This Greek-Style Chickpea and Quinoa Salad is the perfect summer potluck dish. You can make it ahead of time, and the flavor gets better with time.
Alright, here's another use-up-the-veggies-before-the-next-CSA-delivery recipe. Truth is, I created the recipe for this Greek-Style Chickpea and Quinoa Salad 3 or 4 years ago now, and it's been a regular summer staple.
Of course, you can make it any time of the year, but I especially appreciate no-cook recipes when the house is 30°C in the summer.
Since I've started making it, I've brought this chickpea salad to countless potlucks, and it's always a hit. When my mom texted a couple of weeks ago to ask what she should bring to a party, this is the recipe I gave her.
It's great because people on many special diets can enjoy it: it's vegetarian, gluten-free, doesn't have any major allergens, and tasty enough that meat-lovers will love it too!
Now after making my chickpea salad this go-around, my produce drawers are almost empty. Most of these veggies didn't come from my CSA. I failed to check the CSA's schedule and stocked up on piles of produce only a day before my CSA started.
But all I have left now is some oregano that I'll dry, and a seemingly never-ending pile of green onions which I plan to chop up and use to fill my freezer with my beloved Green Onion Cakes.
How to make Greek-Style Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
Now about the delicious chickpea salad: since this recipe doesn't need to be cooked, chopping is the extent of the work you will be doing. You will need to chop up a cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, kalamata olives, and herbs. The goal is to get the veggies roughly the same size as the chickpeas.
Ideally, the quinoa in the recipe will be leftover from last night's dinner. If you don't have any hanging around in your fridge, make sure you start cooking it ahead of time to give it a chance to cool. Drain and rinse some canned chickpeas, and crumble up some Feta.
The salad is dressed in a simple combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar, seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, chili flakes, and additional dried herbs if you prefer.
Since this salad has veggies, beans (in the form of chickpeas), quinoa and cheese, it is a complete meal in a bowl and doesn't need anything else.
But the nice thing about this salad is that it's versatile in how it can be served. I most commonly eat it how it is straight out of a bowl. If I have leafy greens hanging around, I'll serve it on top of them (my favorite is baby spinach). Or if I have leftover pitas or tortillas, I will make wraps with them.
Want more chickpea recipes?
Greek-Style Chickpea and Quinoa Salad Nutrition Notes:
This chickpea and quinoa salad recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian as written. To make it vegan and/or dairy-free, simply omit the Feta.
Greek Style Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz cans chickpeas or garbanzo beans rinsed and drained, or a 28oz can if available
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (see note)
- 1 medium cucumber diced (see note)
- 1 small red onion minced
- 1 medium bell pepper stemmed, seeded and diced, color of your choice
- 2 medium tomatoes cored, seeded and diced
- ½ cup kalamata olives coarsely chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh mint (optional)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Can be served immediately, but it tastes best if it sits in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
If using a garden cucumber (as opposed to and English cuc), peel then cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon.
Nutrition
Nat says
This was so yummy! The chickpea quinoa salad I normally make involves quite a bit of cooking (roasted sweet potatoes). This was a hit, my toddler loved it, and will be made again!
Carissa says
I'm glad you liked it! It's certainly on the regular rotation at our house.