One Pot Moroccan-Inspired Quinoa Salad

It’s about time I brought back this gorgeous quinoa salad. I first made it five (yes, 5!) 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.

K wait maybe I can…

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.

Ingredients in this Moroccan-inspired chickpea quinoa salad

This incredible quinoa salad is like little pops of flavor dancing on my tongue with sweet pops of cranberry flavor and crunchy toasted nutty almonds all with the freshness of parsley 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 tricolor quinoa if regular, white quinoa isn’t available.
• 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. Yum!
• Dried cranberries: feel free to use dried cranberries or cherries in this recipe. The sweetness 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.

You won’t believe how easy and delicious this vegan chickpea quinoa salad turns out. Feel free to change up the add-ins, too, with what you have on hand. I have plenty of suggestions below!

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 cranberries: you could also use dried cherries or even golden raisins.
• 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 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!)

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!

1. Add your sliced nuts to a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
2. 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

1. Cook the onion. Start by cooking down your onion in coconut oil until it’s translucent, then stir in all of those cozy spices.
2. 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.
3. 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!

Simply put, I think you need to make it ASAP for lunch. This is one of my favorite quinoa salads of all time; it’s absolutely wonderful to bring to parties, pack for lunch, or pair with roasted chicken for dinner.

More quinoa recipes you’ll love

Get all of my quinoa 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.