Favorite Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Introducing my favorite quinoa salad! I’ve published more than a few quinoa salads over the years and I genuinely love all of them, but this recipe is officially my favorite.
This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp and delicious. It’s made simply with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing. The salad sort of reminds me of tabouleh, an herbed Lebanese salad with tomatoes and bulgur.
The Best Quinoa Salad
Three reasons to love this recipe:
- This quinoa salad recipe is also very easy to toss together, especially if you use leftover quinoa (see recipe note). The recipe uses my preferred quinoa cooking method, which yields fluffy quinoa every time.
- This salad packs great for lunch, picnics, road trips and plane rides.
- Bring this allergy-friendly salad along to your next potluck—it’s vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free, for all to enjoy.
This recipe doesn’t taste “basic,” but it has a lot of merits that make it a staple recipe in my kitchen. I hope it becomes your go-to quinoa salad recipe, too! Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments.
Watch How to Make Quinoa Salad
My summer has been punctuated by fun, casual get-togethers with friends. Spontaneous afternoons at the pool, walks around the park, and potlucks—yes to all of the above. It’s nice to have supplies at the ready. My pool bag is packed with magazines and sunscreen, and my fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thank you, Bota Box!).
The “Bota Mini” size is super portable and easy to grab for an evening picnic at the park. The small boxes are convenient because you don’t have to remember to bring a bottle opener, and the empty boxes are lightweight and recyclable. Each 500 mL mini contains three glasses of wine, or just over half of a standard wine bottle. I recommend pairing their light, crisp Sauvignon blanc with this refreshing summer salad.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this quinoa salad becomes your favorite, too.
Craving more fresh and delicious salads? Here are a few more:
- Quinoa Broccoli Slaw
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Quinoa and Spinach Salad
- Mexican(ish) Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Herbed Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
Favorite Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)
- 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
- Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe inspired by the outrageous herbaceous chickpea salad in my cookbook (page 71) and my quinoa tabbouli.
*Quinoa note: If you happen to have 3 cups of leftover cooked quinoa, you can use it instead of cooking more.
Change it up: This salad is awesome as written. You can serve it on fresh greens with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice for dressing. Feel free to top it with crumbled feta cheese or a dollop of cashew sour cream (recipe in my cookbook, page 217).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post was sponsored by Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
The best dressing I ever made. Thank you!
Wow!!! I’ve cooked many quinoa salads too over the years but this is seriously delicious and SO easy and adaptable – so many possible variations (pomegranate seeds, toasted pine nuts, fresh mint etc etc). Great method to cook it too. Was 100% perfect and now my new fav quinoa salad.
Best quinoa recipe!
Made this today and it was really tasty it turned out perfectly! I’m glad I found the tip about simmering it with the cover off thank you! Planning on making it again during summer!
Susan from Snellville Ga
Can I used rice wine vinegar or even white vinegar in the dressing? I also wonder if I can add sweet potato as I just roasted some last night and would like to use it up. I can’t add a few of the ingredients as I do not have them on hand and hope that it still turns out well. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will keep you posted with my results following your reply.
Hi! I would suggest white instead of rice. Sweet potato might be interesting, but worth trying!
I enjoy the freshness of this salad, and the vinaigrette heightens the flavors. It is a staple for me. I’d have to say learning to cook your recipes has helped me solidify healthy eating habits and transition happily AND tastefully into whole foods. Thanks so much Kate. I really appreciate your blog.
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! I love the simple ingredients and it came together so easily. I had some with feta and some without and it’s fantastic either way. I can see why it’s a favorite:) Next time I’ll be making a double batch. Thanks for another great recipe!
Delicious! My family who do not love quinoa ate it up!
Winning! Thank you for sharing, Ellen.
Love this salad ! I added some chopped kale to avoid it going bad and it was awesome . I encourage you all reading this to try it. It’s healthy and delicious :)
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly with no modifications, perfect blend of herbs, veggies and flavorings. I for sure will be making it again in the near future. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Isabelle!
Just made this. I live how tangy it is! I added a few raisins and a spring onions instead of red.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I just found for my particular taste it was a little bitter so I added 2 tbs of sugar.
Is it 205 calories for the whole salad?
How can 1 cup of quinoa serve 8 people?
Hi TJ! This is a side salad, so smaller portion. One cup dried cooks up to be quite a lot, plus adding in the other vegetables. I hope this helps!
Good simple recipe – many thanks. I would suggest some value additions as below:
1. omit the garlic as onions are already in the mix.
2. add either a finely cut green apple or pineapple to balance the taste.
3. the salad tastes better when served cold. Suggest keep in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
In love with this recipe. So simple, fresh and tasty. it became one of my favourite salads recipes <3
Recipe looks delicious, and I’m making it as a side for dinner tonight. Can I put Realemon juice in instead of fresh lemons?
Sure! How did it turnout?
This is delicious! And your method of cooking the quinoa is SO much better than the typical way.
Another Cookie and Kate recipe I loved! When I make quinoa, I use vegetable broth instead of water–the only change I made!
Love to hear that, Sarah! Thank you for your comment.
Loved your recipe! Thanks so much.Tomatoes are in season, so I added some fresh tomatoes and some sun dried tomatoes. Yum!
Made this today! Very good and couldn’t be easier! Thanks for sharing.
I made this for a small event I attended and it was a hit!!!!!The ladies loved it …. just the right amount of ingredients they said! I followed the exact recipe!!! And the best part is that I have some leftovers for a few days!!!
I love this recipe and many thanks for showing me a successful way of cooking quinoa!
I made this quinoa salad, I did a yellow bell pepper and a red bell pepper instead of just a red bell pepper, and I tripled the recipe, it was wonderful! Kept it in the fridge and ate it for five days. It was colorful and very appealing. All of my children loved it and there’s five of them. I also cooked the quinoa and chicken broth instead of water.
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy you enjoyed it with your changes, Margaret.
This is one of my favorite recipes – the dressing and the fresh ingredients make it work really well. A smaller portion is also filling. One of my go-tos for meals each week. Sometimes I will add some shredded chicken along with it.
hi i’m 14 and made this for my family and we usually don’t eat healthy foods like this but they all loved it! even my brother who’s the pickiest person ever. it makes a perfect side to a good dinner. we also added chicken one time we made it and it was also good. ty for the great recipe!! 64710/10.
I made this recipe last night and it was super delicious!!! I’m planning on adding some tomatoes, olives, oregano, and feta to it today to make it a little greek-y to change it up for today’s dinner. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe, Kate! I will definitely be making this again!
I love the sound of that combination! I’m all about that combination. Let me know how it turns out for you, K!
Made this salad last week as I had all the ingredients in the cupboard and it’s one of the tastiest ones I’ve made plus it’s very easy to throw together.
In fact it’s so lovely, I’m making it again today for this weeks lunch, yum.
Thank you :)
I modified it a bit, but the original principle still remains. A simple and healthy recipe. Really good.
Thank you for your review, Maximus!
Very good recipe! Thank you for sharing it. We didn’t have all the ingredients your recipe calls for and we didn’t want to wait till our next strip to the store. So we use our already cooked mixture: quinoa and steel cut oats (our kind of cereal), balsamic vinegar. Turned out pretty good. We’ll try again when we get the missing ingredients.
I’m glad you were able to make it with what you had on hand and enjoy it! I appreciate your review, Thuy.
I LOVED this recipe!! I added honey to my dressing and it added a nice little sweetness. I also cooked my garlic for 2 minutes in olive oil because raw garlic is a no-no in my family. However, this is so simple and amazing for a family event!!
Wow! This salad is superb. I’ve tried to concoct a quinoa salad before with, at best, lackluster results. Eating healthy never tasted better!!!
This will be my go to for summer salads. Thanks!
I’m happy to hear that, Beth! Thank you for sharing.
Hi,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe. I have made it over and over and it’s so healthy, fresh and filling. I feel better about myself after eating such a fiber nutrient dense meal. Thank you for sharing on the internet.
Delicious!!! Made it exactly as written, it was a huge hit and will definitely be on repeat all summer!
Made this for a party and was such a hit. Had several people tell me it was delicious and had someone ask if I could bring it to the next party we are going to.
That’s great, Katie! Thank you for sharing.
I don’t have fresh lemons, but I do have lemon juice. Is that okay to use? Thanks!
Hi Katie! I like fresh lemons, but you can use lemon juice.
This sounds really good, except for the chickpeas which is one of the few foods I can’t stand. Any suggestions what I could substitute?
Hi Celia! You could simply omit or add your favorite bean instead. Let me know what you decide!
I have made this salad twice now and I just love it for summer. It is light and refreshing and easy to throw together.
This recipe was amazing! I now use this at least once a week. Thank you so much for posting this delicious salad!
DELICIOUS! Pinned and look forward to making it again.
My teenage sons already informed me they hate quinoa. But last night I served this salad (with some substitutions because I wanted to use what I had on hand) and they not only ate it enthusiastically, but took it out of the fridge to eat today for lunch. Major win! Thanks for sharing.
It seems that every time I look for a new vegetarian recipe idea, I end up using and greatly enjoying a recipe by Cookie+Kate. Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I’ve used too many to note them all here, but for the moment, this quinoa salad recipe is delicious and also very simple to make…and that’s a perfect combination. ;-)
I just glanced to see a few other recipes of yours that I’ve enjoyed and on the list is your Thai Red Curry with Vegetables and Perfect Stovetop Popcorn. Thank you for sharing!
This salad is delicious! So glad I found another use for all my quinoa. I didn’t have everything on hand so I substituted parsley for arugula (highly recommended) and balsamic for red wine vinegar like you suggested. I also didn’t have red peppers so I added a tomato because it needed a pop of color. It was amazing! The dressing is sooooo good. I could’ve eaten the whole bowl!
My 11 year old loves this!! I already had seasoned brown rice on hand so I used it in place of quinoa. Also used great norther white beans instead of chickpeas. So delicious!! Will be making this often. Thank you!
Im obsessed with your site!!! Your recipes are incredible everyone I have tried my family and I have loved! Thank you so much! We absolutely love this salad. Super easy to make and delicious
Thank you! I’m happy you are enjoying the recipes.
Just made this. I was so hungry I couldn’t wait for the quinoa to entirely cool down or let it sit for 10-15 minutes before I dug right in. Let me tell you, THIS DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!!! Absolutely amazing. I added corn from a leftover cob, chopped broccoli and some cauliflower-tasted superb. Thank you for sharing!
Love it! Thank you for sharing, Laura.
Awesome salad! I had some extra boiled potatoes and tomato so I added them along with gluten-free crisp bread.
It’s been FOREVER since I made this but was craving the fresh taste so had to search the recipe again. Glad I found it! I used to make this salad all the time for any get-togethers we had. (I sometimes even double the batch.) Everywhere I took it I hardly had leftovers when we were done. A fun and “light” addition for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My quinoa despising friends and family tried this and they were impressed they enjoyed it!
I do change it slightly – I’m a huge cilantro fan and I add that along with the parsley. I often use green onions because my kids like those. I also add cayenne to the dressing for a little kick. I’ve even made it with ginger instead of garlic (friend is allergic). Love it!
Can extra-virgin olive oil be used instead of olive oil?
Yes! Let me know what you think.
I’m not sure if this is just a problem with my computer, but I’m not able to click on any of your nutrition information sections of any of your recipes.
Do you think this would taste good with black beans instead of chickpeas?
You could try it! Let me know what you think.
Absolutely love this salad! I just finished making it and couldn’t wait the five minutes to let it rest I’m sure it’ll get even better with age as it chills. Thanks for the recipe!
I love it! Thanks for your review, Julie.