Asparagus Chickpea Quinoa Salad

By Maria Lichty

Published on March 16, 2021

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I don’t know about you, but I am ready for spring. Sunshine, warmer days, and fresh food! I made this simple Asparagus Chickpea Quinoa Salad and it definitely made my day brighter and more delicious.

I love making quinoa salads and this one is perfect for spring. The salad is light, fresh, and the green colors are so vibrant. It makes a great lunch or side dish for dinner.

How to Cook Quinoa

I love adding quinoa to salads because it is healthy, hearty, and a great way to add extra protein. It is also easy to cook.

Always rinse quinoa before cooking. Place it in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Rinsing removes quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste soapy or bitter.

To cook quinoa, add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Simple Spring Quinoa Salad

To this quinoa salad, I add roasted asparagus, chickpeas, green onion, feta cheese, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. The flavors scream spring and compliment each other so nicely. I love making this salad during the springtime, when asparagus is in season.

The chickpeas and quinoa provide great protein. If you want to even more protein, you can serve with chicken, fish, or steak. It would also be a great salad to take on a picnic or to a potluck.

If you aren’t a fan of feta cheese, you can use goat cheese or Parmesan cheese. If you need the salad to be vegan or dairy-free, you can leave out the feta cheese.

It is super simple salad, but super delicious. Sometimes the simple recipes are the best recipes!

Bring a little spring into your kitchen and make this easy Asparagus Chickpea Quinoa Salad.

How to Store

Store the quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is good cold or at room temperature. You can always refresh with a little extra dressing or squeeze of lemon juice.

More Quinoa Salad Recipes

• Asian Quinoa Salad
• Cucumber Quinoa Salad
• Easy Quinoa Salad
• Mediterranean Three Bean Quinoa Salad 
• Berry Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Salads

Asparagus Chickpea Quinoa Salad

This simple quinoa salad with asparagus, chickpeas, and feta can be served as a main dish or side dish. It is a springtime favorite!

4.62 from 21 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 6

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Ingredients

  

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For the Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained, 15 oz can
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and garlic. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.
• Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
• While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, chickpeas, green onion, and feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.

Notes

If you need the salad to be vegan, you can omit the feta cheese and add nutritional yeast. 

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 426mg, Potassium: 245mg, Fiber: 4g, Vitamin A: 115IU, Vitamin C: 6.4mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 2.1mg

Keywords quinoa salad

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