It’s virtually March and I say it’s time to start out the countdown to spring. What higher solution to begin than with a model new, tremendous contemporary salad stuffed with tons of candy and savory components.
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 facet with cozy principal dishes, or get pleasure from a straightforward, flavorful lunch through the week! I included nice methods to customise to your style desire, and any method you do it up, you already know will probably 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 by utilizing tri-colored quinoa on this salad as a result of it provides a wonderful pop! You may, 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, a little bit dijon mustard, garlic, salt, crimson pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), and loads of black pepper.
- Produce: I really like the zippy arugula paired with the entire flavors right here. You’ll additionally add contemporary parsley and diced crimson 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 method
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 could be scrumptious.
- Strive completely different nuts: I really like utilizing toasted almonds, however slivered almonds and even pistachios are nice. You may 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 could possibly add further protein with cooked, diced hen 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:
- Stovetop technique: 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 technique: 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 way of baking. Watch rigorously in order that the nuts don’t burn!
retailer this arugula quinoa salad
As a result of arugula tends to bread down shortly over time, this salad is finest loved day of. Wish to meal prep it for the week? Retailer the components in separate hermetic containers within the fridge and assemble your portion if 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! If you happen to make it make sure to depart a remark and a ranking so I understand how you favored it. Take pleasure in, 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 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 chunk. The proper 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 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 contemporary 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
Directions
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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 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 an additional 5-10 minutes. Subsequent, fluff quinoa with a fork.
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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 nicely mixed and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake till nicely mixed. Put aside.
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Put together 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. 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.
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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 hen.
Recipe Notes
To make vegan/dairy-free: Omit the feta or use a dairy-free feta.
Vitamin
Serving: 1serving (based mostly on 4)Energy: 681calCarbohydrates: 66.6gProtein: 20.9gFats: 39.7gSaturated Fats: 7.6gFiber: 13.4gSugar: 15.7g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Formidable Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats