Vegan Spinach Quinoa Salad

Total time40 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time15 min

5.0

(11)

This salad is the kind of bowl that makes you genuinely excited about eating your greens — fluffy quinoa, tender baby spinach, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and hearty chickpeas all tossed together in one satisfying meal. The real star is the tahini dressing, whisked together with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, a touch of maple syrup, and ground cumin for a creamy, tangy finish that pulls every ingredient into focus. Every component here is completely plant-based without any substitutions or workarounds — this is just naturally how the recipe is built. Cooking the quinoa low and slow until the germ rings appear and then letting it steam off the heat gives you perfectly fluffy grains that hold up beautifully once tossed with the dressing. The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes and serves four, making it an easy weeknight dinner or a meal-prep win that holds well for lunches. Optional pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley on top add a little crunch and brightness if you want to take it one step further. It's the kind of recipe that converts skeptics — filling, flavorful, and genuinely crave-worthy.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
¼ tsp salt
5 oz baby spinach
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, diced
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

For the dressing

3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp maple syrup
¼ tsp ground cumin
2–3 tbsp water
salt and pepper, to taste

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and the germ rings are visible, about 15 minutes.
2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork, then spread onto a large plate or sheet pan and let cool for 5 minutes until no longer steaming.

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