Name: Detox Chickpea Quinoa Feta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked quinoa; 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/2 cucumber, diced; 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; Salt and pepper to taste

Alright, Pull Up a Chair – Let’s Talk Chickpea Quinoa Feta Salad

I have this thing where I go on health kicks during the weirdest times—like smack dab in the middle of December when everyone’s elbow-deep in gingerbread. That’s actually when I first came up with this Detox Chickpea Quinoa Feta Salad, after one too many cookie trays left me feeling a bit like I’d been run over by a cinnamon truck. This became my rescue meal, the one I throw together between Zoom calls and (let’s be honest) while half-watching reruns.

And you know what? It stuck. Now, whenever I need to pretend I’m being virtuous, this is my go-to. Unless of course someone tempestuously offers me nachos, in which case all bets are off.

Why You’ll Actually Want to Make This

I make this when I can’t look at another dry turkey sandwich; seriously, this salad is like a palate-cleanse for your whole week! My family goes a bit wild for it because it’s so colourful and you can shovel it into a wrap if you want to eat standing up (which happens more than I’d like to admit). The lemony dressing makes you think you’re somewhere fancier, and honestly, tossing feta into anything just makes it a party. Once, I forgot to rinse the quinoa and it turned out… kind of weirdly soapy? So don’t skip that part, trust me.

What’s Going in This Salad?

Chickpeas – One can (400g), drained. I sometimes use leftover roasted chickpeas; adds a nice crunch.
Quinoa – 3/4 cup uncooked (about 1.5 cups cooked). Any colour works (actually, red quinoa looks Bonza but takes a couple minutes longer).
Feta Cheese – About 100g, crumbled. I just use whatever’s on sale. My friend swaps in goat cheese if she feels posh.
Cucumber – One small, diced. Or half a big one if the selection at the shop looks a bit sad.
Cherry Tomatoes – A couple handfuls, halved. Sometimes I use regular tomatoes if that’s all I’ve got (they’re messier, but fine!).
Red Onion – 1/4 of one, thinly sliced. Or honestly, just use spring onion if raw onion is a bit much for you.
Fresh Parsley – Good handful, chopped. My mum swears by coriander sometimes but it’s not for me.
Lemon Juice – From one juicy lemon. In a pinch, bottled works but it’s not quite the same—I mean, it’s fine, but you’ll know.
Olive Oil – A glug, maybe 2 tablespoons.
Salt and Pepper – To taste (I basically just keep adding until it zings.)

How I Throw It Together (and Maybe Get Distracted Midway)

Quinoa first! Give your quinoa a jolly good rinse in a fine mesh strainer (this is where I sometimes skip and always regret it). Cook it in about double the water (maybe 1 1/2 cups for 3/4 cup quinoa), bring it to a boil, pop a lid on, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. It’ll look fluffy and have those little curly bits when it’s ready. Fluff and let cool—sometimes I’ll even spread it out on a plate to speed things up, but don’t feel like you must.
Chop the veg – Cucumber first, because I always snack on a few bits. Then the tomatoes and onion. Try not to cry (I never manage).
Mix the dressing – In a mug (because who needs more bowls?), whack in olive oil and lemon juice, big pinch of salt, few grinds of pepper. Some people add a splash of honey, but I skip it. You do you.
Assemble – In a roomy bowl, everything goes in: cooled quinoa, chickpeas, veggies, parsley, most of the feta (save a bit to sprinkle on later, if you’re feeling cheffy). Pour over the dressing. Now, toss! This is where I usually sneak a taste, then add another pinch of salt or extra lemon. Don’t worry if it looks a tad odd at this point – it all comes together.
Top with that last bit of feta. Stand back, admire your work, and try not to eat it all at once. (I never manage that either…)

Little Nuggets I’ve Learned

If you mess up the quinoa quantity, just call it a ‘grain bowl’—no one minds. Pro tip? Salad is forgiving, your mistakes are basically just “chef’s interpretation.”
Avoid putting the feta in too early if the quinoa’s steaming hot; it melts and clumps in a way that’s not… ideal. (Tastes good though, just looks less pretty.)
Actually, letting it sit in the fridge for an hour makes the flavours go from just fine to oh, this is surprisingly good.

Variations I’ve Blundered Through

Once I swapped in cooked bulgur for the quinoa – totally fine, a bit chewier.
I’ve tried crumbling goat cheese instead of feta – if you like a stronger tang, it’s ace.
A handful of toasted sunflower seeds were nice, but too many made it taste oddly… bird-seedy? So, maybe keep it light if you go that route.
Oh, and don’t try canned lentils instead of chickpeas (not my best bright idea, definitely needed more seasoning).

Do You Need Fancy Equipment?

I use a fine mesh sieve for quinoa, but honestly, a regular colander lined with a bit of paper towel works in a pinch. Salad bowl? Anything large will do. I’ve even used a plastic mixing bowl before when all the ‘nice’ ones were in the dishwasher (still tasted good).

Will It Keep?

It’ll keep in the fridge, covered, for maybe 2-3 days. Probably even longer, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Something about those late-night cravings hits hard. If you want it super fresh, just add the feta right before serving—if you can wait that long.

How Do You Serve This? (Or: My Family’s Salad Ritual)

I love it as a desk lunch, but if we’re having people over it lands right in the middle of the table with some toasted pita. On summer nights, I pile it on a giant plate next to grilled chicken, mostly so I can nab the best bits before anyone notices. Oh, and sometimes scatter a few olives on top if you’re feeling Mediterranean. Actually, that’s my daughter’s genius tweak.

So, Here’s What I’ve Learned (a.k.a. Pro Tips)

I once tried rushing the cooling step—dumped everything in when the quinoa was too hot. Salad got soggy, feta vanished, lesson learned! Let it cool, give yourself time.
Lemon zest actually perks it up — but I forget it half the time, so don’t stress.
If you over-salt, just throw in some more cucumber. Or serve it with bland bread. Or just drink a lot of water, I guess!

Let’s Do Some Q&A (Because I Actually Get These a Lot)

Can I make it vegan? Easy! Just leave out the feta or use a crumbly vegan cheese (I used the one from Minimalist Baker once, and it was spot on.)
Do I really need to rinse quinoa? Yup! Or, well, you’ll know if you forget: weird bitterness. No fun. But in a real jam, skip it just this once.
What if I don’t like parsley? Eh, try mint. Or nothing! Salad police aren’t coming to your house.
Can I double the recipe? Yes, if you’ve got the bowl for it. Actually, you might need a mixing pot… don’t ask me how I know.
Is this really a ‘detox’ salad? Ehh, I just call it that because it makes me feel better. Mostly it’s just loads of veg and good stuff—but if that’s not detox, what is?
On a totally unrelated note: has anyone ever found an actually perfect quinoa salad recipe? I keep trying new tweaks!

If you make this, let me know what oddball ingredients you throw in—or if you, too, end up eating half of it out of the bowl standing over the sink. (Not that I’d know anything about that…)

Detox Chickpea Quinoa Feta Salad