It’s about time I brought back this gorgeous quinoa salad. I first made it eight (yes, 8!) years ago, and Abra and I became completely obsessed. I’m pretty sure she still makes it for lunch about once a month because it’s that good.
This Moroccan-inspired quinoa salad is filled with cozy, warming flavors from spices like cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, and packs tons of plant-based protein thanks to the chickpeas and quinoa. I can’t EVEN describe how delicious it is.
I tossed everything together with sweet dried fresh parsley, crunchy toasted almonds, and sweet dried cranberries for bursts of sweet, savory, fresh flavor in every bite. It’s perfect for meal prep and even tastes delish hot and cold, AKA the ultimate lunch goals.
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Ingredients in this Moroccan-inspired chickpea quinoa salad
This incredible quinoa salad is like little pops of flavor dancing on my tongue with sweet cranberry flavor and crunchy toasted nutty almonds, all with the freshness of herbs in every bite. It’s also vegan & gluten-free! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Onion: for a little bit of crispness in every bite.
- Moroccan-inspired spices: we’re using turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon to give this dish a wonderful, global flavor and beautiful golden color.
- Quinoa: this protein-packed, gluten-free grain truly makes this salad one of a kind. Feel free to use white or tricolor quinoa if you’d like.
- Broth: I usually use a low-sodium vegetarian broth. You can also use chicken broth if you’re not vegan or vegetarian, or opt for water.
- Chickpeas: for a boost of plant-based protein and feel good fiber. Yum!
- Dried cranberries: the sweetness from dried cranberries is SO delicious in every bite.
- Parsley: for the perfect boost of freshness.
- Sliced almonds: I love the crunch of sliced almonds, but pistachios or pecans would also be perfect.
Customize it with easy swaps
This chickpea quinoa salad is super easy to customize with the ingredients you have on hand. Here’s what I can recommend to swap or add:
- For the quinoa: this salad would also be delicious with pearl couscous, farro, or barley! Note that these grains are not gluten-free.
- For the cranberries: you could also use dried cherries, raisins, golden raisins, or chopped dates.
- For the almonds: keep the salad nut-free by omitting the almonds (you’ll also want to use olive oil instead of coconut oil). As I mentioned, you could also swap the almonds for pistachios or chopped pecans for a different flavor twist.
- Add extra veggies: I love adding peas to this salad! I recommend adding 2/3 cup of frozen peas after the quinoa is done cooking.
Looking for an extra boost of protein?
This Moroccan-inspired quinoa salad packs over 16g of plant-based protein as is, but you could also add cooked, cubed chicken if you’d like to add more protein (and aren’t vegan or vegetarian!)
We actually love serving it with these recipes for an easy weeknight dinner:
Tips for making the best fluffy quinoa
Don’t forget to get all of my tips and tricks for making the BEST fluffy quinoa in this post!
Toast your own almonds
I know it can be tricky to find toasted nuts, but it’s super easy (and worth it) to toast your own!
- Add your sliced nuts to a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
- Carefully toss them around until they begin to smell fragrant, which should be about 5 minutes.
That’s it! Toasting them really brings out their flavor and a wonderful crunch.
One pot Moroccan chickpea quinoa salad in 3 steps
- Cook the onion. Start by cooking down your onion in a large pot with coconut oil until it’s translucent, then stir in all of those cozy spices.
- Add the quinoa. Pour in the broth or water and your quinoa, bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Cook it for 15 minutes, then remove it from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Add your mix-ins & serve. Fold in the chickpeas, cranberries, and parsley until well-combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, then top with your toasted almonds and extra parsley and serve!
How to meal prep this quinoa salad
This easy chickpea quinoa salad recipe makes the perfect meal prep lunch. Simply divide the recipe into 4 separate mason jars or meal prep containers and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week! Garnish your servings with extra toasted almonds. It’s actually delicious served warm or cold!
More salad recipes you’ll love
Get all of my salad recipes here!
I know you’re going to love this Moroccan-inspired chickpea quinoa salad recipe. Please let me know if you make it by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! Enjoy xo.
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
One Pot Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Quinoa Salad
by
Sweet & savory 30-minute Moroccan-inspired chickpea quinoa salad made in one pot. This vegan chickpea quinoa salad recipe packs plenty of plant-based protein and delicious, global flavors from cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. The perfect vegetarian meal to prep for lunch!
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetarian broth (or water)
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup finely diced flat leaf parsley
- ½ cup sliced toasted almonds
Instructions
Add coconut oil to a large pot and place over medium heat. Once oil is hot add in onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the following spices: turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds more.
Next add in broth (or water) and quinoa; bring mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for exactly 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.
Stir in chickpeas, cranberries and parsley to the quinoa and mix until well-combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with toasted almonds and extra parsley. Serves 4.
To serve: Place in mason jars or meal prep containers for lunch throughout the week. Garnish with extra toasted almonds.
Recipe Notes
See the full post for tips, tricks & ways to customize this quinoa salad!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4)Calories: 448calCarbohydrates: 70.2gProtein: 16.5gFat: 13.8gSaturated Fat: 1.9gFiber: 12.7gSugar: 16.1g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on February 15th, 2018, republished with new photos on February 21st, 2023, and republished on May 14th, 2026.
