Tabbouleh Salad with Quinoa (Gluten-Free)
Tabbouleh Salad with Quinoa is a wholesome twist on the classic Middle Eastern recipe, with protein-rich quinoa replacing traditional bulgur. This fresh, herb-packed salad is bursting with flavor.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 264kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon zest and juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the salad:
- 1 large English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, seeded and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or 1 ½ cups diced ripe tomatoes
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives pitted and coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup chopped parsley flat-leaf or curly
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Transfer the quinoa to a fine-mesh strainer. Run cold water over the quinoa until the water runs clear. Transfer the quinoa to a medium saucepan with 1 ¾ cups water. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Transfer to a large rimmed sheet and spread to cool.
- Make the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Grate or press the garlic into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, parsley, mint, green onion, and dressing.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include optional olives.
- To add crispy roasted chickpeas for more protein, see the blog post.
- Tomatoes: Use the ripest red tomatoes. If you’re making this salad when tomatoes are out of season or plan on having leftovers, use cherry tomatoes or salt the tomatoes.
- Salt the cucumber and tomatoes (optional): To remove excess moisture and add more flavor, salt the tomatoes and cucumbers. Combine the diced cucumber and tomatoes in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and let rest for at least 10 minutes or until you are ready to mix the salad. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice in the bottom of the bowl. This ensures that your tabbouleh is not too watery.
- Parsley: Curly parsley adds more volume, but flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor. Both work in this recipe.
- Chopping the parsley and mint: This will be quicker in a food processor. Cut off the thick parsley stems. (There's no need to remove the thinner stems—they offer a lot of welcomed flavor.) Add the parsley and mint to the canister of a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process until roughly chopped. You can also do it by hand, but it will take longer.
- For serving: Tabbouleh is typically served chilled or at room temperature. It’s usually a side dish or salad offered with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern meals.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftover Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1785IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 4mg
