices/oils/canned fruit/baking nuts | yes | |
| 4 | mini cucumbers (diced) | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no | |
| 1 | pint cherry tomatoes (halved) | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no | |
| 1 | cup | loosely-packed fresh mint leaves (chopped) | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no |
| 1/2 | cup | finely-diced red onion | Produce | no |
| 4 | ounces | crumbled feta cheese (optional) | Cheese Products | no |
| 1/4 | cup | extra-virgin olive oil | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | yes |
| 3 | tablespoons | freshly-squeezed lemon juice | Wine and beverages | no |
| 1 | tablespoon | ground sumac | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no |
| 1 | teaspoon | Dijon mustard | Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs | no |
| 1 | garlic clove (grated or pressed) | Produce | no | |
| 1 | teaspoon | fine sea salt | Baking/flour/cake mixes/sweeteners/spices/oils/canned fruit/baking nuts | yes |
| lots of freshly-ground black pepper | Baking/flour/cake mixes/sweeteners/spices/oils/canned fruit/baking nuts | yes |
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork, then spread it out on a baking sheet or large plate to cool until no longer steaming.
- Make the dressing. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, Dijon, garlic, sea salt and lots of black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
- Toss the quinoa. Transfer the cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and toss until evenly combined.
- Combine. Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, red onion and feta. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and gently toss until evenly combined.
- Season. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and/or sumac if needed.
- Serve. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Enjoy!!
Meal-prep notes
- Leftover quality: TBD.
- Reheating: TBD.
- Good pairings: TBD.
- Prep ahead: TBD.