Last Thursday turned into a fiasco. I woke up and started powering through my to-do list, for once. Emails? Check. Laundry? Check. Groceries? Check. High five, self!
Then my landlord came over to work on some things. As I was talking to him and trying to clean off the counters, Cookie leapt up in a truly impressive feat and swiped a hunk of dark chocolate cake off the counter. She gobbled it down before I could stop her. I tried the hydrogen peroxide thing, but it wasn’t enough, so we zoomed over to the vet.
My Cookie girl spent the afternoon behind closed doors, and we went back the next afternoon, too. We’ve both been moving a little slow since then. She’s generally such an exuberant force, and she’s recovered about ninety percent now. It’s cute when she grabs cabbage from the counter, but chocolate, not so much (I’m careful, too).
I finalized these salad details while she was away, and it was a relief to come home to a healthy dinner after a stressful day. Quinoa salads can be both super nutritious and delicious, and this one is definitely both.
In addition to quinoa (which is cooked to fluffy perfection using my preferred method), I added chickpeas, which are rich in fiber, protein and nutrients like manganeses and folate (source). I added loads of fresh flavor to the quinoa-chickpea base with spinach, parsley, cilantro and green onion.
The salad wasn’t quite awesome enough until I added freshly toasted pepitas and some creamy, crumbled feta cheese (which could be replaced by sliced Kalamata olives, if you’d rather). Then I poured in a zippy, garlicky, lemony dressing made lightly creamy with some tahini. This salad would be a great packed lunch, and it would also be a lovely vegetarian (easily vegan) addition to your holiday table.
This is my last post created to celebrate the United Nation’s International Year of Pulses. “Pulse” is the more general name for beans, lentils and peas (a few of my favorite ingredients). For more information about the benefits of pulses, and to join me in committing to eat one serving of pulses every week, visit PulsePledge.com. To see my other recipes, check out my Greek lentil salad, fresh seven-layer dip and broccoli, chickpea and avocado chickpea pita sandwiches.
Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa
Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 side servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This fresh, herbed quinoa and chickpea salad makes a satisfying lunch. It’s also a great side dish for holidays and potlucks. Recipe yields 2 large, meal-sized portions or 4 side salads (you could easily double or triple this recipe).
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 ½ cups roughly chopped baby spinach
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or additional parsley)
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion (green parts only)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- ⅓ cup toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
Lemon-tahini dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, which gives it time to fluff up.
- Meanwhile, toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a large serving bowl to cool for a few minutes (we’ll add more to the bowl in a minute).
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt and several twists of freshly ground pepper. Taste, and add up to 1 more tablespoon of lemon juice and/or more pepper, if necessary (I like my dressing pretty zippy for this salad, so I used the full 4 tablespoons).
- Once the quinoa is ready to use, add it to the large bowl. Add the chickpeas, spinach, parsley, cilantro, green onion, feta and toasted pepitas. Drizzle all of the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or let it cool and refrigerate for later. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might like to add some thinly sliced Kalamata olives to make up for it.
Change it up: You could add shredded carrots and/or top with diced avocado.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my Greek Lentil Salad and Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad.
▸ Nutrition Information
This post was created in partnership with USA Pulses and Pulses Canada. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Celeste | The Whole Serving
Sounds delicious, I love the addition of the feta. I may just put this on my list of Thanksgiving salads.
Kate
Thanks, Celeste! I hope this one makes the cut. :)
dervla
glad to hear cookie is feeling okay – that’s always scary when they eat something like chocolate – kisses to her!
Kate
Thank you, Dervla!
Rhian @ Rhian's Recipes
Looks and sounds so delicious!
Kate
Thank you, Rhian!
Elissa
Woah. This looks AMAZING!!!
Kate
Thanks, Elissa!
Trish
This looks delicious! Have pinned it for near future use. I’m not sure there’s a dog owner out there that hasn’t had their little blighter swipe chocolate before. You have no idea how many times one of my little guys has eaten it, and me being vegan, mine is dark chocolate – super yikes! The little tyrant, all of 11lbs, is adept to opening bags, pulling cupboards open and of course climbing onto the dining table! He’s the most mischievous out of the four rescues we have. So little and with short, stubby legs yet the naughtiest ;)
Kate
Your little guy sounds like Cookie! Those smart, ornery dogs are trouble. The best kind of trouble. I’m glad he’s ok after the chocolate incidents!
Mary
I love that kind of salad, healthy, simple and delicious :)
I really want to try the tahini dressing !
Kate
Thanks, Mary! I’m pretty obsessed with the dressing.
Sarah
So sad about the Cookie scare. I’m so glad that she is doing better now. And this looks so yummy! I am bookmarking this for my list of things to make next week :) I’m also taking the pledge to eat one serving of pulses a week, but as a vegetarian who cooks from your blog every week, I’m pretty sure I already do!
Kate
Thank you, Sarah! I bet you are getting at least one serving a week. :) So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Linda
Hi Kate, some people don’t know chocolate can be fatal to dogs, & need to see a vet asap, I’m so glad Cookie is going to be ok, & I hope she recovers to 100% healthy in the next few days, thank you for all the lovely nutritious meals you bring to us which I love to share with my friends on Twitter :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Linda! She is acting like her usual ornery self again. I hated to see her sick. Thank you for sharing my recipes with your friends. I really appreciate it.
Cindy
Oh no! I have had to double dose my dog after he ate a pound of Stilton in one gobble! And proceeded to vomit right when the dinner guests were arriving! Luckily they are dog lovers!!!
Kate
Oof, that sounds like an uncomfortable experience for all! Glad he’s ok!
Hope
This looks like my kind of salad, fresh and delicious! I hope Cookie is going to be ok, good on you for getting to the vet’s straight away, so many people don’t know that chocolate is dangerous for dog’s :)
Kate
Thanks, Hope. She’s back to good health now. No more chocolate for Cookie!
Susan
I have already uploaded this recipe to my recipe/menu planning program. It would make a wonderful lunch. So glad that Cookie will be okay. My sister had a beagle who dug through a box of stuff to get some chocolate covered coffee beans – while she was gone, of course. Fortunately my sister got back shortly after the episode, the vet took care of the dog, and he lived a long and happy life. I guess we have some of the same propensities dogs do – going for the things that aren’t good for us. Like me and chocolate. Hope Cookie recovers fully.
Kate
Thank you, Susan. I hope you enjoy this one. I’m glad your sister’s beagle was ok! Cookie is always going after food, and I’m still not sure how she nabbed that chocolate. It was so dark it nearly gave me heart palpitations, so I was worried. It sure was a good cake. :)
Pia
Naaaw poor Cookie :( , but I bet ( or hope) the girl learned something from this horrible experience and won’t be going on chocolate feasts anymore in the future. Anyway, I’m glad you’re both okay and that you were at least able to finish off your day in a good way -Spinach is just the bomb!
Hugs and pats xx
Kate
Well, I sure hope she learned her lesson. She’s acting like herself again. Thanks, Pia!
Deborah
Hi. All I can say is Wow! Your pictures are fabulously done and your recipes look so awesomely delicious! I’m a procrastinator so I haven’t made anything yet. I will though!
Deb
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Deb! Hope you find a chance to make one of the recipes soon!
Ashley
Glad Cookie is okay!! I know how scary that is. :( Thank you for the lovely recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Ashley! I appreciate it. She’s acting like herself again now. :)
Fran
Looks great Kate, I’m thinking of adding something red like tomatoes to it for a festive look on christmas day! :)
Kate
Thanks, Fran! I think this would make a very festive red-and-green salad for Christmas, good idea!
Medha
That sounds so scary! I remember finding my dog in anaphylactic shock from flea medicine and rushing him to the animal hospital- nothing more terrifying that sending your loved one behind closed doors and waiting. This salad looks incredible- definitely appreciating those additions of feta and pepitas :)
Kate
Oh my goodness. That sounds terrifying. I’m so glad your dog is ok! xo
Emma
So pleased all is well with your Cookie girl. Chocolate has fatal consequences for our beloved (although I do know of one very greedy Kelpie who managed to demolish an Easter egg with no harm done! It was the stealthy removal from the bag, the quiet departure to the garden and THEN taking the egg from the box AND hard plastic packaging which had me swinging between fits of giggles and panic about the potential harm to one very contented looking dog!).
Covert operations are obviously a trait of the breed, as our present VG Kelpie managed to carefully remove a small biscuit from the top of a coffee cup (which was carefully placed out of reach!) on a storage container on top of the kitchen table. Not a drop of coffee spilled during the exercise!!
Love your recipes, and am always so delighted you offer variations in your notes for vegan or gluten free. Looking forward to trying this recipe. xxx
Kate
I’m giggling over here about your kelpie! Sounds like Cookie. She’s an ornery, agile, food-obsessed pup. So nice to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes. Thank you, Emma!
Marijana
This salad looks amazing and suits my taste absolutely 100%! Thank you for this great recipe, gotta give it a try asap. Great blog & work!
★★★★★
Zoe
Sounds great! I might make it later this week.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Zoe! Hope you love it.
Zoe
Hope cookie gets better fast! The recipe sounds great. I can’t wait to try it.
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
I hope Cookie is feeling better! This salad looks absolutely delicious — it’s exactly the way I like to lunch! And hey, I’m all about a zippy, vinaigrette!
Kate
Thanks, Lisa. She’s pretty much back to normal now, thankfully!
Kathy
This salad looks delicious and I really like the addition of cilantro along with the parsley. Definitely will make this for lunches. This Fall, I have made your Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas twice already and will be taking it on Thanksgiving. Do you have a favorite source for pepitas and do you buy them in bulk or packaged? You make beautiful food!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Kathy. So glad you are enjoying my salads. I usually buy pepitas in the bulk bin section at Hy-Vee, Whole Foods, etc. I don’t like the kind that Trader Joe’s sells!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
Fresh, simple and beautiful. Love this! And so glad to hear Cookie is doing well, it’s so scary when those pups snatch something they shouldn’t!
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! She is an ornery one. It was great to see you at Chopped, hope to see you again soon!
Sara @ Last Night's Feast
This looks delicious!
Kate
Thanks, Sara!
Jodi
Made this and it is delicious! I didn’t have any Pepitas so added Cranberries instead.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jodi! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!
Lillian Betancourt
Sorry to hear about Cookie, I hope she is fine. Thank you for still sharing this lovely recipe. I love falafel and this reminds of a super healthy alternative!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Lillian! She’s about 95% better now, thankfully. I kind of had hummus in mind when I came up with this salad! Now I want some falafel to go with it. :)
Sarah
Cookie likes to keep you on your toes, huh? Between escaping before and now stealing chocolate of the counter. She’s just as mischievous as she is cute! ;)
This salad looks like the perfect cure for a stressful day. Love the sound of the lemon-tahini dressing!
Kate
Yes, she’s always keeping me on my toes! Such an ornery pup. Thanks, Sarah!
Perla
Loved loved loved this salad! My entire family loved it! Its bright and light bc of the dressing, but also warm and filling bc of the quinoa! Unfortunately, I had a chickpea mishap so I substituted avocado. LOL
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I bet avocado would be great.
Amy
Going to try this one tonight! I love chickpeas and quinoa and I’m excited to combine them! I love the story about Cookie eating your cake. My Gala stole a can of powdered cappuccino mix once… I did the peroxide method and she puked foamy cappuccino all over. So gross!
★★★★★
Kate
Haha, guess Gala did the work of an espresso machine for you! Dogs can be so gross sometimes. But cute all of the time.
pia
Hi Kate,
I tried this yummy salad yesterday, and it´s so good! I omited the Chees with Olives as you surgested and went for White bean rather then chickpeas, as that was what had on Hand. very yummy – still saved some for lunch today;-) also I added a tiny spoon of maplesyrup to the Dressing… sorry i didn´t take any pics… next time.
thanks for your beautifull Bolg
Pia*
★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Pia! Your version sounds great.
Mary Lou VanBrocklin
I love your recipes but I do not see the nutritional information and I like to keep track of this on my phone app. Am I missing it somewhere?
Kate
Hi Mary Lou, I’m sorry, I don’t have nutrition info yet. I’m working on it, but you can always run recipes through a nutrition calculator such as myfitnesspal.com.
Rosanne
I just made your Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea salad and it was so delicious and the flavors were a perfect! I had to make a substitution in the dressing because my tahini had passed it’s prime :). I used 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil in it’s place. I also increased the garlic to 2 cloves to suit my taste. This is one of my favorite salads for sure!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Rosanne! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Good idea on the sesame oil!
Julie
Loved this salad! I added avocado as a topping to mine. So delicious and easy to make!
Kate
Thanks, Julie! Bet it was extra tasty with avocado.
Nancy
I made this salad tonight and it was delicious. All of the ingredients are perfect together. We have enjoyed all of your recipes that we have tried so far!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you so much, Nancy! Really glad to hear that.
Bites for Foodies
I love this! It reminds me of a recipe that I’ve made in the past however, this sounds better, lol!
Vicky
Wow! The Tahini Dressing ist awesome, I think it will work also for other salads. And the toasted pepitas make the difference! Don’t skipp toasting!
Greetings from Germany :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Vicky! That tahini dressing and freshly toasted pepitas are two of my favorite things. So glad you enjoyed it!
linda
I made this with kale and toasted my quinoa before cooking…..it was delicious! Love the flavor!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh yum! Thank you, Linda!
Leili
Hello Kate
I am a new follower and the salad was a hit.
I didn’t have parsley and replaced with mint and did not have green onion and replaced with half red onion.
Thank you!
Kate
Thanks, Leili! Your version sounds delicious!
Kelsey
YUMMMMMMM!!! Just made a salad inspired by this with what I had in the fridge, but followed the dressing to a T. Absolutely delish.
Within the past week, my kids and I have also made your healthy-ish pumpkin bread into muffins (with cranberries & mini chocolate chips), your honey lemon curd for birthday cake filling, and your healthy-ish banana bread into blueberry breakfast muffins. Clearly we’re huge fans. =)
Thanks for doing what you do! Your work is so appreciated!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Kelsey, belated thank you for your kind words! I’m so glad you all have been enjoying my recipes. Hope you’re having a great day!
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect
Ooh I hope Cookie is OK, they’re really not good with chocolate are they?
This salad looks wonderful, I love things like this, so nice Kate.
Kate
Thanks, Angela! She’s doing well now. Chocolate can be really dangerous. :(
Heidi
This sounds delicious….will get some fresh herbs and make tomorrow … Thanks
Kate
Hope you loved it, Heidi!
Sharon Mustos
Hi. This looks great and I am about to make this. Please note that you did not include the tahini in your dressing instructions–I’m sure that was just an oversight but I was puzzled for a bit.
Kate
Sharon, thank you for pointing that out! I just fixed it.
Kecia
Mmmmm! Kate, the salad is delicious! Just like you I enjoy a little zest in my dressing. I also love garlic so I added a tablespoon of minced in the dressing. Came out wonderful! I’m trying to limit my portions right now. Not happening. LOL!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Kecia! I definitely polished off that whole bowl myself, no regrets. So much good stuff in there. :)
Valencia @ Life of a Vegaholic
Glad that cookie is okay! I love chickpeas and I just hopped onto the quinoa bandwagon (I know I’m a little late to the party). This salad looks so fresh!
Kate
Thanks, Valencia! She’s better now. Quinoa is great in salads like these!
Lisa Autumn
omg! I cannot wait to try this.. always love to discover new vegetarian recipes!
Kate
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you love it. All of my recipes are vegetarian, so you’re in a good place!
Ron and Marsha
Wonderful healthy recipe! We had this for lunch yesterday, along with fresh orange slices. In a word…..perfect!
Kate
Thank you, Ron and Marsha! I appreciate it.
Sophie
I have made this twice already since you posted it, Kate. A great combination of flavors, especially with the parsley and cilantro together. This will certainly be going into our regular repertoire.
Kate
Thank you, Sophie! Delighted to hear it. :)
Rachel
Made this tonight as listed in recipe to have for lunches this week. I really liked it. The dressing is what makes it but it also has a pleasant variety of textures. I am not a vegetarian but I am trying to eat more vegetables so I appreciate your site as the recipes never seem like they are “missing” something or require weird meat substitutes.
Kate
Thanks, Rachel! I appreciate that. :)
Cathy
Kate I just made this for the 2nd time last night! You have really outdone yourself with this delicious and satisfying salad! I can’t gush over it enough how flavorful and satisfying it is – and you feel great after eating it! I followed your recipe exactly, except I did not have pepitas and so used walnuts instead which went very well with it, and I ended up squeezing some more lemon juice on it just because I like things extra lemony. Thank you so much for coming up with this gem!!
★★★★★
Katie
Well, this is just delicious, Kate. One problem – I now want to douse EVERYTHING in that lemon tahini dressing. Thanks!
★★★★★
Debra Duncan
This was a massive hit! I made 1.5 times the recipe to have left-overs for lunch. Then this weekend I made a Xmas version, using goji berries (these I tossed into the quinoa whilst it was doing that last-minute steaming business & had the added advantage of sucking up any of that left-over water), toasted macadamia nuts and a blackberry balsamic vinegar dressing. I used chopped kale instead of parsley. Vegan and totally divine, and very colourful.
★★★★★
Mary
My neighbor brought this salad to our Christmas party in the ‘hood. I loved it and am making it for my work team’s celebration lunch tomorrow. I was surprised that you suggested it could be completed, dressing and all and hold to serve another day! Hope that works!
Ingrid
Delicious! I had to use peanut butter instead of tahini because none of the stores open around me carried it, but this salad is still great.
★★★★
Stacy
Kate,
This salad is so good. I made it for my husband and he ate half the bowl in one sitting. Made it again for dinner at my sister’s and they loved it. It was requested for Christmas dinner. My nephew’s wife is vegan, so we will serve the feta on the side. I already printed up several copies of the recipe because I know everyone will ask for it. Thanks for such a yummy recipe, and easy and nutritious!
★★★★★
TB
Loved this. Served it as a side with pan-fried fish and the combo was perfection. Served it as a side of a roasted potato & broccoli mixture and that was scrumptious as well. Nom!
★★★★★
Sophia
This salad is so good, definitely one of the best I’ve had or made in a long time. It’s the perfect post-workout meal for a vegetarian because it is packed with protein and greens! And the dressing is delicious!
★★★★★
kate
Based on the contents of our fridge/pantry, we had a salad of quinoa, arugula, chickpeas, parsley and pine nuts with the tahini dressing as written. It was really wonderful and satisfying! Look forward to trying the “correct” version.
★★★★★
Melanie
Hi Kate! I found myself looking for a healthy way to eat some quinoa and I knew I could find something on your site. This salad was so yummy! I love tahini and have been wondering how I could use it as a dressing–this was the perfect recipe. I almost went without the pepitas but I’m glad I decided to add them because they bring a nice texture variation. But I bet you already knew that ;) Thanks for this great salad recipe made with mostly household staples. I’ll totally be making this again!
★★★★★
Kate
This makes me happy, Melanie! And yes, the pepitas give a much-needed crunch :)
Grace
I keep coming back to your recipes and each time, I am not let down with the quality and taste. This quinoa chickpea salad has a beautiful creaminess that I pairs so well with the chickpeas. Just one modification I added was some sweet peppers I diced up to add more color and a bright, juicy crunch that offsets the creaminess going on. I’m withholding the feta cheese because it just doesn’t even need it, and makes it that much easier with a lactose intolerant family member :)
★★★★★
Kate
Your version sounds awesome, Grace. Glad it worked out for everyone’s needs.
Marie-Charlotte
Amazing! So flavorful! Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Marie-Charlotte!
Adena
YUM! I made this for a potluck and it was a huge hit. I added about double the amount of lemon to the dressing. I also don’t like cilantro, so I used parsley instead. This is a great side dish. Thank you so so much!
★★★★★
Riddhi
Wonderful Recipie. I am gonna try tomorrow for sure. Already preparing my grocery list now
Can I ask how much calorie 1 bowl of salad could be ?
Thanks,
Kate
Hi, Riddhi. Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. Thanks!
Ginger
I loved this salad! I added the entire 1/4 cup of lemon juice plus the juice of another lemon — I like it tangy. The feta was a nice addition. I didn’t have any pipitas on hand, but will definitely try it with the roasted pipitas the next time.
Kate
Sounds extra-tangy, Ginger. Thanks!
Jonny
This salad is absolutely delicious! Being vegan, I substituted Kalamata olives for feta cheese (as Kate suggested). Also, I chopped and added a leftover tomato that really needed to be used up. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. This is just the thing for a spring day in sunny, warm Phoenix. Thanks so much for this one, Kate. It’s a huge hit at our house.
Kate
Oh, I’m already feeling jealous of that sunshine, Jonny! So happy everyone loves the salad. Enjoy your warm days!
Jennifer
Wow! This might be my new favorite recipe. I’m new to your blog and this is the second recipe I have tried – both have been amazing! Looking forward to your cookbook release in May. Congrats!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad you found my blog.
Quinn
Hi Kate. I was just wondering if I plan to make the salad ahead of time, would you recommend storing the salad and dressing separately? Many thanks in advance.
Kate
Absolutely! That’s always good practice to keep things from getting wilted or soggy.
Margaret
This recipe is the third recipe of yours I’ve tried, and like the other two, it’s super delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Yes! Three out of three! I hope I can keep up the winning streak. :)
Allison
I just made this salad with the toasted sesame oil substitution for tahini (couldn’t find it at the store and didn’t feel like making another stop on my errands yesterday). It’s three days of lunch for me and it’s delicious. I’ve been trying to do salads for lunches lately to save money and eat better, and this one and the Mexican-ish kale & quinoa salad have been staples for me. I love adding the grain to the salad to make it heartier and more of a complete meal.
Kate
I’m so glad this one fit the bill, Allison! Thanks.
Ciara
I made this at college last semester for a thanskgiving potluck among volunteer farmers on the student farm. Everyone loved it, me among the everyone, so thank you for this recipe!
I have just made it again–I added peas and broccoli, and used argula and walnuts instead of pepitas and spinach. (I think I added brocoli and peas the first time too–I always add more vegetables)
:D
Kate
Yes! The more veggies, the better. I’m always an advocate for that. I’m so glad you and your friends enjoyed it!
Mandy
I make this almost every weekend to take with me to work for lunch during the week. I have celiac disease so I’m always looking for new GF recipes. This is so delicious. I use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds and also add pomegranate craisins. Divine! Thank you for sharing!
Kate
Yum! Those craisins sound sweet and delicious, Mandy. I’ll have to try that.
Beckie
simple and oh so tasty!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Beckie!
Mary Bowles
Made this last night,excellent!Taking some with me for today’s lunch.I did add a few chopped kalamata olives and I used red quinoa.
Kate
Yum! Sounds delicious, Mary.
Meghan
This is my new favorite summer salad! I love the herbs (especially cilantro) and the bite of the pumpkin seeds. It tastes so fresh!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Meghan!
Sarah
Made this for the first time last week for a cookout and everyone was raving and taking seconds! Major winner! Added a little sriracha and honey to the dressing for a little extra something :) and sun dried tomatoes!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds kicky and delicious, Sarah! I’m so glad everyone loved this.
Kristen
Just made this for my work lunches this week and had enough for my lunch today as well (I doubled the recipe). My husband reluctantly tried a bite and then was surprised at how tasty the salad was! And he served himself some salad as well! Next time, I think I’ll try adding some craisins and leaving out the feta. We love the dressing! We are not vegetarian, but I’m desperately trying to add more vegetables / beans / nuts & seeds to my diet and this was perfect.
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try another salad recipe next weekend.
Kate
Hey, Kristen! Thanks. I’m glad both of you were pleasantly surprised!
Katie
I plan on using this as a side dish to my lunch meals. This should last 3 days. Just wondering if i should leave the dressing off until i am ready to eat the meal. I don’t want it to become soggy.
Kate
Hi, Katie. I think it’s a good idea to keep the salad dressing separate, and then dress it right before eating. I hope this works out!
Robbin Allen
Any idea of calorie count?
Kate
Hi, Robbin! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
Max
This is epic. So so good.
★★★★★
Kate
YES! Thanks, Max.
Zo87
I made this for my lunch for the week. I roasted my canned chickpeas with cayenne, oregano, salt & pepper. I also added some cucumbers and tomatoes to make it a meal. Turned out really good!!
★★★★★
Kate
Yum! Thanks, Zo!
macfadden
Made this to bring to work for lunch this week. Very tasty. Bought your cookbook, too, without even checking it out of the library first as a test run. Everything I’ve tried from your blog has been delicious and my idea of healthy, so I decided to add it to my cart for free shipping. So far, it’s looking like a very good impulse buy.
★★★★★
Cass
I made this last night and it turned out great! Definitely one of my new faves. I did toss my chickpeas in a skillet with a little olive oil and spices, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. I think it will be even better today:) Any salad that combines chickpeas AND cilantro has to be great…right? Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
Sometimes the second day is the best day! All the the flavors marinate. Yes! Thank you, Cass.
Lori
I want to make the vegan version without feta, but I’m not a fan of olives either. I’m thinking 1 T. capers might be a comparable swap? Or maybe some chopped or thinly sliced roasted red peppers, though those wouldn’t give the same salty profile of feta, olives, or capers. I’d like to make this for a potluck at work, and I want there to be at least one dish there (mine) that I will be able to eat. :)
Kate
Hi Lori – Capers are a great substitute if you aren’t a fan of olives! Let me know what you think.
Lori Panchisin
I took this to our Christmas potluck at work last week, and I got several compliments on it. I also referred your website to three people that wanted the recipe. I chose to use all parsley instead of using cilantro. I used about 1 tablespoon capers and roughly chopped them. It was so delicious, and I was glad that there was some leftover to bring back home for lunches! I’m saving this recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
★★★★★
Laura
Hi Kate,
This recipe was delicious and very satisfying. I made a few substitutions. I subbed fresh sorrel greens from my CSA box for spinach, chives for green onions, all cilantro instead of parsley, and red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. I am vegan and I took your suggestion of adding thinly sliced olives (I used green ones).
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Those sound like great substitutions, Laura. Thank you for your review!
Nicole Wagner
Another amazing recipe from CookieandKate! My wife and I finished every last drop of this salad, even though I had planned on leftovers and she asked “can we have this dressing on everything?!!
So satisfying and delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! So happy to hear that. I really appreciate your comment and review.
Cindy
I was looking for something quick and healthy to make for work last week. I had all the ingredients on hand, so I pulled this together rather quick. The team loved it! I had two people ask if they can take the leftovers home.
★★★★
Kate
I love when I have all the ingredients on hand! Thanks for sharing and for your review, Cindy. I’m glad it was a hit.
Anna
Just made this for my lunch this week and it’s delicious! Easy to make and tastes so fresh and delicious!
★★★★
Kate
Happy you think so, Anna! I appreciate the comment and review.
Carla
Hi there! Can I make this ahead by just a night?
Kate
Sure! This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Amorell
I love this salad! I serve it with a sliced hard-boiled egg on top. Its healthy and full of vegetarian protein. I make it regularly. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Amorell!
Maria
I cooked some quinoa but only put some pomegranite seeds in it and it tasted quite refreshing and simple
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Maria!
Teresa
I simply love all that you post. Especially the prep videos! Love your Cookie I have a Ziggy like your fur baby. Please keep up the research on new dishes. I tried the pesto with spinach and almonds because basil doesn’t like me. You expanded my interests. I had gotten my first exposure on PBS the French chef on pesto exchanges. I want to try pumpkin seeds and other greens. Thank you Teresa
★★★★★
Kate
I so happy to hear that! I love the video myself, but glad you think they are helpful. Thanks so much for your comment.
Janelle Camp
Yum, loved this recipe and there was enough left over for lunch. I added some raw red capsicum and baby tomatoes. Hm Hmmm! Love your recipes.
Janelle, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia xx
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Janelle!
Z
Thank you for yet another amazing recipe. I made this last night: added a carrot and a red bell pepper and absolutely loved it!
★★★★★
Alisa
Loved this recipe!!! Made extra dressing and couldn’t find tahini so I substituted with sunflower butter plus a bit of sesame oil and it was still delicious!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a great alternative! Thanks for sharing, Alisa.
Sarah
I’ve been trying to be healthier and better at meal prepping instead of eating out. Whenever I look for new recipes, I keep coming back to yours! Easy to make and simple with wholesome ingredients!! Thank you! I just made this today to have lunch throughout the week, and I’m thawing some of the spicy black bean soup (your recipe too) that I froze to have for dinner throughout the week. Thank you for sharing your creations! Delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
That sounds like a delicious combination, Sarah!
Kelly
This is delicious! Pretty simple to make, the tahini lemon dressing is awesome! I love your site Kate, I feel like it’s the jackpot for healthy vegetarian recipes :) Your recipes are easy to follow and your tips are always helpful. Definitely my go-to, I’ve never been disappointed, thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you like the dressing! Thanks for your review, Kelly.
Sunita
Really yummy and easy salad! I omitted the feta and added 2 shredded carrots and some sliced red grapes for sweet, tart bursts throughout. I thought the grapes complimented the other textures and flavours nicely.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Sunita.
Stephanie
Just made this and it’s outstanding! I used sunflower seeds instead of pepitas (because I’m cheap, haha!), but it was still amazing! 5 stars!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Sunflower seeds add a nice crunch, too.
Maxwell
I stumbled across this recipe from another site, and just made it, and it is straight fire. I made enough for a few meals and it’s absolutely perfect for a protein filled salad with lots of flavor.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Maxwell!
Leslie
So delicious! A hearty salad and the dressing was flavorful but not overwhelming. I added extra spinach for more green. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Leslie!
Jaimie
My absolute favourite salad and always adored by those who I serve it to. Yum!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jaimie!