It’s virtually March and I say it’s time to begin the countdown to spring. What higher method to begin than with a model new, tremendous recent salad full of tons of candy and savory parts.
This beautiful chickpea arugula quinoa salad packs in 20g of protein and comes collectively in nearly half-hour. AKA welcome to your latest lunch obsession. You’ll toss the whole lot in the perfect lemon French dressing, then add tons of yummy toppings and mix-ins like feta, dates, toasty almonds, and avocado.
Serve this as a aspect with cozy principal dishes, or get pleasure from a simple, flavorful lunch in the course of the week! I included nice methods to customise to your style desire, and any means you do it up, you already know it is going to be scrumptious.
Elements on this arugula quinoa salad
That is a type of clean-out-the-fridge salads that’s packing scrumptious flavors and textures. Freshness from arugula, herbs, and the sunshine lemon dressing, nuttiness from quinoa, and a mixture of candy and savory mix-ins. Right here’s what you’ll have to make it:
- Quinoa: I combined it up through the use of tri-colored quinoa on this salad as a result of it provides a good looking pop! You possibly can, in fact, use white quinoa as a substitute, and see under for much more grain choices.
- For the dressing: we’re mixing collectively my go-to lemon French dressing made with recent lemon juice, olive oil, a bit of dijon mustard, garlic, salt, purple pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), and loads of black pepper.
- Produce: I like the zippy arugula paired with the entire flavors right here. You’ll additionally add recent parsley and diced purple onion.
- Chickpeas: we’re packing within the plant-based protein not solely with the quinoa, but in addition with a can of chickpeas!
- For the mix-ins: make this salad further particular with crumbled feta cheese, toasted or roasted almonds, Medjool dates, and creamy avocado.
Make this salad your means
There are some tremendous simple methods you may customise this arugula quinoa salad:
- Select your grain: not into quinoa? Be happy to make use of farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
- Decide your dried fruit: as a substitute of Medjool dates, chopped, dried apricots or dried cranberries could be scrumptious.
- Strive completely different nuts: I like utilizing toasted almonds, however slivered almonds and even pistachios are nice. You possibly can completely omit them to maintain the salad nut free, too!
Can I make it vegan?
Completely! Hold the salad vegan and dairy-free by swapping in a dairy-free feta cheese or just omitting the cheese.
Add further protein
This arugula quinoa salad packs about 20g of plant-based protein from the chickpeas and quinoa, however you would add further protein with cooked, diced hen like my Baked or Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken, and even some cooked salmon like my Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon.
Toast your individual almonds
Get extra taste out of your sliced or slivered almonds by toasting them! There are two methods to do it:
- Stovetop methodology: Add your almonds to a pan and place over medium warmth, stirring sometimes for 2-5 minutes till the nuts are barely golden brown. Take away from warmth and permit to chill earlier than including them to the salad.
- Oven methodology: Preheat the oven to 350 levels F. Place almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for six to eight minutes till aromatic and golden brown, stirring as soon as midway via baking. Watch fastidiously in order that the nuts don’t burn!
The best way to retailer this arugula quinoa salad
As a result of arugula tends to bread down shortly over time, this salad is greatest loved day of. Wish to meal prep it for the week? Retailer the components in separate airtight containers within the fridge and assemble your portion while you’re able to eat!
Extra salad recipes you’ll love
Get all of my salad recipes here!
I hope you’re keen on this chickpea arugula quinoa salad! In case you make it remember to go away a remark and a score so I understand how you preferred it. Get pleasure from, xo!
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Chickpea Arugula Quinoa Salad
Contemporary, satisfying chickpea arugula quinoa salad full of 20g of plant-based protein and prepared in simply half-hour. This simple arugula quinoa salad has a beautiful lemon French dressing and scrumptious mix-ins like feta cheese, toasted almonds, creamy avocado, and candy Medjool dates for bursts of taste and texture in each chunk. The right filling weekday lunch!
Elements
- For the quinoa
- 1 cup raw tri-colored quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the lemon French dressing
- ⅓ cup recent lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon purple pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- Freshly floor black pepper
- For the salad
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chopped recent parsley
- ⅓ cup finely diced purple onion
- For serving
- 3 to 4 cups loosely packed arugula (about 3 ounces)
- 4 ounces feta, crumbled
- ½ cup roughly chopped toasted/roasted almonds (slivered toasted almonds are nice too)
- ½ heaping cup chopped Medjool dates or dried apricots (or sub dried cranberries)
- 1 barely ripe avocado, sliced or diced
- Freshly floor salt and pepper
Directions
Prepare dinner the quinoa: Place quinoa in a positive mesh strainer and rinse it beneath cool water for about 30 seconds. Switch quinoa to a medium pot, then add within the water and salt, and produce to a boil. As soon as boiling, cut back warmth to low, cowl, and let simmer for precisely quarter-hour. After quarter-hour, take away the pot from warmth and let it stand lined for an additional 5-10 minutes. Subsequent, fluff quinoa with a fork.
Make the French dressing: In a small bowl or mason jar: add the lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, garlic, salt, purple pepper flakes, sugar (or honey) and some grinds of pepper. Whisk till effectively mixed and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake till effectively mixed. Put aside.
Put together the salad: In a big bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, arugula, parsley and purple onion. Add in half of the dressing. Gently toss to coat. Subsequent add the feta, toasted almonds, dates and avocado on high. Drizzle with the remaining dressing (about ¼ cup) or serve on the aspect. Garnish with salt and pepper. If making and serving later, reserve toppings till it’s time to serve.
To retailer: Hold any leftover salad in an hermetic container and retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days. This salad can be nice with leftover shredded or chopped hen.
Recipe Notes
Diet
Serving: 1serving (primarily based on 4)Energy: 681calCarbohydrates: 66.6gProtein: 20.9gFats: 39.7gSaturated Fats: 7.6gFiber: 13.4gSugar: 15.7g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Bold Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats
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