Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Quinoa Salad (Power Salad)

Name: Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Quinoa Salad (Power Salad)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa (or ½ cup uncooked); 1 cup matchstick carrots; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained; ⅓ cup chopped dates; ⅓ cup golden raisins; ¼ cup chopped pistachios; 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped; ½ teaspoon cumin powder; 1/3 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup or brown sugar); ½ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (black pepper or chili powder)

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Color, texture, and crunch! This Moroccan-inspired chickpea quinoa salad has it all! We’re using carrots, fresh parsley, medjool dates, and golden raisins to make this salad extra special. Serve as a main course or as a side!

chickpea quinoa salad in wooden bowl with wooden serving spoons

Guys. I’m on a salad binge.

It’s all about the rainbow of veggies/dried fruit in this Moroccan quinoa chickpea salad drizzled with possibly THE easiest honey lemon dressing.

We take our salads seriously around here.

As in, we like salads that are loaded with color, flavor, and crunch. I’m kinda still in awe over a bowl of good-for-you salad that will keep you going, but only calls for simple ingredients is packed with veggies. It’s also one of those kitchen sink side dishes or mains that I can make when my vegan friends come to visit without having to feel guilty that they won’t feel full afterwards.

Let’s get into this Quinoa Salad situation – we’ve got fluffy, cooked quinoa, shredded carrots, a whole can of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), and fresh herbs, like, flat-leaf parsley and green onions. Also in the mix is some golden raisins, dates, and one handful of chopped pistachios. Toss that all up and drizzle with the honey lemon dressing. And just look at all that beautiful color!

And that honey lemon dressing! It’s as simple as tossing a little cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and a hint of chili power and a quick shake-y shake in a mason jar.

Let’s talk about how this is the perfect power salad for lunches, picnics, and barbecues.

Moroccan chickpea salad to the rescue indeed!

bowl of quinoa salad showing carrots, pistachios, chickpeas and parsley

Ingredients for a quinoa power salad:

Cooked Quinoa: this whole grain is naturally gluten-free and contains tons of antioxidants. It’s considered a completely protein – making it ideal to include in a vegan or vegetarian diet. You can find this ingredient in most grocery stores and it’s also available online here.
Matchstick Carrots: add vibrance to the salad and is great source of fiber. They also contain vitamin K and calcium.
Green Onions: or scallions add the same taste as onions do without any of that harsh bite.
Chickpeas: has tons of fiber which keeps you nice and full. It adds bulk to the salad so that you don’t get hungry quickly.
Dates: have tons of fiber and give this salad a nice pop of sweetness.
Raisins: I like to use golden raisins for this recipe because they are typically used in Moroccan cuisine, but feel free to swap this for any variety you like.
Pistachios: adds color and crunch. Give them a rough chop so you get a little bit in every bite!
Parsley: adds lots of color! We’re using a full bunch of parsley for this recipe. See notes below for other herbs you can use.
Seasonings: You can play around with the spices in this salad I typically just use some ground cumin, salt and chili powder or cayenne pepper in the dressing. You can swap the cayenne for red pepper flakes to make it a little more mild. You may want to adjust the salad once you’ve tossed the dressing to make sure it’s to your liking.
Olive Oil: this is the heart and soul of the lemon dressing.
Lemon Juice: adds a bright pop of acid and also cuts through the sweeter ingredients like the dates and the raisins.
Honey: this won’t add too much sweetness as we’re only using 1 tablespoon but it does make the dish a bit more balanced.

How to make chickpea quinoa salad:

Cook the quinoa. Start by adding a teaspoon of oil to a saucepan and then sauté the rinsed quinoa for a minute. Sautéing the quinoa really helps amp up the nuttiness of the quinoa and adds free flavor. Then add water and bring the quinoa to a boil. Cover with a lid and let the saucepan stay on the stove over low heat. Fluff the quinoa with a fork when it’s done (or simply follow package directions.) Let the quinoa cool completely before using it in the salad.
Make the dressing. In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, honey, cayenne (or black pepper) cover with a lid and give it a good shake. Taste and then adjust with more seasonings as you prefer.
Toss the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with matchstick carrots, green onions, garbanzo beans, dates, raisins, pistachios, and parsley. Give the mixture a good toss before you add the dressing, and continue to toss until the salad is well combined. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed and you’re ready to serve it up!

Full list of ingredients and instructions below.

dates, parsley, scallions, carrots, and chickpeas tossed with quinoa in wooden bowl

Confessions of a quinoa salad lover:

The substitution or variations for this salad are limitless! Seriously! MAKE IT YOUR OWN. I want to try dried apricots, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, and even try roasting the chickpeas before adding them to the salad to add more crunch. Maybe swapping some of the parsley for cilantro. And I might even use my leftover brown rice in place of quinoa. You could also add other fresh veggies that are chopped into small pieces, use dried cranberries, and cubed feta cheese, or swap the scallions for minced red onion. Seriously, there’s so much you can do here.
Leave off the quinoa, I won’t mind! My other moroccan salad recipe on the blog uses chopped walnuts and skips the quinoa entirely! It’s perfect for when you’re already serving bread/rice on the side and still want this in your life.
It will last! Like, what is considered forever in salad years. As in I tossed this salad with the dressing and packed away the leftovers in the fridge and had them 2 days later and it was still just as delicious. So meal prep this; seriously! The refrigerator time gives the quinoa a chance to soak up all the honey lemon goodness. The carrots, dates, and raisins all have a chance to mesh flavors – which makes it ideal for a desk lunch!
HERBACEOUS! that’s how I describe this chickpea quinoa salad. After all, I am chopping up an entire bunch of flat-leaf parsley and tossing it in like it’s my job. But as I mentioned before, you can swap some of the parsley for mint, chives, cilantro, or even some fresh basil.
Looking for ways to add more protein? I love serving this recipe with garlic parmesan chicken skewers, you can toss is rotisserie chicken, dice up leftover lemon rosemary chicken or honey lemon chicken, and add that to the salad as well.

If you like this recipe, try these:

power salad in bowl with raisins, garbanzo beans, carrots, and wooden spoons

Yield: 6-8 servings