Quinoa Garbanzo Salad

I had some leftover garbanzos after making Moroccan Eggplant Garbanzo Stew, and wanted to make something besides hummus. As I looked through my lunch recipes, it hit me that I could use the garbanzos to amp up my quinoa salad. This satisfying Quinoa Garbanzo Salad was the result: it’s both vegan and gluten-free.

When I visited Peru in 2009, vegan options were hard to come by. Our guide’s wife made a quinoa salad that I practically lived on during our 10-day stay. I’ve been making my own version of that salad ever since. This recipe is based on the one I had in Peru, but with the addition of garbanzos and some mint to give a more middle-Eastern flavor.

You can make this dish ahead so the flavors have time to blend, but it’s also great when served immediately.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 medium red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro (packed), minced
• 2 tablespoon mint, minced
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• dash cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the quinoa until the water is absorbed. Allow it to cool.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. When the quinoa is cooled, add it to the bowl and stir gently to combine.

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