Crispy Quinoa Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing

If my crispy rice salads were your go-to recipe in 2024, then you are going to love my newest creation: this Crispy Quinoa Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing. It swaps the crispy rice for fiber-filled crispy quinoa that perfect pairs with the mediterranean-inspired flavors of chickpeas, feta cheese, fresh herbs, and olives, all atop a bed of crisp sliced cucumbers. Plus, it’s all finished off with a creamy tahini-based dressing that is dairy-free and absolutely delicious. What’s not to love?

Friends, we are back with another crispy cucumber salad – but this time, instead of making crispy rice, we’re making crispy quinoa. If you haven’t followed my blog or Instagram over the past few months (if this is your first time here, then HIIIII!) then you may not have seen my Viral Crispy Rice Salads that have been taking the internet by storm. With over 50+ million views and counting, these salads start with a base of crisp and refreshing Persian cucumbers. Then, they are loaded with toppings such as red onions, fresh herbs, and chopped nuts and filled with proteins ranging from tender cooked chicken to flaky salmon. Finally, everything is finished off with a creamy dressing before the crispy rice is added in. The result? A salad that is bursting in different flavors, textures, and crunch. This time, the rice gets swapped for crispy quinoa, a true superfood that is naturally gluten-free and filled with fiber. If you’re looking for a salad that will meet all of your nutritional needs while being anything but boring, this is it!

Part of the reason why I love these salads so much is that they’re perfect for meal-prep. Simply prepare the dressing and the crispy quinoa ahead of time. Then, once you’re ready to enjoy this salad, just chop the cucumber, red onion, and herbs, and add them to a bowl alongside a big scoop of the crispy quinoa and a generous pour of the dressing. If you’re someone who loves to eat salads for lunch, or serve them alongside a protein with dinner, then you are going to love this recipe. Don’t believe me yet? Run to your kitchen and make it, and you’ll see just why these crispy salads have gone so viral!

What You Need to Make This Vegetarian-Friendly Salad

• Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats and is the perfect base for the dressing.
• Tahini: If you’re new here, then you may not know that tahini is one of my favorite ingredients! It’s a salty Middle Eastern paste made from ground sesame seeds and is absolutely delicious in this dressing.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Of course, it wouldn’t be a Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing without the balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is slightly sweet and tangy, adding the best flavor to this dressing.
• Lemon Juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice helps to cut through the thickness of the tahini and adds the perfect tangy taste.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness to this dressing. Don’t skip this!
• Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. It adds a light and fresh flavor to the dressing that truly can’t be beat.
• Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds just the right amount of seasoning to the dressing.
• Quinoa: Of course, in order to make the crispy quinoa, you’ll need cooked quinoa. While you can cook the quinoa according to any method, I recommend trying out my method that leads to the perfectly cooked quinoa, every time!
• Persian Cucumbers: Petite, Persian cucumbers are perfect for this salad. They are small and crunchy, which means that they won’t get soggy in this salad. If you don’t have Persian cucumbers, you can also opt to use an English cucumber instead.
• Red Onion: Sliced red onion tastes tangy and delicious in this recipe.
• Garbanzo Beans: Garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas, are one of my favorite plant-based ways to bulk up a recipe. Not only are they a cheap and easy protein that also happens to be plant-based, but they’re also full of healthy fats.
• Green Olives: Pick your favorite green olive variety and use it in this recipe! I prefer castelvetrano olives, but any variety of green olive works just as well.
• Fresh Mint & Dill: The combination of fresh mint and dill adds a light and refreshing taste to this salad that is truly unbeatable!
• Feta Cheese: Tangy, crumbled feta cheese pairs perfectly with the Mediterranean-inspired flavors in this salad, making for the perfect finishing touch.
• Pistachios: Chopped, salted pistachios add a crunchy touch to this salad that ties it all together.

How to Make This Crispy Cucumber Salad

To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy quinoa. Cook the quinoa according to your preferred method and set it aside – this is my method! Once the quinoa is cooked, preheat your oven to 375 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the cooked quinoa to it, alongside the olive oil and sea salt. Toss until the quinoa is fully coated in the oil and seasonings. Spread the quinoa out evenly across the baking sheet, then transfer to the oven and allow the quinoa to bake for 20 minutes, until it’s nice and crispy. Be sure to open the oven and stir the quinoa every 10 minutes, to ensure that it cooks evenly.

Once the quinoa is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Next, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, tahini, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside.

Finally, prepare the salad. Thinly slice the Persian cucumbers and red onion and add them to a bowl alongside the garbanzo beans, green olives, fresh mint, fresh dill, feta cheese, and pistachios. Add the crispy quinoa to the salad, then pour the dressing on top. Toss the salad until everything is evenly coated in the dressing, then serve and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Home | Recipe | Salads

5 from 4 votes

Crispy Quinoa Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing

• Gluten Free
• Refined Sugar Free

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

If my crispy rice salads were your go-to recipe in 2024, then you are going to love my newest creation: this Crispy Quinoa Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing. It swaps the crispy rice for fiber-filled crispy quinoa that perfect pairs with the mediterranean-inspired flavors of chickpeas, feta cheese, fresh herbs, and olives, all atop a bed of crisp sliced cucumbers. Plus, it's all finished off with a creamy tahini-based dressing that is dairy-free and absolutely delicious. What's not to love?

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Servings: 6 Servings

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Ingredients

For the Creamy Tahini Balsamic Dressing:

• ▢ ½ Cup Olive Oil
• ▢ ¼ Cup Tahini
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• ▢ ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• ▢ 2 Cloves Garlic
• ▢ ½ Teapsoon Sea Salt
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

For the Crispy Quinoa:

• ▢ 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa, this is my method for making the perfect quinoa, every time!
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt

For the Salad:

• ▢ 6 Persian Cucumbers, sliced or chopped thin
• ▢ ½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 15 Ounce Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ ½ Cup Green Olives, pits removed and chopped
• ▢ ½ Cup Fresh Mint, chopped
• ▢ ½ Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• ▢ ¼ Cup Fresh Dill, chopped
• ▢ ½ Cup Roasted and Salted Pistachios, chopped

Instructions 

1. To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy quinoa. Cook the quinoa according to your preferred method and set it aside – this is my method!
2. Once the quinoa is cooked, preheat your oven to 375 F.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the cooked quinoa to it, alongside the olive oil and sea salt. Toss until the quinoa is fully coated in the oil and seasonings.
4. Spread the quinoa out evenly across the baking sheet, then transfer to the oven and allow the quinoa to bake for 20 minutes, until it's nice and crispy. Be sure to open the oven and stir the quinoa every 10 minutes, to ensure that it cooks evenly.
5. Once the quinoa is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
6. Next, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, tahini, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside.
7. Finally, prepare the salad. Thinly slice the Persian cucumbers and red onion and add them to a bowl alongside the garbanzo beans, green olives, fresh mint, fresh dill, feta cheese, and pistachios.
8. Add the crispy quinoa to the salad, then pour the dressing on top.
9. Toss the salad until everything is evenly coated in the dressing, then serve and enjoy!

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Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 8gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 557mgPotassium: 388mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 503IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 135mgIron: 2mg