Name: Quinoa Tabbouleh
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more; 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4" pieces; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint; 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Quinoa TabboulehJason Lowe

The classic Middle Eastern salad shifts from bulgur wheat to quinoa. The tiny nutritional powerhouse is loaded with protein, making this dish both a delicious vegetarian main course and a summer-suitable side.

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4" pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation

Step 1
Bring quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Step 2
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Spread out quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet; let cool. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover remaining dressing and quinoa separately; chill.
Step 4
Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

Leave a Review

Reviews (205)

Fabulous! Much healthier than Bulgar wheat- lighter, super fresh tasting and I wouldn’t change a thing!! Will make this over and over!!
- Anette
- Palm Springs, CA
- 11/12/2023
I've made this recipe many times and it always turns out great. It's easy to 'customize' the veg and herbs when you want to. It's a 'go to.'
- Vickie
- 5/27/2023
Whenever fresh citrus is called for, I always incorporate the zest, as well, so I vote with the zesters. Also, my first tabbouleh recipe called for a "regular" cucumber, seeded and diced. Since it also called for a lot of onion chopped in the food processor along with the parsley, I threw the cucumber seeds and membrane in first, and pureed that before before chopping the onions and parsley. The puree boosted the cucumber flavor and allowed for a decrease in oil. I love finding ways to reduce garbage and decrease fat at the same time! However you make it, tabbouleh rocks!
- Pastor Sandi
- NJ Suburbs
- 8/10/2022
absolute perfection! I could eat this for every meal, for days.
- cwp
- Burlington, VT
- 7/20/2022
Delicious! I like to add some olives (whatever is on hand) and some crumbled feta.
- hsvlucy
- Alabama
- 8/1/2021
Delicious way to eat more healthy grains! Followed the recipe as stated and tossed a little feta cheese on top. Yum! Might reduce the oil next time.
- llorona
- Oakland, CA
- 5/1/2021
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! It was easy and simple to make. It is so refreshing every time I ate it. I may try some other variations that are mentioned here. They sound amazing!
- C. Jordan
- Texas
- 1/3/2021
Excellent and simple. I didn't have parsley so used a mix of basil and dill and upped the quantities. I also borrowed a trick from Maria Speck's Ancient Grains and toasted the quinoa with coriander seeds and added sumac to the water. So good. The great thing about this recipe is you can really play around with it and add whatever vegetables you have. I tend to like tabbouleh that is more vegetable than grain, so it's easy to do that here by adding more tomato and cucumber.
- russeaime
- Santa Barbara, CA
- 9/21/2020
I made this exactly except for adding the lemon zest, a little feta and the Kalimantan olives this is to die for! Before adding these other it was so good the additions just added another zip of flavor! Thank you for a great recipe!
- judyg13314174
- Florence, SC
- 8/9/2020
I have made this multiple times over the last 3 years. And love it every time. I frequently add more mint and sometimes fresh basil. And I’ve used heirloom tomatoes in place of cherry. It is always delicious. And quite a crowd pleaser. Picnics, bbqs, pot lucks, even dinner parties. I’ve given this recipe out more times than I can remember.
- mendelson.annc2794
- San Diego
- 8/5/2020
So good! I didn’t have mint so added extra parsley, and only needed about half the oil.
- ncmoore2136
- Ann Arbor
- 5/7/2020
I love this recipe and make it again and again. The more herbs, the better and I always omit the cucumber.
- homesupplyco
- Merritt Island, FL
- 4/12/2020
I really like this recipe. When I went gluten-free a few months ago I was heartbroken over the thought of not being able to eat tabouli anymore but quinoa is a great substitute for the wheat. I didn’t follow this recipe exactly because I used Roma tomatoes, less cucumber, more parsley, about half the called for olive oil and a lot more lemon juice. I also added some lemon zest which really perked it all up. I encourage people to add a dash or two of cinnamon. It isn’t necessary but it makes a big difference in the long run. When I say a dash or two, I mean it. Not very much, just a tad. I think this recipe is a good starting point. If you’ve never eaten tabouli before this might be all you need but if you’re an experience tabouli eater this is a good foundation from which to create your own perfect dish.
- SingASongOf6Pans
- Texas
- 1/14/2020
Terrific salad, everyone asked for the recipe. I cut the oil and added crumbled feta cheese. Will definitely make again!
- Anonymous
- Miami, FL
- 10/9/2018
Great use of quinoa. I was going to leave out the mint but was very glad I didn't.
- Anonymous
- Leelanau County, Michigan
- 10/23/2017