Tabbouleh Salad with Quinoa
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This simple side dish was inspired by an abundance of parsley and mint in my garden. Whenever my parsley starts overtaking the pot, I immediately think of quinoa salad.
I hope that the following confession does not come as a surprise to you (and be a reason for you to never visit this blog again) but I am not a hip nor a happening foodie. I don’t keep up with trends, I eat what I like and what I want (in moderation). I boringly end up at the same restaurants 90% of the time (I’m looking at you Din Tai Fung and Papparoti).
So while everyone seems to have moved on to freekah and chia seeds (that word makes me sing the ch-ch-ch-chia pet jingle), I’m still stuck on quinoa. In fact, I have a small bag of it in my cupboard for years that I’m still trying to get through. It seems like the never ending bag of quinoa as a little goes such a long way.
What is Quinoa and Why Cook With It?
In case you’ve been living under a rock (like I do sometimes) and don’t know what is quinoa, it is seed (although oftentimes it is erroneously labeled as a “grain”) that is gluten-free, nutrient rich (high in iron, magnesium, and fiber), complete in all the essential amino acids, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Quinoa is cooked just like rice using 1 part grain and 2 parts water and then simmered for 15-20 minutes. It expands to about three times it’s size when cooked as it absorbs all the cooking moisture. Use it where you would normally use rice, pasta, barley or couscous. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy, translucent, slightly crunchy with a delicate nutty flavor.
Researchers date the popularity of quinoa to approximately 3000 BC, when its consumption became widespread in the Andes mountains of South America.
You can read more about quinoa here and here.
Since moving to the Middle East, I’ve fallen in love with the salads here – especially tabbouleh (or is it tabbouleh with one b?). We really enjoy using quinoa in salads and this modified tabbouleh salad with quinoa is one of our family favorites. The quinoa has a softer texture than the more traditionally used bulgar.
I love using anything from my garden – so here I harvested fresh parsley and mint – and I throw in whatever extra veg is in my fridge – sometimes avocado, sometimes yellow pepper.
Enjoy!
Tabbouleh Salad with Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (~40 g) Quinoa, uncooked
- 2 bunches of Parsley
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 1 bunch of Scallions or 1 small red onion , diced
- 1 large tomato , diced (or 1 box ~250g, cherry tomatoes, halved)
- 1 cucumber , diced
Dressing
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons exta virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt & Pepper , to taste
Optional
- 1/2 avocado , diced
- 1/2 yellow pepper , diced
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions.
- Rinse parsley and mint if needed and chop finely by hand or in a food processor
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, parsley and mint with the remaining vegetables/fruit.
- Make the dressing by whisking together lemon, oil and honey. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour dressing over salad and mix well.
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I’ve been trying to grow parsley and mint at home and while my parsley pot has died my mint pot is still going! So I’m sort of in luck with this salad lol! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh no (to the parsley)! Mint is a hardy species – thank goodness it has so many uses.
delicious!! perfect for the weather too
Yes! I’m thinking it’s a great salad for bbqs and picnics.
I love quinoa, so this salad looks amazing! Those flavors and veggies all scream summer to me. Can’t wait to give this one a try!
I do hope you get to make it – very addicting to eat as so light (and healthy).
I don’t cook with quinoa often enough. Your recipe is perfect to get your veggies and healthy grains in. Yum.
Same here – I don’t use quinoa as often as I would like. It’s such a great ingredient in salads. We also like using orzo and couscous.
this looks fresh and delicious! perfect for a picnic or as a side to any meal!!
Exactly!
Yum, this looks great!
We should have a group potluck one of these days! I’ll bring some of this over if the parsley and mint in my garden are abundant again.
I love tabbouleh, lovely ingredients and flavors in this!
Sometimes I feel like I can’t get enough of salads – and tabbouleh is one of my favorites.
I’ve never had tabbouleh before, let alone tried to make it. Sounds pretty easy though, and I love quinoa!
It’s a pretty standard salad on many restaurant menus here – but I like my version best 🙂
I am a HUGE tabouleh fan but have never had it with quinoa! I have no idea why. Like you I don’t keep up with the trends. I have an unoppened bag of quinoa somewhere…it’s about time I used it!
Give it a try since you already have quinoa in your pantry.
That looks gorgeous!
I do like quinoa instead of bulgur, now that I can’t eat wheat… This gives me back a staple of my summer lunches!
I think quinoa is more versatile than bulgur – at least in our household.
I love the idea of tabbouleh with quinoa instead of bulghur or something similar. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Razena – good to hear from you! Do you make this salad at home often?
I only started using quinoa recently and find that it is wonderful in salads… I have used bulgur but prefer the slight crunch from the quinoa 🙂
This sounds delicious, and a great healthy and filling dish! I am personally a big fan of cous cous, no matter if its not in trend! ha!
Trendy or not – it’s what our kids will eat that’s important!