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Growing up successful a Mediterranean country, tabbouleh, aliases kisir, was a staple successful our house. It was my mom’s go-to outpouring and summertime salad, which she paired pinch beautiful overmuch everything.
This version, made pinch protein-rich quinoa (a awesome substitute for bulgur), is nan latest summation to my Quinoa Salad recipes collection, and it’s conscionable arsenic delicious arsenic nan accepted recipe. If you emotion quinoa arsenic overmuch arsenic I do, beryllium judge to cheque retired my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad for different caller and vibrant option.
And if you’ve ever wondered astir nan different names and spellings—tabbouleh, tabouli—they’re simply variations of nan aforesaid name, reflecting different versions of nan Arabic word.
Recipe Ingredients:
This tabouli quinoa look is made pinch elemental ingredients that make a agleam and refreshing salad. The caller herbs and crisp vegetables supply a delicious opposition to nan fluffy quinoa, while nan tangy citrus dressing ties everything together beautifully. You will need:
- Quinoa: This quinoa tabbouleh crockery will activity pinch immoderate type of quinoa. Red, black, tricolor and achromatic quinoa would each work. It is imperative to rinse quinoa earlier cooking if you want it to sensation good.
- Cooking liquid: While h2o useful conscionable fine, I highly urge cooking your quinoa successful vegetable stock. It adds extent of flavor, ensuring that nan guidelines of your quinoa tabouli crockery is tasty correct from nan start.
- Fresh citrus juice: Freshly squeezed citrus juice is my favourite acerb for nan dressing utilized successful this recipe, but successful a pinch, achromatic vino vinegar tin beryllium used. The flavors would beryllium somewhat different but still beryllium great.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh herbs: A operation of caller herbs is cardinal to classical tabouli, and this quinoa type is nary exception. I for illustration to usage a cup of caller flat-leaf parsley, a cup of caller dill, and half a cup of caller mint leaves, but there’s nary strict rule—adjust to your taste! You tin instrumentality to conscionable parsley and dill aliases skip nan dill altogether if it’s not your favorite.
- Fresh tomatoes: I for illustration utilizing colorful cherry tomatoes for their sweetness and vibrant look, but immoderate assortment will work—just beryllium judge to chop them into mini pieces for moreover distribution.
- Cucumber: I prefer Persian cucumbers arsenic they are crunchy, but English cucumbers would besides work.
- Scallions: Green onions supply a mild bulb spirit that ties everything together. While it is not traditional, finely chopped reddish bulb could beryllium a bully substitute successful a pinch.
- Seasonings: I kept it elemental pinch conscionable kosher brackish and capsicum successful this tabbouleh quinoa crockery recipe, but you tin adhd a touch of crushed cumin, crushed coriander, aliases a pinch of reddish capsicum flakes to nan dressing for other extent of flavor.
Optional Add-Ins
While nan recipe for quinoa tabouli I’m sharing stays adjacent to nan accepted version, you tin easy customize it pinch a fewer other ingredients. These aren’t traditional, but they adhd delicious caller flavors:
- Feta Cheese: A fistful of crumbled feta adds a creamy, salty opposition that pairs perfectly pinch nan Mediterranean flavors.
- Kalamata Olives: Their briny, tangy sensation enhances nan crockery and adds an other punch of flavor.
- Garlic: The accepted tabbouleh crockery look does not usage ail successful nan citrus dressing, but you tin ever adhd a minced ail clove if you are a fan.
- Chickpeas: Again, nan classical tabbouleh look does not usage chickpeas, but sometimes I adhd a tin of (drained and rinsed) chickpeas to make it moreover much satisfying.
How To Make Quinoa Tabbouleh?
Making this quinoa tabouli look is easy, and it comes together successful conscionable a fewer steps successful nether 20 minutes. Yes, location is simply a spot of chopping involved, but nan consequence is simply a refreshing and wholesome crockery that you’ll want to make connected repeat.
- Cook nan Quinoa: Place nan rinsed quinoa successful a mean saucepan on pinch your cooking liquid and salt. Bring to a boil, trim to a simmer, cover, and navigator for astir 10-12 minutes until nan liquid is absorbed. Let it remainder for 10 minutes, past fluff pinch a fork and transportation it to a ample vessel to cool.
- Make nan Dressing: While nan quinoa is cooking, hole nan dressing. In a mini bowl, whisk citrus juice, oliva oil, salt, and achromatic capsicum until afloat combined.
- Chop nan caller herbs and veggies – Finely chop nan caller parsley, dill, and mint. Quarter nan cherry tomatoes, dice nan cucumbers and thinly portion nan scallions. Add nan chopped herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions to nan cooled quinoa.
- Assemble your tabouli quinoa salad – Drizzle nan cooked quinoa and nan veggies pinch nan dressing and mildly flip to combine.
- Serve – Taste for seasoning and adhd much salt, pepper, aliases citrus juice arsenic needed. Serve instantly aliases refrigerate for later.
How To Make Ahead and Store Leftovers?
My favourite point astir this quinoa tabbouleh crockery look is that it stores well. As a matter of fact, since nan flavors meld together complete time, it really tastes moreover amended nan adjacent day. Here is really I make-ahead and shop leftovers:
- Make Ahead: If preparing successful advance, navigator and cool nan quinoa, chop nan veggies, and make nan dressing a time aliases 2 successful advance. Store them separately successful airtight containers successful nan fridge. Toss everything together astir an hr earlier serving for nan champion texture and flavor.
- Storing Leftovers: Keep leftovers successful an airtight instrumentality successful nan refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, springiness it a speedy stir, sensation for seasoning, and refresh it pinch a compression of citrus and much seasoning if needed.
- Freezing: You tin technically frost this dish, but I do not urge it arsenic it will suffer astir of its caller flavors erstwhile thawed.
Expert Tips:
This look is elemental and easy to make, but to guarantee nan champion quinoa tabbouleh, present are a fewer cardinal tips to thief you get it correct connected your first try:
- Chopping by manus vs. utilizing a nutrient processor: I for illustration to chop nan herbs by manus utilizing a crisp chef’s weapon arsenic it gives maine much power complete nan texture, ensuring evenly chopped herbs. Plus, location is nary consequence of over-processing, which tin move herbs into a paste. However, if you for illustration a nutrient processor, beat successful short bursts alternatively of moving it continuously to forestall nan herbs from turning into a paste.
- Herb stems: When it comes to herbs, you tin chop nan parsley and dill stems, arsenic they are tender and flavorful. However, pinch mint, I for illustration utilizing only nan leaves unless you’re increasing your ain and it’s ace fresh.
- Are you short connected time? You tin prep nan herbs and veggies a time successful beforehand and shop them successful nan fridge until you’re fresh to put it each together.
- Let nan quinoa cool a bit: You tin operation everything together while nan quinoa is still lukewarm for a somewhat different texture and flavor, but letting it cool first helps support nan herbs caller and vibrant. I usually navigator nan quinoa a time successful advance—not only does this prevention time, but it besides ensures it’s perfectly cooled and fresh to use.
- Cooking quinoa: While I opted to cook quinoa connected nan stovetop, you tin cook quinoa successful nan microwave, in an instant pot, and a atom cooker. Feel free to prime nan method that useful champion for you. Also, I usually navigator a large batch and freeze immoderate for later. If you person immoderate cooked quinoa connected hand, this quinoa tabbouleh comes together successful minutes.
- Serve astatine room temperature: This tabouli look pinch quinoa tastes champion erstwhile served astatine room temperature, allowing nan flavors to afloat develop. If you made it successful advance, return it retired of nan fridge 15 minutes earlier serving for nan champion sensation and texture.
Serving Suggestions:
You tin service this gluten-free tabbouleh crockery pinch immoderate macromolecule aliases vegetarian main aliases conscionable by itself for a ray meal. Below are a fewer of my favourite pairings:
- As portion of a meze platter: Serve it on pinch different Mediterranean/Middle Eastern favorites specified arsenic hummus, baba ganoush, borek, and pita bread arsenic a portion of a flavorful meze spread.
- With grilled nutrient and seafood: The freshness of parsley, dill, and mint, mixed pinch nan tangy citrus dressing, cuts done nan bold spices and charred smokey flavors of dishes like Grilled Harissa Chicken, Grilled Shrimp, and Grilled Rack of Lamb.
- In a wrap aliases pita: Stuff it into a pita pouch pinch falafel, Yogurt-Marinated Chicken, aliases roasted vegetables for a delicious meal.
Other Quinoa Salads You Might Also Like
If you make this look for tabbouleh crockery pinch quinoa, I would greatly admit it if you could return a infinitesimal to time off a prima standing and a remark below. It is simply a awesome measurement to support this website and thief those readying to make it. Also, if you took pictures, I’d emotion to spot them. Share your creations connected Instagram utilizing #foolproofeats truthful I tin stock them pinch nan Foolproof Living community.
This look was primitively published successful September 2018 and updated successful March 2025 pinch caller step-by-step photos and much adjuvant tips. The look itself remains nan same, pinch only insignificant edits for clarification.
For nan Quinoa:
- ▢ 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- ▢ 1 ¾ cups water, or rootlike stock
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
For The Dressing:
- ▢ 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed – positive much to taste
- ▢ ¼ cup extra virgin oliva oil
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to sensation arsenic needed
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For nan Tabbouleh:
- ▢ 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ▢ 1 cup fresh dill, chopped (optional)
- ▢ ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ▢ 2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped aliases 1 English cucumber
- ▢ 3-4 scallions, sliced thinly some achromatic and greenish parts
Place 1 cup quinoa successful a saucepan on pinch 1 ¾ cups of rootlike banal (or water) and a half spoon of kosher salt. Stir to combine, put nan lid on, and bring it to a boil complete medium-high heat.
Once it comes to a boil, move nan power down to debased and navigator for 10-12 minutes aliases until h2o is afloat absorbed. Turn nan power disconnected and fto it remainder for 10 minutes. Fluff it pinch a fork, transportation it to a ample crockery bowl, and fto it cool while moving connected nan remainder of nan ingredients.
Meanwhile, hole nan dressing by whisking together 4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed citrus juice, ¼ cup other virgin oliva oil, ½ spoon kosher salt, and ¼ spoon achromatic capsicum successful a bowl. Set it aside.
To combine nan quinoa tabbouleh, adhd 1 cup of chopped parsley, 1 cup of caller dill, ½ cup caller mint, 1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes, 2 chopped Persian cucumbers, 3 thinly sliced greenish onions into nan vessel pinch nan quinoa.
Drizzle it pinch nan dressing. Give it a gentle toss.
Taste for seasoning and service immediately.
- Yields: This look makes astir 5 to 6 cups of tabbouleh, perfect for serving six adults arsenic a broadside dish. The nutritional values beneath are per serving.
- Using dill: Most tabouli recipes are made pinch caller parsley and mint, but my mom ever added caller dill, truthful I followed successful her footsteps. If you are not a fan, you tin omit utilizing dill (and usage much parsley aliases mint instead.)
- A speedy statement connected chopping herbs: Traditional tabbouleh is made pinch finely chopped herbs for a light, delicate texture, but if you for illustration a rougher chop, that useful too! It each comes down to individual preference.
- Make Ahead: If preparing successful advance, navigator and cool nan quinoa, chop nan veggies, and make nan dressing a time aliases 2 successful advance. Store them separately successful airtight containers successful nan fridge. Toss everything together astir an hr earlier serving for nan champion texture and flavor.
- Storing Leftovers: Keep leftovers successful an airtight instrumentality successful nan fridge for up to 3 days. Before serving, sensation for seasoning and adhd much citrus juice and brackish and capsicum if needed.
Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1812IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition accusation is automatically calculated, truthful should only beryllium utilized arsenic an approximation.