Quinoa Power Protein Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa combined with chickpeas, roasted vegetables, and tangy tahini-lemon dressing for a light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 zucchini, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Tahini-Lemon Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - Juice of 1 large lemon
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin as needed
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and caramelized.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add water one tablespoon at a time until smooth and pourable.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, chickpeas, roasted vegetables, and spinach. Drizzle dressing over and toss gently to combine.
06 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed to balance flavors.
07 - Serve salad topped with chopped fresh herbs and toasted seeds if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can eat an entire bowl and actually feel satisfied, thanks to the chickpeas and quinoa doing real work in your belly.
  • It tastes better on day two after the flavors have gotten friendly with each other overnight.
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy you won't miss anything heavier, and it's way faster than you'd think to whisk together.
02 -
  • Rinsing the quinoa takes thirty seconds and makes the difference between grainy and fluffy; skip it and you'll taste the bitter coating no matter what else you do.
  • The tahini dressing gets thicker as it sits and the quinoa absorbs liquid, so make it looser than you think you want it right before serving.
  • Don't skip the roasting step for the vegetables—it's what makes this salad taste intentional instead of like you threw raw vegetables on grain and called it lunch.
03 -
  • Make the dressing first and let it sit while you prep everything else—the flavors meld and become more sophisticated, and you can adjust the consistency right before serving.
  • If you're cooking this for someone else, they'll be impressed if you toast your own seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before sprinkling them on; store-bought toasted ones are fine, but fresh-toasted tastes noticeably better.
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