Crunchy chickpeas. Crispy quinoa. Fresh seasonal veggies. This arugula quinoa salad dressed with a lemon caesar vinaigrette is the spring recipe you need!
Warmer weather calls for light, refreshing salads, and what better recipe to try out than my arugula quinoa salad?
I honestly feel like this salad has the perfect balance of flavours. We have salty and savoury hits from the parm, a peppery taste from the arugula, and the best hit of acidic tang from the amazing lemon caesar vinaigrette. And I didn't forget about crunch, arguably one of the most underrated parts of a salad!
Just like in all of my salad recipes (including my edamame crunch salad, tahini kale salad and Big Mac salad) I ALWAYS say there are three important parts of a salad 1. a leafy green, 2. a good dressing and 3. a CRUNCH. I find adding a crunch helps create more texture , making salads less boring!
With oven roasted chickpeas and crispy quinoa, this salad checks all my boxes.
Make this arugula quinoa salad as a light plant-based lunch, side for any main, or a dinner party. It's pretty much incredible for any affair!
Ingredients
Salad:
- Chickpeas
- Quinoa
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Arugula
- Parmesan cheese
- Radishes
Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette:
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic cloves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
On a baking tray evenly spread chickpeas. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. On a separate baking tray spread the cooked quinoa in an even layer, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place both trays in the oven and bake for about 20-35 minutes until chickpeas are crispy and quinoa is just beginning to brown.
While the chickpeas and quinoa are baking, make your dressing by whisking together dressing ingredients.
In a large bowl, add arugula, quinoa, chickpeas, radishes and parmesan cheese.
Drizzle with dressing, toss to combine and garnish with additional parmesan cheese!
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: This salad is naturally gluten-free, however you may need to find certified gluten-free chickpeas if you have Celiac disease.
To make vegan: Omit parmesan or swap for vegan cheese of choice.
If there are any ingredients you don't like, feel free to skip them!
Equipment
Storage
This arugula quinoa salad is best eaten fresh. If you want to make this ahead of time, I recommend prepping the quinoa, chickpeas and other ingredients and storing separately from the dressing until just before serving.
Top Tip
For a pop of colour, save some toppings to add just before serving! Tossing your salad in some of the dressing before serving is also a great tip to make sure the flavour is evenly distributed. Then, add the rest of the dressing as your serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use my air fryer roasted chickpea recipe or crisp up your quinoa in the air fryer at 400F for about 7 minutes.
Of course not! I just thought they were a fun way to add in some seasonal produce and a pop of colour.
This salad is a great balanced option for a lighter plant-based meal! It has protein from the quinoa and chickpeas, fats from the cheese and dressing and some carbs from the quinoa as well. Definitely balanced in my books.
This arugula quinoa salad also makes for a delicious summery side! I think it would be amazing alongside a pasta dish like my lemon chicken pasta or creamy vegan red pepper pasta.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
I'm all about salads that you ACTUALLY want to eat. These are some other faves:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this arugula quinoa salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Arugula Quinoa Salad with Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
- 1.5 cups chickpeas 398mL can, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil divided
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 5 cups arugula 1x 142g container
- ½ cup parmesan cheese thinly shredded
- ¼ cup radishes thinly sliced
Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- On a baking tray evenly spread chickpeas. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. On a separate baking tray, spread the cooked quinoa in an even layer, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place both trays in the oven and bake for about 20-35 minutes until chickpeas are crispy and quinoa is just beginning to brown.
- While the chickpeas and quinoa are baking, make your dressing by whisking together dressing ingredients.
- In a large bowl, add arugula, quinoa, chickpeas, radishes and parmesan cheese. Drizzle with dressing, toss to combine and garnish with additional parmesan cheese!
Allegra says
I love this salad! Bold and spicy, and the roasted chickpeas + quinoa really make it something. Made it for my parents, and they both thanked me for it afterwards! They'll be making it to impress their friends in a couple weeks. Can't get enough of Nic's salads!!