Quinoa Tabbouleh

Recipe development can often lead to a new and delicious recipe like this one for Quinoa Tabbouleh! If you are new to eating quinoa, this is a great way to start enjoying this tasty grain. 

I began eating Tabbouleh many years ago. 

It was a new to me dish when I visited a small family-operated café called the Jerusalem Café located just a few blocks from where I worked. It was always a treat to go for lunch with a couple of my coworkers three or four times a year. When we did treat ourselves to lunch out I always ordered the same lunch, grilled chicken, and Tabbouleh. And you know I never grew tired of lunch with friends or the delicious food they served! 

At the café, they made their Tabbouleh with whole wheat couscous, along with spring onions, cucumber, and all the other delicious ingredients. The flavor profile was heavy on parsley and lemon. And I loved it from day one! After I moved away, I couldn't help but miss, not only lunch out with friends but the Tabbouleh as well. In time there was only one thing to do, make some Tabbouleh! So I did...

About that same time... 

I had purchased a bag of organic Quinoa while out shopping. With no whole wheat couscous in the house, my adventure turned into a day of recipe development, which turned out deliciously! That day, Quinoa Tabbouleh was born and I haven't looked back since. Prior to this salad, using and cooking quinoa was new for me. But I have always felt that it only takes one tasty bite of food to change a person's mind about trying or eating something new. 

Full of fresh vegetables, lemon, and parsley this salad is perfect to serve alongside grilled meat for a light dinner. Quinoa Tabbouleh is going to be your new favorite this summer, I can already tell! There is a bit of prep work to make this salad, but it goes quickly and the flavor of Quinoa Tabbouleh is worth it!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

Feel free to cook the quinoa the day before. Remove from the fridge, toss with all the other ingredients and let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Traditional bulgur Tabbouleh has fresh mint in the mix. You may use it or leave it out as you wish. 

While you may make it ahead, Quinoa Tabbouleh is best made fresh that day. 

While not traditional crumbled Feta and Kalamata olives are delicious stirred into this salad...

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• quinoa
• green onions
• parsley
• mint
• lemon
• tomatoes
• English cucumber
• Olive oil
• salt

You will also need the following:

• covered saucepan
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• cutting board
• kitchen knife
• mixing bowl
• storage container with lid
• serving bowl or platter

Now we are ready to begin!

  

Quinoa Tabbouleh
by the seat of my pants!

2-3 c cooked Quinoa
1 bunch of green onions, cleaned and sliced through 2 inches of the green section
1 bunch parsley, washed, shook dry, and chopped
juice of 1 medium lemon
1 or 2 Roma tomatoes - diced small
1 English cucumber - diced small
1- 2 T minced fresh mint  - optional 
olive oil to moisten, up to 1/4 c
1/2 t salt

Cook enough quinoa to measure 2 to 3 cups of cooked grain. Set aside to cool, if not cooked the day before.

Wash the green onions, shake off the excess water, and set them aside.

Wash the parsley, and roll it into a towel letting the towel absorb the excess water. 

Wash and dry the tomatoes and the cucumber. 

Thinly slice the green onions using all of the white portions and slicing into the green for two or three inches. 

Gather the parsley and arrange it like a bouquet of flowers with the stems down and out of the way. Chop the parsley until the leaves have all been cut into pieces, and discard the remaining stems. 

Cut the lemon in half and ream the juice out. Discard any seeds. 

Cut the English cucumber and the Roma tomatoes into small diced pieces. 

Combine the cooked quinoa, minced and diced vegetables, lemon juice, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl, tossing gently to mix together. Drizzle on the olive oil, and toss gently to combine. 

Store in a covered container until ready to serve. 

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving and arrange in a serving bowl or on a serving platter. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Storage options for Quinoa Tabbouleh. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir lightly to serve. Expect a softening of the diced vegetables from refrigerator storage. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Quinoa Tabbouleh has been included below. 

You may also enjoy: 

Avocado Caprese Salad. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Quinoa Tabbouleh
by the seat of my pants!

2-3 c cooked Quinoa
1 bunch of green onions, cleaned and sliced through 2 inches of the green section
1 bunch parsley, washed, shook dry, and chopped
juice of 1 medium lemon
1 or 2 Roma tomatoes - diced small
1 English cucumber - diced small
1- 2 T minced fresh mint  - optional 
olive oil to moisten, up to 1/4 c
1/2 t salt

Cook enough quinoa to measure 2 to 3 cups of cooked grain. Set aside to cool, if not cooked the day before.

Wash the green onions, shake off the excess water, and set them aside.

Wash the parsley, and roll it into a towel letting the towel absorb the excess water. 

Wash and dry the tomatoes and the cucumber. 

Thinly slice the green onions using all of the white portions and slicing into the green for two or three inches. 

Gather the parsley and arrange it like a bouquet of flowers with the stems down and out of the way. Chop the parsley until the leaves have all been cut into pieces, and discard the remaining stems. 

Cut the lemon in half and ream the juice out. Discard any seeds. 

Cut the English cucumber and the Roma tomatoes into small diced pieces. 

Combine the cooked quinoa, minced and diced vegetables, lemon juice, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl, tossing gently to mix together. Drizzle on the olive oil, and toss gently to combine. 

Store in a covered container until ready to serve. 

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving and arrange in a serving bowl or on a serving platter. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Storage options for Quinoa Tabbouleh. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir lightly to serve. Expect a softening of the diced vegetables from refrigerator storage. 

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