This gluten-free quinoa summer salad is easy to make and a surefire crowd pleaser. Pack this hearty summer side dish in your picnic basket or enjoy it while relaxing on the deck.
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa, tri-colored or regular
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from about ½ lemon
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more if desired
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Rinse the quinoa and add it to a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Cover and cook quinoa over medium heat until water has evaporated, 15-20 minutes.
While quinoa is cooking, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add to a large bowl. Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut cucumber into ½-inch chunks and add to the bowl. Next add the chickpeas, dill and garlic.
Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl along with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until everything is combined. Salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Analysis: 140 cal, 4 g fat, 0 mg chol, 290 mg sodium, 22 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 6 g protein.
Isadora Lassance lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband and their orange cat, Cheeto. A regular contributor to Gluten-Free Living, she also blogs about whole food and seasonal ingredients at shelikesfood.com.
