Gluten-Free Quinoa and Celery Salad

Here is my favorite quinoa and celery salad recipe, with fluffy quinoa, crispy celery, chickpeas, fresh herbs like dill and mint, and a tangy lemon dressing with a hint of sumac.

This salad has become my go-to for summer potlucks and weeknight dinners when it’s too hot to cook. I love that you can make it ahead of time, and it actually tastes better the next day when all the flavors have had time to soak in.

What Kind of Quinoa Should I Use?

You’ll find three main types of quinoa at the store: white, red, and black, and honestly, any of them will work great in this salad. White quinoa is the most common and has a mild, slightly nutty flavor with a fluffy texture when cooked. Red and black quinoa hold their shape a bit better after cooking, which can be nice for salads since they stay firmer and don’t get mushy. If you can’t decide, many stores sell a tri-color blend that gives you a mix of all three, which adds a nice visual touch to your salad. Just make sure to rinse your quinoa well before cooking to remove the natural coating that can taste bitter.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Quinoa: You can use other grains like bulgur wheat, couscous, or farro instead. Just cook according to package directions and let them cool before mixing into the salad.
• Chickpeas: White beans, black beans, or even lentils work well here. You could also use a mix of beans for more variety.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have all three herbs? Use what you’ve got – parsley is a great substitute for any of them. You can also use about 2 teaspoons of dried herbs total, though fresh really does make a difference in this salad.
• Sumac: If you can’t find sumac, add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice and a small pinch of lemon zest to get that tangy, citrusy flavor.
• Sherry vinegar: Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar will work just fine as a replacement.
• Celery: Cucumber or fennel can step in for celery if you want a different crunch, though the flavor profile will shift slightly.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making quinoa salad is not rinsing the quinoa before cooking, which leaves behind a bitter coating called saponin that can ruin the flavor – just run it under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer for about 30 seconds.

Another common error is adding the dressing while the quinoa is still warm, which can make your vegetables wilted and sad instead of crisp and fresh, so let the quinoa cool completely before mixing everything together.

Don’t forget to season your quinoa cooking water with salt, just like you would with pasta, since this is your only chance to season the grain from the inside out.

Finally, make sure to taste and adjust the dressing before serving – quinoa can absorb a lot of flavor, so you might need an extra splash of lemon juice or vinegar to brighten things up.

What to Serve With Quinoa and Celery Salad?

This quinoa and celery salad is pretty filling on its own thanks to the chickpeas and quinoa, but it pairs really well with grilled chicken or fish if you want to add some protein. The fresh herbs and lemony dressing make it a great side dish for Mediterranean-style meals, so try serving it alongside grilled lamb chops or baked salmon. It also works nicely as part of a bigger spread with hummus, pita bread, and some feta cheese on the side. Since the salad is served cold, it’s perfect for summer barbecues or picnics where you need something that holds up well at room temperature.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This salad actually gets better after sitting for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The quinoa will soak up some of the dressing over time, so you might want to drizzle a little extra olive oil and lemon juice before serving if it seems dry.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad a day or two in advance, which makes it perfect for meal prep or bringing to gatherings. I like to keep the dressing separate and toss everything together a few hours before serving to keep the herbs looking fresh and bright.

Pack for Lunch: This salad travels really well in a lunch container since there’s nothing that wilts easily. Just give it a quick stir before eating, and you’re good to go. It’s great at room temperature too, so no need to worry about reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1350
• Protein: 38-44 g
• Fat: 38-44 g
• Carbohydrates: 175-190 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1.75 cups chickpeas (I use Goya canned for the best firm texture)
• 1.75 cups quinoa
• 1.25 cups celery (diced into 1/4-inch pieces for a consistent crunch)
• 3/4 cup tomatoes
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp mint
• 1 tbsp chives
• 4 tbsp onion (finely minced to evenly distribute flavor)
• 1 tsp sumac

For the dressing:

• 5 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brighter acidity)
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I prefer Lucini extra virgin for its peppery finish)
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• salt
• black pepper

Step 1: Cook the Quinoa

• 1.75 cups quinoa

Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove any bitterness, then cook it according to package directions (typically 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water, about 15 minutes).

Once cooked, spread it on a baking sheet or plate to cool completely—this prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted.

While the quinoa cools, you can proceed with your other prep work.

Step 2: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1.25 cups celery
• 3/4 cup tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 tbsp onion
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp mint
• 1 tbsp chives

Dice the celery into uniform 1/4-inch pieces to ensure consistent crunch throughout the salad.

Dice the tomatoes into similar-sized pieces, removing excess seeds if they’re very watery to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.

Finely mince the garlic clove and onion so the flavors distribute evenly without overpowering bites.

Roughly chop the fresh dill, mint, and chives, keeping them separate so you can add them just before serving to preserve their brightness.

Step 3: Make the Dressing

• 5 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• black pepper

In a small bowl or container, whisk together the freshly squeezed lemon juice, sherry vinegar, minced garlic, and salt.

I find using fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference in brightness compared to bottled.

Let this sit for a minute to allow the garlic to infuse, then slowly whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar and black pepper—the sugar should just barely be perceptible, balancing the acidity.

Step 4: Assemble and Finish the Salad

• cooked quinoa from Step 1
• prepared celery and tomatoes from Step 2
• 1.75 cups chickpeas
• minced onion from Step 2
• dressing from Step 3
• 1 tsp sumac
• fresh herbs from Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa from Step 1, the prepared celery and tomatoes from Step 2, the drained chickpeas, and the minced onion.

Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the salad and toss everything gently but thoroughly, making sure each component is evenly coated.

I like to reserve the fresh herbs and sumac for just before serving—this keeps the herbs vibrant and the sumac’s tangy flavor from fading.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, then top with the remaining 1 tsp sumac and the freshly chopped herbs.

Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Gluten-Free Quinoa and Celery Salad

Delicious Gluten-Free Quinoa and Celery Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1275 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 1.75 cups chickpeas (I use Goya canned for the best firm texture)
• 1.75 cups quinoa
• 1.25 cups celery (diced into 1/4-inch pieces for a consistent crunch)
• 3/4 cup tomatoes
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp mint
• 1 tbsp chives
• 4 tbsp onion (finely minced to evenly distribute flavor)
• 1 tsp sumac

For the dressing::

• 5 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brighter acidity)
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I prefer Lucini extra virgin for its peppery finish)
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• salt
• black pepper

Instructions

 

• Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove any bitterness, then cook it according to package directions (typically 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water, about 15 minutes). Once cooked, spread it on a baking sheet or plate to cool completely—this prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted. While the quinoa cools, you can proceed with your other prep work.
• Dice the celery into uniform 1/4-inch pieces to ensure consistent crunch throughout the salad. Dice the tomatoes into similar-sized pieces, removing excess seeds if they're very watery to prevent the salad from becoming soggy. Finely mince the garlic clove and onion so the flavors distribute evenly without overpowering bites. Roughly chop the fresh dill, mint, and chives, keeping them separate so you can add them just before serving to preserve their brightness.
• In a small bowl or container, whisk together the freshly squeezed lemon juice, sherry vinegar, minced garlic, and salt. I find using fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference in brightness compared to bottled. Let this sit for a minute to allow the garlic to infuse, then slowly whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar and black pepper—the sugar should just barely be perceptible, balancing the acidity.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa from Step 1, the prepared celery and tomatoes from Step 2, the drained chickpeas, and the minced onion. Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the salad and toss everything gently but thoroughly, making sure each component is evenly coated. I like to reserve the fresh herbs and sumac for just before serving—this keeps the herbs vibrant and the sumac's tangy flavor from fading. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, then top with the remaining 1 tsp sumac and the freshly chopped herbs. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.