Chickpea Quinoa Salad

1. 1
   boil · ~15 min

   Cook the quinoa.

   1.Rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer.

   2.Combine rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.

   3.Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed (12-15 min).

   4.Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool completely.

   TIPRinsing removes quinoa's natural bitter coating called saponin — never skip this step.
2. 2
   prep

   Prep the chickpeas.

   If using dried chickpeas: soak overnight, drain, then boil in fresh water until tender (45-60 min). Drain and let cool completely.

   TIPChickpeas should be tender but not mushy — they should hold their shape in the salad.
3. 3
   prep · ~5 min

   Dice the vegetables.

   1.Dice cucumber into small cubes.

   2.Dice tomatoes into small cubes.

   3.Dice bell pepper into small cubes.

   4.Finely chop red onion.
4. 4
   mix · ~1 min

   Make the lemon vinaigrette.

   1.In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cumin powder.

   2.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
5. 5
   mix · ~2 min

   Assemble the salad.

   1.In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion.

   2.Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad.

   3.Add chopped parsley and toss everything gently until evenly coated.
6. 6
   rest · ~10 min

   Let the flavors meld.

   Let the salad sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for deeper flavor.

   TIPThis salad tastes even better the next day — perfect for meal prep.

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