Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.

This quinoa chickpea salad is a perfect addition to your summer barbecues and picnics! Loads of colorful vegetables and a tangy dressing make this salad hard to resist. This easy recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free.

When the warm weather hits, it’s so nice to be able to cook a simple, colorful, seasonal meal and enjoy it outside. When it’s really hot, it’s good to have some easy recipes ready to go that don’t require the oven.

It’s a great time of year for cold salads – green salads, pasta salads, and quinoa salads. There’s nothing like a big bowl of quinoa chickpea salad with tons of veggies and a honey mustard sauce.

This honey mustard quinoa chickpea salad is a great way to enjoy quinoa and fresh summer produce. It’s perfect served alongside grilled chicken or fish, or just keep it simple and serve it with fresh fruit and crackers.

How do you make honey mustard dressing?

1. Put yellow mustard, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice or orange juice in a jar.
2. Shake well. Pour over salad or use as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

Even if you don’t make this quinoa salad, you will want to make this honey mustard dressing! It’s so good.

What can I use instead of honey in this dressing?

If you’re vegan, or don’t have honey on hand, try some maple syrup instead! I have made it both ways, and it’s delicious with either sweetener.

Can I make this with something besides quinoa?

Yes, you could use millet if you like, or even rice. If you are not gluten free, you can use couscous, but please be aware that it does contain gluten.

This honey mustard quinoa chickpea salad has lots of summer vegetables – cucumber, peppers, and onions, plus it has an added boost of protein from the chickpeas. The honey mustard dressing is tangy and flavorful – the perfect accompaniment to the quinoa and veggies.

If you don’t have some of these veggies on hand, feel free to make substitutions! I have made this with zucchini, carrots, and even fresh herbs before. You can be creative with this recipe.

If you can’t have onions, try adding chives or other fresh herbs to boost the flavor. If you are allergic to mustard, you can leave it out and increase the amount of lemon juice. It will still be very flavorful even without mustard.

More quinoa recipes:

Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Chocolate Chunk Quinoa Flour Cookies

Cheesy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Skillet Chicken with Quinoa and Red Peppers

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Quinoa Chickpea Side Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.

Honey mustard quinoa chickpea salad is the perfect addition to your summer parties or barbecues.

Course Salad

Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.

Keyword picnic food

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 299 kcal

Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

• ¾ cup quinoa
• ½ cup sweet onion chopped
• 1 cup bell pepper diced
• 1 ½ cups cucumber sliced
• 15 ounces chickpeas drained and rinsed

For the dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons honey maple syrup or agave syrup if vegan
• 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice or orange juice, or vinegar
• ⅓ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

2. Put the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well.

3. Place the quinoa and all the vegetables in a large bowl and add the dressing. Toss to coat.

4. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Recipe Notes

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Quinoa Chickpea Side Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.

Amount per Serving

Calories

299

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

11

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Sodium

 

197

mg

9

%

Potassium

 

492

mg

14

%

Carbohydrates

 

43

g

14

%

Fiber

 

8

g

33

%

Sugar

 

12

g

13

%

Protein

 

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

 

866

IU

17

%

Vitamin C

 

41

mg

50

%

Calcium

 

58

mg

6

%

Iron

 

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post was originally published in July 2017. It has been updated.