Quinoa Meal Salad with Chickpeas
Feta and cinnamon rarely end up in the same bowl. This salad puts them side by side with quinoa, chickpeas, grated carrot, raisins and arugula pulling the whole thing together. A dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey and a single pinch of cinnamon rounds it out — the spice disappears into the background without steering anything sweet.
30 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber from plants, ready in 15 minutes.
Feta and cinnamon rarely end up in the same bowl. This salad puts them side by side with quinoa, chickpeas, grated carrot, raisins and arugula pulling the whole thing together. A dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey and a single pinch of cinnamon rounds it out — the spice disappears into the background without steering anything sweet.
30 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber from plants, ready in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- quinoa 3 ounces
- chickpeas 5 ounces
- carrot 1
- scallion 1
- feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 ounces
- raisins 1 ounce
- arugula 1 handful
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoons
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- yellow mustard 0.5 teaspoon
- honey 1 teaspoon
- cinnamon 1 pinch
Method
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Prepare the quinoa according to the package instructions.
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Rinse the chickpeas with cold water and let them drain in a colander. Meanwhile, wash the carrot and grate it.
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Slice the scallion into rings. Combine these with the feta, chickpeas, raisins and arugula in a bowl.
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Make a dressing from the oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey and cinnamon.
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Drain the quinoa, rinse with cold water and let it drain well.
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Mix the quinoa and dressing with the rest of the ingredients and combine well. Season to taste with pepper and salt.
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Serve the quinoa meal salad with chickpeas in a bowl or deep plate.
Spread the rinsed quinoa on a clean kitchen towel for a minute before mixing. Wet quinoa dilutes the dressing and turns the whole salad watery within an hour.
Behind this recipe
Is 30 grams of plant protein enough for a single meal?
Research on per-meal protein limits found that muscle protein synthesis continues to respond to protein doses well beyond 20 grams. The old ceiling of 20 to 25 grams per meal has been challenged by larger analyses. This salad's 30 grams from quinoa and chickpeas combined falls inside that effective range. One honest note: most per-meal research tested animal protein sources like whey and beef. Whether plant protein follows the exact same curve at this dose has not been tested directly.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I prepare this quinoa salad ahead of time?
Yes. The ingredients hold up well for one to two days in the fridge. Quinoa and chickpeas keep their texture, and the feta stays intact. Two things to watch: add the arugula just before eating so it stays crisp, and store the dressing separately if you want the quinoa to stay fluffy rather than absorb it overnight.
Does 20 grams of fiber in one meal make a difference?
20 grams is a significant portion of most daily fiber targets, which typically sit between 25 and 38 grams depending on the guideline. This salad pulls fiber from five different whole-food sources: quinoa, chickpeas, carrot, raisins and arugula. Research on fiber and body composition found that higher fiber intake is associated with improved fat loss outcomes, likely through satiety and gut fermentation mechanisms.
Read the full evidence review
