Quinoa Power Protein Salad (Printer View)

Fluffy quinoa combined with chickpeas, roasted veggies, and a creamy tahini-lemon dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 zucchini, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Tahini-Lemon Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - Juice of 1 large lemon
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and caramelized.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, chickpeas, roasted vegetables, and baby spinach. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.
06 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with chopped fresh herbs and toasted seeds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes so creamy and satisfying that you forget it's actually completely plant-based and won't leave you sluggish.
  • The roasted vegetables develop this sweet, caramelized richness that makes the whole salad feel indulgent rather than virtuous.
  • You can prep it in under an hour and eat it for days, making meal planning genuinely easy.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the quinoa—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt tasted bitter and chalky, and rinsing completely transformed it.
  • The dressing gets thicker as it sits, so make it slightly thinner than you think you want it, or thin it with more water as you eat leftovers.
  • Add the spinach just before serving or the night before—if it sits in the warm salad for hours, it becomes mushy and loses its brightness.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes if you have time—they taste infinitely better than raw and add a satisfying crunch that elevates the whole bowl.
  • Whisk the tahini dressing vigorously to keep it from separating, and don't be shy about adjusting the lemon juice and garlic to your taste—there's no such thing as too much brightness here.
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