Description
A refreshing yet hearty salad featuring crispy quinoa, juicy cucumber, creamy chickpeas, and a dreamy tahini balsamic dressing. Perfect for lunch, meal prep, or a crowd-pleasing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2–3 tablespoons water (to thin dressing)
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat for crisping the quinoa.
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Add to a saucepan with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Let it cool slightly.
- In the skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the cooled quinoa. Spread evenly and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, then stir and crisp for another 4–5 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and crispy quinoa.
- Whisk all dressing ingredients in a bowl or shake in a jar until creamy. Adjust water for desired consistency.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
- Let sit for 10 minutes to marinate before serving.
Notes
- Use day-old quinoa for best crisping results.
- Let the salad sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- For extra crunch, add toasted seeds or nuts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg