Avocado Quinoa Salad

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This delicious Chickpea Cucumber and Quinoa Salad is loaded with fluffy quinoa, crisp veggies, chickpeas, avocados, salty green olives, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. It makes a great vegan lunch on its own, or a side paired with chicken, salmon, or steak for dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes!

Top view of chickpea quinoa salad with avocado in a white salad bowl.

If you love a hearty salad filled with flavor, this Mediterranean chickpea cucumber salad I made with quinoa and avocados is for you! You can add in some crumbled feta cheese but I decided to skip this to make this salad a vegan option. It is a simple salad that is wholesome, filling, and a great salad or light lunch option.

I love serving this chickpea salad recipe with some grilled chicken like my grilled chicken kafta, this healthy shrimp scampi, and this seared steak and mushroom recipe.

Summary

Nutrient-rich: This quinoa salad is filled with vegetables, plant-based protein, and many essential vitamins and minerals. You can choose to enjoy this as a well-balanced vegetarian main or a healthy side dish.
So tasty: The combination of crisp vegetables, creamy avocado, hearty quinoa, nutty chickpeas, and a tangy dressing creates a refreshing flavor profile. You’re going to love it!
Quick and easy: Once you have the quinoa cooked, this salad comes together in no time at all. To make this even quicker, prep the fresh ingredients while the quinoa cooks. Since you don’t have to worry about lettuce wilting, and the salad lasts several days in the fridge, this recipe is great for meal prep, too!
Versatile: This recipe is customizable! Not a fan of green olives? No big deal, use black olives or leave them out. Prefer roasted red peppers over fresh bell peppers? Use that! There are so many ways to mix things up and use what you already have in your kitchen.

Tossing a quinoa salad with salad tongs.

Ingredients needed

This chickpea cucumber salad recipe with avocado is filled with plant-based protein from quinoa and chickpeas, crisp veggies, and a simple, light lemon dressing. It’s also vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free! Here’s everything you’ll need:

Quinoa: Use any quinoa you like best! We went with regular, white quinoa for this recipe.
Chickpeas: They add protein, fiber, and wonderful texture to the salad.
Veggies: A mix of green olives, English cucumber, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and red onion adds freshness, nutrients, and crunch!
Avocado: Use one large Hass avocado for major creaminess.
Lemon: Lemon zest and juice add brightness.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a slight tang.
Extra-virgin olive oil: Combines with the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar to dress the salad.
Kosher salat and pepper: To taste!

A bowl of uncooked quinoa near a cucumber, cherry tomatoes, an avocado, onion, bell pepper, a lemon and a bowl of green olives.

How to make chickpea cucumber salad

Once you’ve chopped the vegetables, this salad comes together in no time! Here’s the simple process:

Cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa under cold water, then add the water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Allow the cooked quinoa to completely cool.
Prep the vegetables: Meanwhile, prepare the veggies and add them to a large mixing bowl.

Chopped cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion.

Combine: Add in the quinoa, chickpeas, olives, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and oil.
Serve: Season to your taste and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Green olives, avocado, cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber added to a white salad bowl.

Avocado quinoa salad served in a white bowl with a large wooden spoon.

Recipe tips

English cucumber: We recommend the longer, more narrow English cucumber rather than a regular cucumber. English cucumbers are sweeter and contain very few seeds. They are much more likely to stay fresher longer and less likely to become soggy.
To cool the quinoa quickly: You don’t want the quinoa to be hot when you combine it with the fresh vegetables. To cool it quickly, place it in the freezer and toss occasionally until cooled.
To take the bite out of the onions: If onions are a bit strong for your taste, soak them in a small bowl with cold water while you prep the other ingredients.
Add the dressing just before serving: To keep the salad fresh, it’s best to toss the salad with the lemon juice, olive oil and apple cider vinegar just before serving.

Frequently asked questions

What can I put in my quinoa salad?

Quinoa pairs well with a variety of ingredients from meats to veggies and herbs. Sometimes we also include greens like chopped fresh spinach, arugula, or massaged kale. You can dress the salad with any favorite dressing or just use a simple mix of olive oil and lemon juice. Finish it off with some grated or crumbled cheese, if you’d like.

Can you eat quinoa cold?

Quinoa is quick to cook and is delicious and served both warm and cold. With salads like this one that are made with crisp cucumbers and fresh juicy tomatoes, it’s best served chilled.

Do you have to rinse quinoa?

Yes! However, sometimes quinoa can taste bitter, but there is an easy fix. Quinoa has a coating that contains saponins, bitter-tasting bioactive compounds. To remove them, place the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under running water while agitating the seeds.

Can I use canned chickeas?

Yes. Even though you can cook your chickpeas from scratch, I often just use canned chickpeas. Just make sure you drain well and rinse before using in salads.

top view of round white bowl with quinoa and avocado salad with chickpeas, olives, and tomatoes

Variations

Add more protein: If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, add in some chopped grilled honey mustard chicken or serve alongside this crispy baked salmon!
Use different veggies: You can add in whatever you have in your fridge or whatever sounds good to you. Artichoke hearts, snap peas, corn, or sliced mushrooms would be delicious in this salad.
Add some sweetness: Change up the flavor and enjoy some chewy texture with dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, golden raisins, or chopped dates.
Add nuts and/or cheese: Sprinkle on some toasted nuts like peanuts, almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Some crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese would also be a welcome addition.

Serving suggestions

Quinoa salad goes great with everything from burgers like my homemade hamburger or this flying Dutchman burger to steaks like this Teriyaki steak. Here are some great pairing options:

Storage recommendations

This easy quinoa salad will keep well for about 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

Closeup of vegetable quinoa salad served with a wooden serving spoon.

More salad recipes

ebook cover with taco salad bowl in the image.

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Chickpea Cucumber Quinoa Salad