I must admit. I’m not a pro when it comes to knowing much about Middle Eastern cuisine. However, I have had Tabouli (or Tabbouleh) before and LOVED it. It is traditionally made with bulgur wheat. That being said, I ran across this version with quinoa instead of bulgur and knew I would love the simple exchange. It’s still a healthy grain, yet I tend to have quinoa on hand much more often than bulgur.
Tabouli is naturally healthy. There is nothing found in this salad that isn’t clean. It’s PACKED with flavor because it’s made with gobs of fresh herbs (mint and parsley to be exact). It’s seasoned beautifully with a dressing made primarily of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
The great thing about this little salad is it is quite versatile. You can eat it as is, you can add chicken to it, you can made a vegetarian wrap out of it, etc. In fact, stay tuned because I have a post coming up where I actually stuff this yummy Tabouli in a wrap/gyro. It’s so good!
Adapted from Nutritious Eats
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed, drained & cooked to package instructions
2 cups chopped cherry or grape tomatoes (about 1 pint)
1 1/2 cups chopped cucumbers
1/2 cup chopped onion (can substitute green onions)
1 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 cups fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 scant cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Koser salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl to cool while you prep other ingredients.
Add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and fresh herbs to cooked, cooled quinoa.
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for dressing. Pour over quinoa salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate for a couple hours to chill slightly. Serve room temperature or cold.
Serves 10.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 124
Protein: 2.8g
Carbs: 16.4g
Fat: 5.5g (0.6g = Sat.)
Fiber: 1.6g
Sugars: 3g
Mimi's Fit Foods 
One thought on “Quinoa Tabouli”