Quinoa salad with crispy chickpeas
on Oct 04, 2017, Updated Jun 25, 2020
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If you’re looking for a salad made with simple fresh ingredients with a little bit of a twist, combine ribbons of salad vegetables with nutritious quinoa and delicious, naughty tasting crispy chickpeas. Delicious!
I mentioned in my last post about feeling smug that I’d ‘discovered’ delicious crispy fried chickpeas – all crispy and naughty tasting, but actually quite healthy because… chickpeas!
So I suppose this is another smug post, for two reasons. One – you get yet another recipe with delicious things in it that are actually quite healthy (hello feta cheese, Greek yogurt dressing and yet more crispy chickpeas).
And two – you already got a sneaky peek at this salad in my last post. Did you see what I did there? (#sneaky2postsfromonerecipe)
I figured this would be a great recipe wherever you are in the world. If it’s Autumn where you are then it might still be nice enough weather for a delicious salad but with a touch of crispy, crunchy warmth aka crispy fried chickpeas.
If it’s spring, like here in Perth Australia, then it’s time to start breaking out the salads, obviously!
I also mentioned in my last post that this salad was inspired by one I opportunistically grabbed at a café recently while little Benjamin was asleep.
On the surface it’s very simple – just a handful of fresh, everyday ingredients. But dig a little deeper and it’s full of texture and pizzazz! Combine thin ribbons of carrot and cucumber with grainy quinoa, halved sweet cherry tomatoes, thin slices of onion, salty, tangy crumbled feta cheese and a few handfuls of fresh green leaves.
Drizzle with a Greek yogurt and mustard based dressing and top with those delicious crispy fried chickpeas and you’re done. Eat by itself or as a side. Delicious.
I recommend doing what I did and picking out all the chickpeas while they’re still hot and crispy. I won’t tell anyone. 🙂
Pro tip: Try this incredible 5-minute tahini dressing drizzled over this salad instead!
More amazing Mediterranean recipes that you must try!
- Our favourite Greek baked eggplant with tomato and feta
- These life-changing fried halloumi bites (perfect appetizers for guests!)
- Incredible 5-minute tahini dressing (for roasted vegetables, salads, falafel, bowls & more)
- Ever made a proper Spanish omelette, otherwise known as a tortilla de patatas? Prepare to have your mind blown!
- Another Spanish one… try this traditional ‘pan con tomate’ or Spanish bruschetta. It’s incredible, and unbelievably easy to make!
- Did you know you can fry olives, and that they’re delicious? You do now!
Or browse all my Mediterranean recipes here
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Quinoa salad with crispy chickpeas
Ingredients
for the salad
- 2 carrots, peeled and shred into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1/2 cucumber, also shred into thin ribbons
- 4 slices onion, halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 handfuls salad leaves
- 1 1/3 cups cooked quinoa, ready made package, prepared according to package instructions
- 2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 14 ounces chickpeas, fried, add at the last minute
for the yogurt dressing
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
Instructions
- Toss all of the salad ingredients (apart from the chickpeas) together in a large salad bowl or on a platter.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together either by hand or in a food processor, and drizzle over the salad to taste.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the crispy fried chickpeas over the top.
We had our first skiff of snow this morning, but you know what? I don’t care. I want this gorgeous salad anyway! So many flavors and textures I love on one plate!
Really? Wow! We’re having our first 90 degree (plus) day here! Stay warm! 🙂