A salad plate with cold quinoa chickpea salad topped with cucumber, onion, and feta with a fork and a bowl of fresh chopped parsley and a bowl of maldon salt on the side.

Why this recipe works

This quinoa chickpea salad recipe is so easy to make with simple ingredients that are full of flavor. Chickpeas, quinoa, fresh cucumber, red onion, and feta are combined in a delicious lemon mustard dressing and topped with fresh herbs for a light and bright salad recipe that is so delicious!

This quinoa salad with chickpeas is really quick to throw together. The longest part of this recipe is to cook the quinoa and chop up your vegetables. So simple!

While this salad might seem simple, it does not lack flavor. There are so many good flavors in this recipe!

The dates add a subtle sweetness and a bit of chewiness which contrasts so well with the tangy feta crumbles. The quinoa gets cooked in a vegetable broth, which adds so much more flavor than cooking quinoa in water.

Trust me, this easy quinoa salad recipe will become part of your meal rotation!

You’ll love this recipe because:

It’s great for meal prep. Chickpea quinoa salad is a great make ahead meal for the week. You can eat it as is for a main dish or pair with your favorite protein for a quick grab-and-go meal. I love this recipe with chicken, salmon, or pork chops.
It’s perfect for potlucks. Since this salad is served cold, it’s great to bring along to parties and potlucks. No need to use up the oven at your host’s house, because this easy side dish is ready to serve!
It’s naturally gluten-free. Quinoa and chickpeas are naturally gluten-free, but give this cold salad plenty of bulk. This salad is light and bright, but still really filling which I find is sometimes lacking in gluten-free salad recipes.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

quinoa – I used white quinoa in this recipe, but red quinoa, black quinoa, or tri-color quinoa all work wonderfully here.
vegetable broth – Make sure that your vegetable broth is gluten-free if you need it to be. You can also use chicken broth instead if you prefer.
chickpeas – I used canned chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, in this recipe. Drain and rinse the chickpeas before using. You can also use dried chickpeas that you have soaked in water overnight instead.
dates – A few dates add some sweetness and chewy texture to the recipe. Make sure you pit the date before dicing it up. To do so, use a knife to cut a slit lengthwise across the date. The pit should be easy to pop out from there.
cucumber – I used an English cucumber for this recipe, which is seedless. It also has a thinner skin than a regular cucumber, so you can leave the skin on.
red onion – Red onion adds some bite to the quinoa salad. I like the red onions as is, but you can also soak the red onions in ice water for 10 minutes and then drain them before using to remove some of the pungency and bite. Instead of red onions, feel free to use green onions instead if you prefer.
feta – I used fresh blocks of feta that I crumbled myself for this recipe. I think that it has better flavor than the pre-crumbled feta. If you are dairy-free or vegan, just leave the feta out or use vegan feta.

Instead of cooking the quinoa in water, cook it in vegetable broth for the best flavor. You won’t believe what a difference it makes when you eat quinoa!

Adjustments and Substitutions

While I highly recommend that you try this cold quinoa salad as written the first time, I completely understand wanting to use up ingredients you have in your refrigerator or to suit your own tastes.

Here are some additions that I think would be so delicious in this easy quinoa chickpea salad:

Red bell pepper or green bell pepper – dice the bell pepper up into small pieces and add raw
Kalamata olives – pit the olives and slice or cut in half
apple cider vinegar – add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the dressing to make a tangy lemon vinaigrette
Red wine vinegar – similar to the apple cider vinegar, add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar to the dressing for different flavor
grape tomatoes – slice your tomatoes in half and add to the salad
lime juice – substitute the lemon juice with lime juice for a different flavor profile

Step-by-Step instructions

You won’t believe how easy this chickpea quinoa salad recipe is to make. Follow the general steps with matching photos below to help you make this gluten-free cold salad perfectly every time.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

A saucepan with vegetable broth and uncooked quinoa before cooking.

Cook the quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan. A glass mixing bowl with canned chickpeas and cooked quinoa in it before mixing together.

Place the cooked quinoa and chickpeas in a large mixing bowl. A glass mixing bowl with feta, sliced cucumber, diced red onion, diced dates, and quinoa in it before mixing together.

A glass mixing bowl with feta, sliced cucumber, diced red onion, diced dates, and quinoa in it before mixing together.

Add the diced red onion, chopped dates, sliced cucumber, crumbled feta, and chopped fresh parsley to the bowl. A glass mixing bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dijon mustard, and ground black pepper before mixing together.

A glass mixing bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dijon mustard, and ground black pepper before mixing together.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt. A glass mixing bowl with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing with black pepper in it.

A glass mixing bowl with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing with black pepper in it.

Whisk together until combined. A glass mixing bowl on a yellow table with a chickpea quinoa salad mixed with sliced cucumber, diced red onion, dates, and fresh parsley.

A glass mixing bowl on a yellow table with a chickpea quinoa salad mixed with sliced cucumber, diced red onion, dates, and fresh parsley.

Pour the lemon dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss until coated. Serve warm, at room temperature or after chilling in the refrigerator.

Recipe FAQs

Should you rinse quinoa?

I always rinse my quinoa, even if the package specifies that the quinoa is pre-rinsed. It’s just a step to rinse off the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that is on the quinoa.

Should quinoa salad be hot or cold?

I like to serve this salad cold. The only ingredient that might be a little warm is the quinoa, but you can let that cool for a bit at room temperature before assembling. I tend to start making the quinoa first and chop the rest of the vegetables while it’s cooking.

Can you eat canned chickpeas raw?

Canned chickpeas aren’t raw. They have been pre-soaked and pre-cooked, so you can eat them straight from the can. I like to rinse off the thick white soaking liquid (aquafaba) from the chickpeas before using or eating.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. Be sure to double check that your vegetable broth is gluten-free, as some broths have hidden gluten in them. Always double check all ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free.

Is this recipe dairy-free or vegan?

This recipe can easily be made dairy-free and vegan by omitting the crumbled feta cheese. The rest of the recipe is dairy-free and vegan as written.

hints & tips

Make Ahead: I find that the cucumber is the first ingredient to start degrading in quality, so if I know I want to make this recipe for meal-prep, I’ll leave out the cucumber and add it just before serving.

Storage instructions

Storage: You can store the chickpea quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let sit out at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Eat cold.
Freezer: While you can freeze plain quinoa, I do not recommend freezing this chickpea quinoa salad because the other ingredients in the cold salad will change their texture. This is best made and served immediately or stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat.