Fresh tunes of Southwestern flavor Southwestern Chickpea Quinoa Salad Will bring you back for more. This chickpea quinoa salad recipe is the perfect entree or side dish for your next family gathering. Ready in 15 minutes!
Although I try to eat salads more often, I have to remind myself to eat more greens. After going plant-based, I must diversify my meal plan, including nutrient-dense green vegetables. This chickpea quinoa salad recipe takes the boring out of salad! Today, I decided to make a Southwestern Chickpea Quinoa Salad for dinner. And it was a hit!
Jump:
Not only is this salad packed with superfoods, it’s also oil-free. First, chickpeas and quinoa work wonderfully with fresh, diced vegetables. Make this salad ahead of time and it won’t get soggy.
Chickpea Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Chickpeas have a mostly neutral flavor with a mild nutty flavor. They are full of fiber, protein and minerals. They are my favorite!
- English cucumber: I leave the skin on the cucumber for the beautiful dark green color and nutrition of the skin.
- Red pepper bells: The sweetest of all bell peppers, red peppers bring another color of the rainbow to this colorful salad
- red onion: Red onion brings sweetness to the dish without an overwhelming onion presence.
- Grape tomatoes: I often use grape tomatoes because they have thick skin and they contain less water, keeping the salad from getting soggy.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley always adds freshness to a salad and enhances other salad ingredients.
- mint: When combined with parsley, mint adds a fresh element to the dish.
- Jalapeno peppers: Jalapenos, when deseeded, impart a mild spicy flavor to the dish. Be sure to wear gloves when handling, peeling, and cutting jalapeños.
- Purple Cabbage: Originally called red cabbage, this type of cabbage has an earthy, nutty flavor
- Cooked Red Quinoa: I used red quinoa (chilled before adding to the salad), which is lovely in the salad, but any quinoa works well.
Garnish (optional)
- Sliced avocado: Avocados are creamy, earthy, and delicious in this Southwestern salad.
- Microgreens: I love microgreens! I add them to salads for lots of nutrition and they add color and pizzazz to any meal.
Chickpeas replace quinoa salad ingredients
Although I chose a variety of vegetables for the Southwestern Chickpea Quinoa Salad, you can add or delete any you don’t like. I love the texture of chickpeas with crunchy cucumber, red chilies and tomatoes.
- Try white beans instead of chickpeas.
- Persian cucumbers are similar to English ones in that both have fewer seeds than regular ones. If you have regular cucumbers, remove the seeds to prevent a soggy salad.
- Baby bell peppers vary in color and taste similar to red bell peppers.
- Try using white or yellow onions instead of red onions. Or, for a milder onion flavor, use green onions.
- Cherry tomatoes are similar in taste and size to grape tomatoes.
- If you don’t care for parsley, try basil instead.
- Serrano peppers taste similar to jalapenos. If you don’t like spicy, skip this ingredient.
- Use napa cabbage or white cabbage instead of red cabbage.
- Any color of quinoa works well. Or try farro, barley or bulgur.
Southwest Cumin Dressing Ingredients
For example, oil-free dressing is very easy to make. Despite the myth that oil is essential to the diet, oil is simply fat, which is not essential. Instead, combining healthy, fresh ingredients makes an easy, fresh dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar The dressing provides a sweet but tangy element.
- garlic: Garlic moderates the bite of vinegar and adds a deep flavor to salad dressings.
- lemon: I like fresh lemon juice. It perks up veggies, makes roasted veggies more exciting, adds life to grain bowls, and more.
- Pure maple syrup or date syrup: Maple syrup adds sweetness and reduces the taste of vinegar. It acts as a balancing agent in the dressing.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon is my favorite type of mustard to cook with. It is tangy and sharp and adds depth to a dressing.
- garlic powder: A dried version of fresh garlic, garlic powder adds mildness and texture as well as added flavor to dressings.
- cumin: Rich and sincere, earthy and warm, with an edge of citrus. Cumin adds instant depth to any dish. Use ground cumin instead of whole cumin in recipes where you want the flavor to spread evenly.
- salt: I always add a little salt for taste, but add as much as you like.
- pepper: Pepper adds an extra depth of flavor. Again, add taste preferences.
Substitute Southwest Cumin Dressing
- Use white wine or champagne vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar in the dressing.
- Great substitute for cumin in coriander or garam masala recipes. But keep in mind that both spices are a little strong in taste, so half the recommended amount.
- Stone ground mustard is a great alternative to Dijon mustard in a pinch.
- Agave is another sweetener if you don’t have maple or date syrup.
Once all the ingredients are tossed together in a large bowl, prepare the Southwestern Chickpea Quinoa Salad ahead of time. The earlier the salad is dressed, the more flavor the parsley and quinoa absorb. And it’s fresh and flavorful all week long for leftovers.
If you haven’t noticed, I always make an extra salad, so we eat it for lunch the next day. Or I prepare lots of quinoa for another recipe during the week.
Not only does this help with meal prep, but it forces me to use up all of my leftovers.
Another Southwestern chickpea quinoa salad bonus is how cool and fresh it is. Although I’m serving it for dinner tonight, it travels well for lunch.
Recipe FAQs
Chickpea salad lasts 5-6 days covered in the refrigerator. I make a big batch and eat it throughout the week.
Definitely! Salads are best when the dressing is marinated with all the ingredients. So stay calm! It only enhances the taste.
Yes. Add the avocado and microgreens just before serving so the avocado doesn’t brown and the microgreens don’t dry out.
advice
- When working with jalapeños, always wear gloves to prevent the transfer of burns from your hands to your eyes and other parts of your body. I recommend using gloves when handling, cutting and removing the seeds from jalapeños.
- Quinoa is very easy to cook. If you’re struggling, follow these steps to make cooking easier and less stressful.
- I used red quinoa because of its beautiful color, but any quinoa works well with this recipe.
- Using a vegetable chopper Cuts meal prep time in half. Consider getting one to save yourself some time in the kitchen.
I challenge you to eat a different salad every day for your overall health and wellness. And this chickpea quinoa salad is a great place to start! Let’s stay healthy for a better life.
Other vegan salad recipes to try!
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Quinoa Salad
The fresh tones of Southwestern flavors in Southwestern Chickpea Quinoa Southwestern Salad will keep you coming back for more. This salad is oil-free and delicious; This salad is the perfect entree or side dish for your next family gathering.
instructions
salad
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In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients.
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Do not add the quinoa until it has cooled.
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Toss to combine.
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Add dressing; Toss the coat again.
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Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Add avocado for garnish (optional)
Comment
- Make the salad ahead of time, so the ingredients grow over time in the refrigerator.
- Avoid adding avocado or microgreens until ready to serve, this way the avocado won’t brown and the microgreens will remain vibrant.
- If you need help cooking quinoa, check out this fool-proof way to cook quinoa every time.
- Make sure the quinoa is completely cooled before making the salad. After cooking, refrigerate it for faster cooling.
- If using dry chickpeas instead of tinned ones, soak them overnight for best cooking results.
- I make a double batch of this salad and it lasts all week.
nutrition
Calories: 250kcalSugars: 72gProtein: 20gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gSodium: 448mgPotassium: 1258mgFiber: 21gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1401IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 7mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegetarian and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂