Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Tabbouleh is traditionally made with bulgur wheat, but it turned out even better when I tried red quinoa instead. Don’t you love the color contrasts and the chewy texture of the qunioa? Tabbouleh is a very popular Middle Eastern (Lebanese) dish that has made its way into our Western culture, and why not? It is loaded with super healthy ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh parsley, mint and onions dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. You practically have all of these ingredients growing right in your garden!
I’ve seen chicken added to tabbouleh for an all-in-one meal, but when I paired this salad with yesterday’s Steak and Vegetable Kabobs, the power of the mint and parsley strengthened the sweetness of the grilled vegetables. Play around with the proportions of parsley and mint to your liking. I’m hopeful you’ll be back again and again to this beautiful and healthful ethnic dish.
- Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
- 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cups torn romaine leaves
- Combine cooked quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, onions and mint in a medium bowl.
- Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Pour over the quinoa mixture; toss well to combine.
- Arrange romaine leaves on a large platter. Spoon the dressed quinoa mixture on top of the romaine leaves and serve.
Other quinoa recipes you might like: Southwestern Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers; Roasted Sweet Potato Tofu and Quinoa Wrap; Quinoa Salad with Pineapple, Mango and Edamame; Red Quinoa, Couscous and Arugula Salad with Sweet Pimiento Dressing