Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve and cook it in lightly salted water for 12–15 min. Then let it cool a little, so the salad stays light.
Wash the cucumber, halve it lengthways, remove the seeds and dice the flesh small. Finely chop the mint and parsley and take the seeds out of the pomegranate.
For the dressing, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a large bowl. That way the acidity spreads evenly through the salad later.
Add the quinoa, drained chickpeas, cucumber, pomegranate seeds and herbs to the dressing. Mix everything thoroughly but gently.
Leave the salad to stand briefly so the flavours come together. Taste again before serving.
Arrange in bowls and serve fresh. If you like, add a few herb leaves on top at the end.
Good to know
A salad like this looks bright and inviting straight away. Fresh, juicy and pleasantly filling without feeling heavy. On warm days, it's exactly the kind of food I feel like eating.
Swaps
Quinoa → millet (also provides fibre and minerals). Chickpeas → white beans (a mild alternative with plant protein and fibre). Pomegranate → blueberries (also bring plant compounds). Olive oil → avocado oil (provides mostly monounsaturated fatty acids).
Allergens
The recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free, as long as the quinoa hasn't been contaminated with gluten-containing products. Well suited to children; during pregnancy make sure the herbs are thoroughly washed and the ingredients fresh.
