Main Dish Salad
This 20-minute Main Dish Salad combines quinoa, chickpeas, and fresh veggies with your choice of greens and a 3-ingredient hummus dressing.
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 473kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry quinoa or 1 ½ cups cooked
- 15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked)
Optional for roasting chickpeas:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- Salt or salt substitute to taste
For the salad:
- 1 ½ cups chopped cucumber (about 1 medium)
- ½ pint grape or cherry tomatoes quartered (about 1 cup)
- ½ medium red onion small dice (about 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup capers rinsed, or pitted chopped kalamata olives
- 6.5 ounces marinated artichoke hearts jarred or canned (quartered)
- 2 ½ cups baby arugula or baby kale or spinach, or chopped green lettuce
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts optional
For the hummus dressing:
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons hummus
- 1 ¾ teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water plus more as needed
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the packet. Set aside to cool.
- Roast the chickpeas (optional): Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Rub the chickpeas between layers of paper or kitchen towel to dry. Toss them with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, and salt to taste. Transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes. Broil for about 2 minutes more, or until crispy. Set aside.
- Make the dressing: Add the hummus, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to a medium bowl. Mix well. Add 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons water, or as needed until the desired consistency.
- Combine: Transfer the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, capers, artichoke hearts, arugula, and hemp hearts to a large bowl. Add the quinoa and chickpeas. Pour in the dressing. Mix well until fully incorporated.
Notes
- Roasting the chickpeas is optional. You can also add them directly from the can (rinsed and drained).
- Rinse the capers to reduce sodium.
- To make this salad in 20 minutes: Start by cooking the quinoa, and roasting the chickpeas at the same time. Chop the veggies, and make the hummus dressing while the chickpeas are roasting. Once everything is ready, mix well to combine.
- For meal prep: Pre-cook the quinoa and chickpeas, and cut the veggies ahead of time. This way, assembling the salad with dressing takes just 5 minutes.
- For a longevity salad: Use capers, and add 1 teaspoon ground long pepper, a dash of black cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon marjoram to the dressing. Choose black or red quinoa. See blog post for details.
- For serving: Serve warm, or wait until everything cools before combining.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 980mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1594IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 8mg
