Repurposing leftover quinoa is made easy with a rich and tangy dressing in this fiber-filled, protein-forward fare. Perfect on its own, or try it wrapped in a leaf of romaine.
AdvertisementQuick soak
For a smoother and creamier dressing without a high-speed blender, try a quick stovetop soak. Place cashews in small pot and add enough water to cover them by 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmering boil on medium heat, cover with lid, remove from heat, and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain cashews, add to dressing ingredients, and blend.
Warm Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Dressing
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Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
- 1 large garlic clove peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Salad
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup chickpeas rinsed well and drained
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- For dressing, in high-speed blender, add water, sun-dried tomatoes, cashews, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt; blend until smooth. Makes about 1 1/3 cups dressing. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated in sealed container for up to 2 days.
- For salad, in large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium. Add cooked quinoa and sauté until warmed through. When quinoa is warmed through, add chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper, to taste, and continue sautéing until heated. Turn off stovetop and remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1 cup dressing and transfer to large bowl. Toss with parsley and basil and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Per serving of salad with dressing: 446 calories; 20 g protein; 11 g total fat (2 g sat. fat); 70 g total carbohydrates (10 g sugars, 14 g fiber); 283 mg sodium
