This Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe is the perfect dish for a warm summer day. Nutty quinoa, protein-rich chickpeas, and lots of fresh veggies, all get coated in a tangy lemon olive oil dressing. It’s a healthy vegan salad recipe that is simple to make, meal prep approved, & full of refreshing flavors!
Salads always sound like a good idea, especially when the weather is hotter than a dutch oven, if you know what I mean.
While the traditional salads feature a handful of greens and a few veggies at best, I thought it would be delicious to jazz things up, which is why I created this Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.
Some may question if it’s a salad since it doesn’t contain any greens, but don’t worry, it’s still nutritious. Thanks to the nutty quinoa, protein-rich chickpeas, and lots of fresh veggies.
So whether you’re looking for a perfect weeknight dinner, refreshing meal prep option, or an easy summer recipe, this healthy vegan salad has got you covered!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Quick & Easy: A Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s ready in about 15 minutes.
- Balanced Meal: With the protein & carbs from the quinoa + chickpeas, as well as the veggies, this is a well-rounded meal that’s satisfying & nutritious.
- Great for Meal Prep: This Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe stores well in the fridge, making it a great recipe to meal prep for quick dinners throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Organic Quinoa: To provide this salad with nutty flavor, along with protein and fiber. You can use any color that you have on hand – white, red, or tri-color quinoa all work for this recipe.
- Organic Chickpeas: Loaded with protein and are a great source of fiber.
- Organic Vegetables: Red onion, bell peppers, cumbers, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives, are the veggies used in this recipe.
- Organic Lemon Olive Oil Dressing: A dressing is essential to any salad! Please don’t skip!
- Organic Fresh Basil: If you’ve got some on hand, it’s the perfect topping!
How To Make
- Quinoa. Prepare quinoa as instructed from the package.
- Lemon Olive Oil Dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined.
- Combine. In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, and the dressing. Combine until everything is coated. Ideally, let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Divide between bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Tips for Making this Vegan Quinoa Salad Perfectly
- Organic Quinoa: You can use any color that you have on hand – white, red, or tri-color quinoa all work for this recipe.
- Organic Chickpeas: If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can easily swap for organic white beans.
- Organic Vegetables: Feel free to customize your preferred vegetables.
- Refrigerate Before Serving: Ideally, you want to let the salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This ensures that the flavors are optimized.
Storing
As mentioned above, this recipe is perfect for leftovers & meal prep!
Fridge Storage. Transfer to an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegan Shawarma Cauliflower & Quinoa Hummus Bowl
- Cava-Inspired Vegan Falafel Bowl
- Loaded Vegan Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing
- Vegan Greek Pasta Salad
- Vegan Falafel Bowl with Coconut Tzatziki
Sharing Is Caring!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!
Xoxo.
Christin.
Print
Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 4 – 6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe is the perfect dish for a warm summer day. Nutty quinoa, protein-rich chickpeas, and lots of fresh veggies, all get coated in a tangy lemon olive oil dressing. It’s a healthy vegan salad recipe that is simple to make, meal prep approved, & full of refreshing flavors!
Ingredients
Always opt for organic ingredients.
QUINOA
- ½ cup dry quinoa
LEMON OLIVE OIL DRESSING
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp coriander
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
CHICKPEAS & VEGETABLES
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ English cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, halved
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Quinoa. Prepare quinoa as instructed from the package.
- Lemon Olive Oil Dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined.
- Combine. In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, and the dressing. Combine until everything is coated. Ideally, let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Divide between bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
Organic Quinoa: You can use any color that you have on hand – white, red, or tri-color quinoa all work for this recipe.
Organic Chickpeas: If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can easily swap for organic white beans.
Organic Vegetables: Feel free to customize your preferred vegetables.
Refrigerate Before Serving: Ideally, you want to let the salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This ensures that the flavors are optimized.
Storing: Transfer to an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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