High-Protein Chickpea and Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-08 · Updated 2026-08-08

A hearty, protein-packed salad featuring fluffy quinoa, chickpeas, and crunchy vegetables tossed in a bright lemon-tahini dressing. This Mediterranean-inspired salad recipe (vegetarian, high-protein), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs quinoa, water, canned chickpeas into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups for cooking quinoa water
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
• 1 medium, diced cucumber
• 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium, diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup, finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1, minced garlic clove
• 2-3 tbsp to thin dressing water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 1 can (15 oz) drained chickpeas, 1 diced cucumber, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.
3. Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp tahini, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add 2-3 tbsp water gradually to thin the dressing to a pourable consistency.
4. Step 4: Add the cooled quinoa to the vegetable mixture and pour the lemon-tahini dressing on top. Toss everything gently until well combined and evenly coated.
5. Step 5: Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.