Cucumber Dill Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Arugula - Tastes of Thyme (2024)

February 22, 2023 Side Dishes

This Cucumber Dill Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Arugula is the perfect side salad or main dish. This simple salad recipe is a step up from your classic garden salad. It’s loaded with cucumber, arugula, quinoa, chickpeas, feta cheese, and topped with a delicious dill dressing. Everyone needs a good salad recipe, and this one is good. It’s fresh, with hints of salty and sweet. The perfect combination! This salad would go perfectly along with The Best Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken, or match it up with a great bowl of soup like this Simple Potato and Leek Soup!

What do I need for this Cucumber Dill Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Arugula?

This classic and fresh salad recipes requires a handful of ingredients. The salad can be made up of whatever base you’d like. I used arugula because I love the peppery taste of it. But you can use spinach or lettuce. Read below for everything you’ll need for this cucumber and dill garden salad.

1. Greens – I love adding greens to everything. Use whatever greens you have. I like arugula.
2. Quinoa – This adds protein and carbs to the salad. You’ll need to cook one cup of quinoa.
3. Feta Cheese – I just love adding feta. One cup of crumbled feta cheese is perfect.
4. Chickpeas – Adding a pop of protein here! One can of chickpeas rinsed and drained is needed.
5. Cucumber – A large English cucumber cut into thin rounds is great in this salad. You can also chop it smaller too.

For the simple dill salad dressing!

1. Olive oil – This is the base of the dressing.
2. Dijon Mustard – 2 tablespoons is needed.
3. Honey – One tablespoon of liquid honey sweetens the dressing just enough.
4. Garlic – One medium clove of garlic is used here.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar – 3 tablespoons is needed here, however you can also use lemon juice.
6. Salt – 1/4 teaspoon of salt is used for flavour.
7. Fresh Dill – 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped dill brings all the flavour to this salad recipe!

How to make this Cucumber and Dill Quinoa Salad?

This cucumber and dill quinoa salad with chickpeas and arugula a great salad to prep ahead.

First you want to start off by cooking the quinoa according to the package directions. As soon as you have the quinoa going, make the salad dressing. The salad dressing becomes more flavourful the longer it sits because the dill starts to infuse the dressing more and more.

To make the simple dill salad dressing, combine the olive oil, honey, mustard, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt and dill in a bowl and whisk it together. You can also use a mason jar with a lid and just shake it. Set the dressing aside.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork when it’s done cooking and let it cool.

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, cucumber and chickpeas. Add in the quinoa when it’s done cooling. Toss with the dressing and then sprinkle on the feta cheese and lightly toss the salad again. Now it’s ready for serving!

Tips for making this simple spring quinoa salad?

Salads are an opportunity to create a tasty vegetable dish. If you prefer one vegetable over another, go ahead and use it!

Add on some toasted pine nuts for additional crunch. You won’t regret it.

If you don’t have apple cider vinegar you can use lemon juice.

Add more fresh dill to the salad if you really love dill! It’s fresh and tasty!

Salads always need a bigger bowl than you imagined. Choose the big bowl for ease of tossing.

This recipe makes quite a bit of dressing. Use as much as you like. The amount of dressing is very personal. If you have extra, save it for another salad.

How do I store this quinoa and cucumber salad recipe?

This salad stores quite well for a couple of days without the dressing on it. The arugula will go a bit soft from the acid of the dressing. If you plan to store it for another day, hold off on putting the dressing on it.