Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad that’s made with fresh parsley, bulgur wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, and seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. Sometimes spelled tabbouleh or tabbouli, it’s a staple in Greek, Lebanese and Syrian cuisine.  The fresh brightness of the lemon and parsley are the perfect contrast to more savory and heavy flavors.

Using quinoa makes this into a gluten-free salad: and you also get all the nutritional benefits of quinoa. The quinoa cooking process takes just a little longer! But it’s 100% worth the time. 

Make the quinoa in advance if you have time, I don't I have cooked at the same time. Cook the quinoa and side by side chopped the vegetable and made the salad dressing.  

Once its is warm, layered the Quinoa on a wide plate and pop into the fridge for few minutes. But you can cook it while you chop the veggies: but the easiest way to do it is cooking it in advance! 

Once you’ve mixed up a batch of this quinoa tabbouleh, you can use it as a healthy side dish for lunch and dinner recipes throughout the week! It stores in fridge for about 2 to 3 days, and holds up pretty well.

Category: Side Dish / Salad

Cuisine: Middle Eastern inspired

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes  

Servings : 3 to 4 people

Diet: Vegan/Gluten Free

Author : Jolly Makkar

Quinoa -1/2 cup

Water - 1 cup

Small tomato (finely diced) - 1 no 

Cucumber (seeded and finely diced) - 1/2 

Shredded beetroot - 1/4 cup

Finely chopped red onion - 2 tablespoon (optional)

Fresh coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/2 cup (alternate with mint leaves)

Salt -1/2 teaspoon 

Fresh grounded black pepper to taste

Basil flakes - a pinch (optional)

Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp

Garlic cloves- 2 no (crushed & chopped)

1. Washing the Quinoa : wash the quinoa under running water, till it looks clean. The wash lastly with drinking water and the cook it.

2. Make the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa using a fine mesh strainer, then drain it completely. Place it in a saucepan with 1 cups water and with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. 

3. Cover the pot and simmer where the water is just bubbling for about 10 to 12 minutes, or as per the instruction mentioned on quinoa packet or until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.) Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to steam for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. 

4. Cool the quinoa to room temperature: To do this quickly, Once its is warm, layered the Quinoa on a wide plate and pop into the fridge for few minutes. Or, you can make the quinoa in advance and let it sit at room temp or refrigerate until serving.

5. Chop the vegetables: Chop the cucumber and tomato. Thinly slice the red onions. Thinly shredded the beetroot(you can use end number of veggies in it, I have taken those which I generally enjoyed into my salads or available into my pantry)

6. Add the dressing: Crushed and chopped garlic(you can use garlic oil), Juice the lemon, a pinch of basil and whisk it together with the olive oil. Sieve it later, my husband don't like raw garlic so I sieved it before adding into it.

7. In a large bowl, toss the quinoa and vegetables with the dressing, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust flavors as necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.