Quinoa Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
I love quinoa and love adding it to all sorts of dishes, including this delicious Quinoa-Arugula Salad with tangy goat cheese. This is a hearty meal with bright colors, great textures, and plenty of flavor. And, you get a burst of nutrition, too, because quinoa is super healthy!
I’ve been making this Quinoa-Arugula Salad for years, and it’s a terrific salad to make ahead of time, even if you toss it with the dressing. In fact, I think it tastes better after the dressing has had some time to mix with the other flavors in the recipe.
Quinoa Arugula Salad with goat cheese
Perfect for potlucks, light lunches, or as a side salad, this easy salad features juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy goat cheese, crunchy almonds, and of course plenty of arugula and quinoa.
Read more: Quinoa Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
Quinoa is so amazing. You can start with dry quinoa and cook it how you like it, or use about 3 cups of cooked quinoa. I usually make enough for this salad and a bit extra to add to soups or meals for the next day.
The dressing also has all sorts of great flavors in it. A bit of garlic, tangy lime juicy, a bit of heat, and honey to smooth it all out. Are you convinced how good this salad is? Try it, I know you’ll love it as much as I do!
Why I love this recipe
- This salad is packed with nutrition from the quinoa and arugula, and lots of fiber and protein from the chickpeas and goat cheese.
- It’s crunchy and tangy and has a touch of sweetness. It’s got all the things, and is pretty, too!
- You can make this salad ahead of time and even dress it. It benefits from sitting a bit because the flavors all come together.
Gather these ingredients
- Cooked quinoa – You’ll need 3 cups cooked quinoa, or 1 cup dry and then cook it.
- Baby arugula – You can find this prewashed in your grocery store.
- Canned chickpeas – 1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed.
- Cherry tomatoes – Halved.
- Yellow bell pepper – Diced. You can also use an orange bell pepper.
- Red onion – Finely chopped.
- Crumbled goat cheese
- Chopped almonds – Toast them first for extra crunch.
- Basil – Thinly sliced.
Make the dressing:
- Garlic cloves – Fresh garlic, minced.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lime juice
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground pepper – To taste.
How do you make Quinoa Arugula Salad?
- Combine the arugula, quinoa, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion in a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Whisk the garlic, oil, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard and cayenne in a small bowl until mixed. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Top the salad with the crumbled goat cheese, chopped almonds, and fresh basil.
- Drizzle the salad with the dressing before serving, then toss and serve.
- Enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- Don’t care for arugula? Try this salad with baby spinach instead. Any other hearty greens will work, too.
- Make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge. You can also assemble the salad, minus the dressing, a day in advance. You can dress the salad up to a few hours in advance of eating.
- This salad is easily doubled if you’re feeding a crowd. It’s great at potlucks!
- Make the quinoa the night before and pop it into the fridge so it’s ready to go.
Serving suggestions
This is a great side salad with any meal, and I especially love it with dishes like Corned Beef Sliders, a hearty soup for a meal of soup and salad, or as a starter to a home cooked casserole.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
Check out these awesome salad recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Quinoa Arugula Salad with goat cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa or 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 yellow or orange pepper, diced
- 1 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- ½ cup basil cut thinly
Dressing:
- 2 garlic clove minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. Cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, toss the arugula, quinoa, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined (fresh garlic, olive oil, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, Cayenne pepper). Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Top the salad with crumbled goat cheese, chopped almonds, and fresh basil.
- Right before serving, drizzle the salad dressing and toss to combine.
- Enjoy!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
