Crunchy-Sweet Quinoa Couscous with Fresh Herbs

A vibrant and nutritious dish combining fluffy quinoa with chickpeas, sweet raisins, crunchy almonds, and fresh herbs. This Mediterranean-inspired salad offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors, finished with a light citrus dressing.

4 servings
14 hr 40 min

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup dried chickpeas
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup toasted almonds
  • ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp Herbamare seasoning
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp citrus zest

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Cover chickpeas with 2" water and soak overnight (or see quick-soak tip on p. 35). Drain chickpeas and place in a medium pot; cover with 2"-3" of water. Bring to a rapid boil and skim any foam that rises to the surface. Add kombu and reduce heat to a simmer.

    720 min

  2. 2.

    Cook for 1-2 hours (very fresh chickpeas take longer to cook), adding water as needed. About 10 minutes before they're done, add 1/4 tsp salt. Drain and set aside.

    120 min

  3. 3.

    In another pot, cover quinoa with water and swirl with your hand to rinse. Drain. Add 2 cups fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl to cool.

    25 min

  4. 4.

    After quinoa has cooled to slightly warmer than room temperature, add chickpeas, raisins, almonds, parsley, basil, 2 tbsp oil, and Herbamare, vinegar, or salt. Finish with a drizzle of oil and a splash of citrus juice or zest, if desired.

    15 min