Description
A vibrant and nutritious quinoa salad featuring seasonal roasted vegetables, tangy marinated chickpeas, toasted nuts, and vegan feta, perfect for any time of year. This recipe highlights the nutty flavor of quinoa combined with fresh herbs and a zesty lemon dressing, delivering a satisfying and wholesome meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 1 cup (180g) uncooked quinoa
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of salt for cooking
- 1 ¼ cups water (300 mL)
Vegetables (choose seasonally)
- Spring: asparagus, snap peas, fennel (early spring)
- Summer: sweet cherry/grape tomatoes (halved)
- Fall: any winter squash
- Winter: fennel, broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts
- About 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for roasting
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Marinated Chickpeas
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 medium shallot (finely diced) or ¼ cup (30g) finely diced red onion
- 1 medium lemon (zested and 2 tablespoons juice; more juice for serving optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic vinegar as substitute)
- 1 cup (16g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (or basil or dill depending on vegetable used)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed or finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
- ½ cup (70g) roasted almonds and/or pistachios
- ½ cup (60g) vegan feta (crumbled)
- Something pickled like pickled onions
- 1 big handful sweet cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
Instructions
- Prepare Quinoa: Bring 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa under cool running water using a fine mesh sieve to remove bitterness.
- Cook Quinoa: Add rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt to boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, approximately 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork once cooked and spread on a sheet pan to cool.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and position racks in the bottommost and upper third positions.
- Prepare Vegetables: Slice your chosen seasonal vegetables as per preference for roasting.
- Season Vegetables: Arrange the vegetables evenly on a sheet pan. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper. If quinoa isn’t ready, begin marinating chickpeas at this stage.
- Oil Quinoa: Toss the cooled quinoa with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt by hand, spreading it evenly on another sheet pan to avoid overlap.
- Roast Quinoa and Vegetables: Place vegetables on the bottom oven rack and quinoa on the top rack. After 15 minutes, stir the quinoa (vegetables remain un-stirred). Continue roasting for approximately 10-15 more minutes until quinoa is golden and crispy in spots and vegetables are tender and browned.
- Marinate Chickpeas: In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, finely diced shallot, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, herbs, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Toss and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine Salad: Add roasted vegetables, toasted quinoa, and roasted nuts to the marinated chickpeas. Gently mix to combine.
- Add Final Touches: Crumble vegan feta into the salad, adjusting salt and pepper to taste. Add pickled onions and fresh cherry tomatoes. Squeeze additional lemon juice over the salad if desired just before serving.
Notes
- The vegetables can be customized by season to keep this salad fresh and vibrant year-round.
- If pomegranate molasses is unavailable, aged balsamic vinegar is an excellent substitute to add tangy sweetness.
- Marinating the chickpeas longer enhances flavor absorption for a more complex taste.
- To toast nuts, spread them on a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, or use pre-roasted nuts.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes for desired heat level or omit entirely for a milder salad.
- Leftover lemon juice can be added at the end to brighten flavors right before serving.