Tomato Quinoa Salad

You know those lunches that look plain on paper and then somehow disappear real fast.

This is one of those bowls with fluffy quinoa, juicy tomatoes, chickpeas, green onion, and parsley doing just enough without turning into a whole kitchen event.

I like that it stays bright and simple, because not every salad needs ten bottles and a pep talk.

The chickpeas make it feel more settled and lunch-worthy, which I appreciate when I’m already hungry and slightly dramatic.

I like to keep bowls like this in the no-nonsense lane, and honestly, that’s part of the charm.

If your fridge has odds and ends and you’re trying to make them behave, this one helps.

Watch The Bowl Come Together

Watch the video above if you wanna see the tomato quinoa section come together from the saucepan to the final bowl.

Ingredients You Need

• Water
• Salt
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 2 oz chickpeas, canned or boiled
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium green onion
• 1 tbsp parsley
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil

How To Make Tomato Quinoa Salad

1. 

   Add salt to the water in a small saucepan, then pour in the quinoa and let it cook with the lid on.

   The grains puff up and go tender in the pan before anything else happens.

2. 

   Slice the cherry tomatoes into little rounds and pieces so they spread through the bowl instead of sitting in one red pile.

   I like to cut them pretty small, which helps the bowl eat more easily.

3. 

   Trim the green onion and slice it into thin pieces.

   That bit of sharpness wakes the quinoa up real quick.

4. 

   Chop the parsley fine so it mixes through the bowl instead of clumping in one spot.

   This is the part that makes everything look less beige, thank goodness.

5. 

   Add the cooked quinoa to a bowl with the chickpeas, tomatoes, green onion, and parsley, then season it with salt and black pepper.

   You can see the bowl getting fuller fast at this point, which is always nice.

6. 

   Drizzle in the olive oil right over the top.

   It doesnt look like much, but its enough to coat the quinoa once you stir.

7. 

   Toss the whole bowl until the tomatoes, chickpeas, herbs, and quinoa look evenly mixed.

   You want the parsley and onion tucked through every spoonful, not just hanging out on top.

8. 

   Spoon it into a serving bowl and bring it to the table.

   That glossy little pile is lunch sorted.

Why The Chickpeas Help

Quinoa on its own can feel a little too soft and same, but the chickpeas give the bowl more body and make it feel finished.

The tomatoes and parsley keep it from getting flat, which matters more than people think.

A Few Bowl Notes

Fluff the cooked quinoa before it hits the mixing bowl if you want fewer clumps.

If your tomatoes are extra juicy, that’s actually nice here because the bowl doesn’t use much oil.

Summerfield would probably tell you not to drown it in anything else, and I agree with her on that one.

How I Like To Serve It

I like this cold or room temp straight from the bowl, which keeps the whole thing nice and easy.

You can pile it onto a plate, too, though the rounded bowl feels a little less messy.

Fridge Game Plan

Cover the bowl and chill it if you’re making it ahead.

The tomatoes stay nicest when you eat it within a day or so, because they start softening the quinoa after that.

Questions That Come Up Fast

Do I need canned chickpeas?

Nope,  canned or boiled, so either one works here.

Is there a dressing besides olive oil?

Nope, which is why the bowl stays light and real simple.

Can I eat it warm?

You can, though the finished bowl looks more like something that’s meant to cool down a little before you dig in.

Use The Extra Green Onion

Any extra green onion can go into Quinoa Salad With Feta Recipe or over Quinoa Salad With Avocado.

If you’ve still got parsley left, it fits right into Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe too.

More Wellness Warrior Quinoa Recipes

• Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe
• Quinoa Salad With Avocado
• Quinoa Salad With Feta Recipe
• Quinoa Fruit Salad