It’s virtually March and I say it’s time to start out the countdown to spring. What higher strategy to begin than with a model new, tremendous contemporary salad crammed with tons of candy and savory components.

This attractive 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 most effective lemon French dressing, then add tons of yummy toppings and mix-ins like feta, dates, toasty almonds, and avocado.

Serve this as a facet with cozy principal dishes, or take pleasure in a simple, flavorful lunch in the course of the week! I included nice methods to customise to your style choice, and any approach you do it up, you realize it is going to be scrumptious.

Elements on this arugula quinoa salad

That is a kind 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 by utilizing tri-colored quinoa on this salad as a result of it provides a fantastic pop! You’ll be able to, after all, use white quinoa as an alternative, and see beneath for much more grain choices.
• For the dressing: we’re mixing collectively my go-to lemon French dressing made with contemporary lemon juice, olive oil, somewhat dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pink pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), and loads of black pepper.
• Produce: I really like the zippy arugula paired with all the flavors right here. You’ll additionally add contemporary parsley and diced pink onion.
• Chickpeas: we’re packing within the plant-based protein not solely with the quinoa, but additionally 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 approach

There are some tremendous straightforward methods you possibly can customise this arugula quinoa salad:

• Select your grain: not into quinoa? Be at liberty to make use of farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
• Choose your dried fruit: as an alternative of Medjool dates, chopped, dried apricots or dried cranberries can be scrumptious.
• Attempt completely different nuts: I really like utilizing toasted almonds, however slivered almonds and even pistachios are nice. You’ll be able to completely omit them to maintain the salad nut free, too!

Can I make it vegan?

Completely! Maintain 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 may add further protein with cooked, diced rooster like my Baked or Grilled Honey Mustard Hen, 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:

1. 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.
2. 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 by means of baking. Watch fastidiously in order that the nuts don’t burn!

The right way to retailer this arugula quinoa salad

As a result of arugula tends to bread down rapidly over time, this salad is finest loved day of. Wish to meal prep it for the week? Retailer the substances in separate hermetic 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 right here!

I hope you like this chickpea arugula quinoa salad! Should you make it be sure you go away a remark and a ranking so I understand how you preferred it. Take pleasure in, xo!

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125 Ridiculously Good For You, Typically Indulgent, and Completely By no means Boring Recipes for Each Meal of the Day

Chickpea Arugula Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook dinner Time 15 minutes minutes

Whole Time 30 minutes minutes

ServesServes 4 servings

Contemporary, satisfying chickpea arugula quinoa salad filled with 20g of plant-based protein and prepared in simply half-hour. This straightforward arugula quinoa salad has a stunning 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 chew. 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 contemporary lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon pink 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 contemporary parsley
• ⅓ cup finely diced pink 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

• Cook dinner the quinoa: Place quinoa in a positive mesh strainer and rinse it below cool water for about 30 seconds. Switch quinoa to a medium pot, then add within the water and salt, and convey to a boil. As soon as boiling, scale 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 coated for one more 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, pink pepper flakes, sugar (or honey) and some grinds of pepper. Whisk till properly mixed and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake till properly mixed. Put aside.

• Put together the salad: In a big bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, arugula, parsley and pink 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 facet. Garnish with salt and pepper. If making and serving later, reserve toppings till it’s time to serve.

• To retailer: Maintain 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 rooster.

Recipe Notes

Should you aren’t into quinoa, be at liberty to sub farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
To make vegan/dairy-free: Pass over the feta or use a dairy-free feta.

Vitamin

Serving: 1serving (primarily based on 4)Energy: 681calCarbohydrates: 66.6gProtein: 20.9gFats: 39.7gSaturated Fats: 7.6gFiber: 13.4gSugar: 15.7g