Summer Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

A bright, plant-packed salad for warm days, balanced to keep your energy steady.

When the weather turns warm, lighter meals tend to win. The trouble with a lot of summer salads is that they leave you hungry again an hour later, usually because they are mostly leaves with very little to anchor your blood sugar. This one is built differently. Quinoa and chickpeas bring protein and fibre, the olive oil, tahini and pumpkin seeds add healthy fats, and the result is a salad that genuinely keeps you going through the afternoon.

It is also a quietly brilliant way to look after your gut. The mix of cucumber, pepper, tomato, radish, spring onion and three different fresh herbs gives you a wide spread of plants in a single bowl, and that diversity is exactly what your gut bacteria thrive on.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200 grams quinoa, rinsed

• 1 tin chickpeas (400g), drained and rinsed

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 200 grams cherry tomatoes, halved

• 6 radishes, thinly sliced

• 3 spring onions, sliced

• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn

• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

• 100 grams feta or goat's cheese, crumbled (optional)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1 tablespoons tahini

• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed

• 0.5 teaspoons sea salt

• 0.3 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 tablespoons warm water, to loosen
  

Method

1. Cook the quinoa: Rinse 200 grams quinoa, rinsed well, then simmer in plenty of water until tender and the grains uncurl. Drain and spread out to cool.

2. Toast the seeds: Toast 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat until they start to pop and turn golden. Tip out to cool.

3. Make the dressing: Whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 lemon, juiced, 1 tablespoons tahini, 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional), 1 small garlic clove, crushed, 0.5 teaspoons sea salt and 0.3 teaspoons black pepper. Loosen with 1 tablespoons warm water, to loosen until it pours.

4. Combine: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with 1 tin chickpeas (400g), drained and rinsed, 1 cucumber, diced, 1 red pepper, diced, 200 grams cherry tomatoes, halved, 6 radishes, thinly sliced, 3 spring onions, sliced, 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped and 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn.

5. Dress and finish: Pour over the dressing and toss well. Scatter with the toasted 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and 100 grams feta or goat's cheese, crumbled (optional) to serve.

Notes

This keeps well for a day in the fridge, so it is a good one to make ahead for lunches. For a fuller meal, add a fresh cooked protein such as chicken or salmon. To keep it plant-based, the chickpeas already do plenty of the work.

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