High Protein Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
Fresh, filling, and budget-friendly complete protein meal
KEY INFO
Total Cost: £6-10 for 4 servings
Cost per portion: £1.50-2.50
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 main dish portions
Difficulty: Easy (perfect for beginners)
Price level: Very inexpensive
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, High protein, High fiber
Cost Breakdown Per Portion:
- Quinoa: £0.50
- Chickpeas (canned): £0.35
- Fresh vegetables: £0.40-0.60
- Olive oil & lemon: £0.20
- Optional seeds: £0.50-1.00
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Essential:
- Medium saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Colander
- Measuring cups
Cheaper alternatives:
- Use a rice cooker for quinoa (set and forget)
- Buy pre-chopped vegetables when on offer to save time
- Mason jars work perfectly for storage instead of expensive containers
INGREDIENTS
Main components:
- 200g (1 cup) uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (yellow or orange work too)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped (or 3 spring onions for milder taste)
- 25g (1 cup) fresh parsley, chopped (cilantro works brilliantly too)
For the dressing:
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
- 15ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Optional protein boosters:
- 30g (2 tbsp) hemp seeds (adds 10g protein per serving)
- Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (cheaper alternatives)
METHOD
- Cook the quinoa: Bring 500ml water to boil in medium saucepan, add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.
- Rest and cool: Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork and set aside to cool completely. (This step prevents mushy salad!)
- Prep vegetables: While quinoa cooks, dice cucumber and bell pepper, finely chop onion and parsley.
- Make dressing: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper in small bowl.
- Combine ingredients: In large bowl, add chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley.
- Add quinoa: Once completely cool, add quinoa to vegetable mixture.
- Dress and toss: Pour dressing over salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Rest for flavor: Let salad sit 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
CRUCIAL TIPS
Money-saving strategies:
- Buy quinoa and chickpeas in bulk – costs drop by 40%
- Use dried chickpeas when you have time (soak overnight, cook 1 hour) – saves £0.15 per portion
- Shop seasonally for vegetables – bell peppers are cheapest in summer
- Make double batch – keeps perfectly for 4 days
Success secrets:
- Never add quinoa while hot – creates soggy mess
- Rinse canned chickpeas thoroughly to remove metallic taste
- Salt the salad and let it rest – vegetables release natural flavors
- Add delicate herbs just before serving to maintain bright color
Storage wisdom:
- Keeps 4 days refrigerated in airtight container
- Pack in mason jars for grab-and-go lunches
- Store dressing separately if making more than 2 days ahead
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Temperature disasters:
Adding hot quinoa turns everything into mush – learned this the hard way when rushing lunch for a picnic.
Overdressing problems:
Too much dressing makes vegetables weepy and unappetizing by day two.
Cutting corners:
Skipping the quinoa rinse leaves bitter coating that ruins the whole dish.
Brilliant Variations
- Mediterranean twist: Add 50g crumbled feta, handful of kalamata olives, diced tomatoes
- Protein powerhouse: Stir in hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or chopped almonds
- Green goddess: Add 2 handfuls baby spinach or rocket just before serving
- Spice adventure: Include 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika in dressing
- Creamy version: Mash 1/2 avocado into dressing for rich, dairy-free creaminess
Scaling Tips
- For meal prep warriors: Double or triple recipe easily – dressing scales proportionally
- For couples: Halve everything except keep full dressing recipe (stores well separately)
- For crowds: This recipe feeds 8 as generous side dish for BBQs or potlucks
Why This Recipe Works
After years of testing budget-friendly protein sources, this combination delivers complete protein (quinoa provides amino acids that chickpeas lack) while keeping costs under £2.50 per substantial serving.
The secret lies in the acid-forward dressing that brightens every component and keeps the salad fresh-tasting for days.
Each serving packs approximately 15-25g plant protein – more than many meat dishes – plus 12g fiber that keeps you satisfied for hours.
I’ve served this to skeptical meat-eaters who went back for seconds, proving that plant-based doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or satisfaction.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days
Scaling: Doubles perfectly for meal prep
Price level: Very inexpensive – one of the most cost-effective complete protein meals you can make
