High Protein Chickpea Arugula Quinoa Salad

It’s virtually March and I say it’s time to start the countdown to spring. What higher approach to start than with a model new, tremendous recent salad stuffed 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 all the things in the most effective lemon French dressing, then add tons of yummy toppings and mix-ins like feta, dates, toasty almonds, and avocado. But my favourite half? You can completely make this your individual.

Serve this as a aspect dish with cozy foremost dishes, or take pleasure in a straightforward, flavorful lunch throughout the week! I included nice methods to customise to your style choice, and any method you do it up, it is going to be scrumptious.

Ingredients on this arugula quinoa salad

This 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. Here’s what you’ll have to make it:

Quinoa: I blended it up through the use of tri-colored quinoa on this salad as a result of it provides a phenomenal pop! You can, after all, 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, somewhat dijon mustard, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), and loads of black pepper.
Produce: I like the zippy arugula paired with all the flavors right here. You’ll additionally add recent parsley and diced crimson 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 method

There are some tremendous simple methods you’ll be able to customise this arugula quinoa salad:

Choose your grain: not into quinoa? Feel free to make use of farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
Pick your dried fruit: as a substitute of Medjool dates, chopped, dried apricots or dried cranberries could be scrumptious. Chopped apples or sliced grapes could be pleasant, too!
Try completely different nuts: I like utilizing roasted chopped almonds, however slivered almonds, marcona and even pistachios are nice. You can completely omit them to maintain the salad nut free, too!
Switch up the cheese: While this recipe requires feta, I feel a goat cheese or manchango might be pretty swap as effectively.

Can I make it vegan?

Absolutely! Keep 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 hen like my Baked or Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken, and even some cooked salmon like my Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon. I like rotisserie hen on this one too!

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 often for 2-5 minutes till the nuts are barely golden brown. Remove 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 by baking. Watch rigorously in order that the nuts don’t burn!

How to retailer this arugula quinoa salad

Because arugula tends to bread down shortly over time, this salad is finest enjoyed day of. Want to meal prep it for the week? Store the substances in separate airtight containers within the fridge and assemble your portion whenever you’re able to eat!

More salad recipes you’ll love

Get all of my salad recipes right here!

I hope you like this chickpea arugula quinoa salad! If you make it you’ll want to depart a remark and a score so I understand how you favored it. Enjoy, xo!

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Chickpea Arugula Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Serves4 servings

Fresh, satisfying chickpea arugula quinoa salad filled with 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 good filling weekday lunch!

Ingredients

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 crimson 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 crimson 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

Instructions

Cook the quinoa: Place quinoa in a high-quality mesh strainer and rinse it below cool water for about 30 seconds. Transfer quinoa to a medium pot, then add within the water and salt, and produce to a boil. Once 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 coated for an additional 5-10 minutes. Next, 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, crimson 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. Set apart.
Prepare the salad: In a big bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, arugula, parsley and crimson onion. Add in half of the dressing. Gently toss to coat. Next 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: Keep any leftover salad in an hermetic container and retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days. This salad can also be nice with leftover shredded or chopped hen.

Recipe Notes

If you aren’t into quinoa, be happy to sub farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
To make vegan/dairy-free: Leave out the feta or use a dairy-free feta.