Quinoa and Arugula Salad With Honey Jalapeño Dressing

The best salad you’ll ever eat (for real). Try this healthy quinoa and arugula salad with beans and honey jalapeño dressing for lunch or dinner.

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Salad: but make it filling, and balanced enough to be a full meal.

That was the goal with this quinoa and arugula salad with a crave-worthy honey jalapeño vinaigrette. It’s made with quinoa and arugula (of course), and mixed with beans, feta, and an absolutely delicious dressing. And it’s high in fiber and protein, so it will keep you full for hours and actually support your health, too.

This easy salad is perfect for meal prep or easy summer dinners. And I promise, it’s going to get you craving vegetables again and again!

Why you’ll love it

No chopping. You’ll need to open a few cans of beans and cook your quinoa, but there’s absolutely no chopping or slicing required.

Filling. This salad is loaded with filling protein and dietary fiber from the quinoa, chickpeas, and black beans. It is the perfect healthy lunch and will keep cravings at bay all afternoon.

Stores well. Quinoa and arugula salad is one of those salads that gets even more flavorful as it sits in the fridge.

Meal prep-able. Because it’s easy, filling, and fridge-friendly.

Amazing dressing. No boring oil and vinegar here! The honey jalapeño vinaigrette is one of the tastiest dressings I’ve ever made, and it’s prepared right in your blender.

Oh, and it also happens to be gluten-free and vegetarian!

Salad ingredients

The base of this salad includes only five ingredients:

• Quiona — cooked in broth for a little extra flavor. You can sub any whole grain you like!
• Canned chickpeas — sub any canned bean or lentil
• Canned black beans — sub any canned bean or lentil
• Crumbled herbed feta cheese — you can also use a block and crumble it yourself
• Arugula — use as much or as little as you want

Honey jalapeño vinaigrette ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the dressing:

• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Lemon juice — fresh is best but use what you have
• Dijon mustard — sub any mustard you like
• Honey — sub maple syrup
• Fresh jalapeño — keep the seeds in if you want extra spice
• Garlic
• Green onions
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-step instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions, using chicken broth instead of water. Fluff after cooking and let cool.

To a blender, add all ingredients for dressing. Blend until completely smooth, about 20-30 seconds and set aside.

To a large bowl, add cooked and cooled quinoa, chickpeas, black beans, feta, and arugula. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss to combine.

Additional ingredients

If you’d like to add more ingredients to your salad, try these:

• Green onion
• Chives
• Parsley
• Sliced jalapeño
• Baby lettuce
• Avocado

For extra protein, top with cooked chicken, salmon, or tofu nuggets.

Meal prep instructions

You can prepare quinoa and arugula bean salad in advance to eat all week!

If you’re eating the salad within two days, just prepare and dress as normal. It gets extra tasty when it sits in the dressing for a bit.

If you’re planning to use it for lunches all week, mix your salad and dressing together but leave the arugula out. Pack arugula separately and mix into your salad each day before eating. The salad will stay good for up to four days when prepared this way and stored in the fridge.

Top tips

• Make sure to fluff your quinoa right after cooking it for the best texture
• The quinoa needs to be completely cooled before assembling your salad
• Taste your dressing after blending and adjust ingredients to your taste
• Rinse your canned beans well before adding to the salad

Don’t love quinoa?

Swap for another whole grain instead! This salad would be tasty with cooked barley, brown rice, cous cous, or even orzo.