Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is made with fluffy quinoa, and tossed with diced tomatoes, fresh herbs, cucumbers, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. A delicious, and vibrant salad everyone will love.
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Quinoa tabbouleh salad is relatively easy to make. You only need a few fresh ingredients and quinoa needs to be cooked ahead of time. Then it all gets tossed together and chilled.
Tabbouleh salad is a primarily an herb salad made with only parsley, bulgur, and tomatoes, and it’s from the Middle East. Our first experience with quinoa tabbouleh salad was at a friends barbecue, it was so good, we had to try it.
These days we crave salads that are packed with fresh ingredients, healthy goodness, and most of all, lots of flavors! If you’re planning a gathering this weekend, for a brunch, or maybe for a cookout, this quinoa tabbouleh salad is sure to please! It has an incredibly refreshing taste in every bite! This salad is SO good, you’ll go back for more.
Quinoa tabbouleh salad is also an ideal salad to serve all season long. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with nutrients and flavor! Perfect to serve at barbecues, picnics, and even potlucks. If you enjoy quinoa, be sure to try our Southwest Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Tuna Salad, and Easy Kale Quinoa Salad.
What is Tabbouleh Salad? (pronounced as “tah-boo-lee”)
If you’ve never had a Tabbouleh salad, well then, you’re in for a lovely surprise. It is a traditional Lebanese salad made with bulgur wheat and tossed with only finely chopped fresh parsley (no lettuce) and tomatoes. And, it’s tossed with a simple vinaigrette, making it taste refreshing, clean, and delicious.
However, I decided to add one additional ingredient: fresh cucumbers, for additional texture and crunch. And, it turned out AMAZING!
List of Ingredients You Will Need:
For this recipe, you will need eight ingredients. Plus, they need to be finely chopped, or minced, to create this amazing quinoa tabbouleh salad with all fresh veggies and herbs.
- healthy grain, cooked quinoa
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- cloves of garlic
- fresh herbs – fresh basil, parsley, and mint.
- lemons to juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
How To Make Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
1 First: Cook the Quinoa: You need to cook the quinoa with water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. Quinoa is fully cooked with its little rings. Remove and set aside for an additional 10 minutes, while covered. Then set it aside to cool down.
2. Prepare the Veggies and Herbs: Finely chop or mince all the vegetables and herbs and toss them into a mixing bowl.
3. Make the Dressing: In a small measuring cup, stir the olive oil and lemon juice together.
4. Combine Everything: Add the quinoa to the mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and toss to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Then, cover the bowl with clear wrap and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Tips
- The Dressing: The lemon vinaigrette is what gives it that amazing, fresh, and tangy flavor. It’s best to add the dressing just before you serve this salad. It will keep it fresh tasting and not get soggy.
- Make Ahead: This is a great salad to make ahead! But hold the dressing aside. You can also make the lemon dressing ahead, but keep it in a small mason jar and chilled.
- Keep Chilled: This quinoa tabbouleh salad stays fresh for up to 3 days and must be kept chilled in your refrigerator.
- Taste Before Serving: Just before you serve, toss again and taste the salad one last time. The quinoa will absorb some of the vinaigrette, and therefore, you may need to add additional vinaigrette to your liking. Then serve.
More Recipes for Quinoa
- Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini
- Quinoa with Baby Peas
- Mom’s Chicken Soup with Quinoa
- Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Quinoa
- Black Bean and Quinoa Soup
Don’t forget! If you make our Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, let us know and leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Happy Cooking! 🙂
xo Anna and Liz
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is made with diced tomatoes, fresh herbs, diced cucumber, and cooked quinoa and tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. This salad is perfect to serve all year long. Simple, easy, and positively delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 + 1/2 cups quinoa, pre-washed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons, and extra
- 20 cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pint)- diced
- 1 English cucumber - diced
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
- 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa with water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. Quinoa is fully cooked with your see little rings. Remove and set aside for additional 10 minutes, while covered. Stir with a fork to fluff.
- Transfer quinoa to a large serving bowl.
- In a small measuring cup, stir the olive oil and lemon juice together.
- Allow the quinoa to cool completely. Add all the rest of the ingredients, and mix until well combined. Pour in the dressing and toss to combined. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Then serve.
- To Make Ahead: Make the salad, but store the dressing in a small jar. Cover the bowl with clear wrap and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours before serving.
- Just before you serve, add the dressing, toss to combine, and taste the salad one last time. The quinoa will absorb some of the vinaigrette and therefore, you may need to add additional to your liking. Then serve.
- Best served chilled.
- Serves: 8 to 10
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 to 10 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 6.9gCarbohydrates: 25.1gFiber: 4.8gSugar: 7.2gProtein: 5.7g
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So fresh and delicious looking! This will be a perfect recipe for when my tomatoes and cucumber plants start producing.
Yes, and so easy to make too! It’s on rotation this summer. Everyone loves it! Enjoy Susan and thanks for stopping by! 🙂