Description
A vibrant and refreshing Mediterranean Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad featuring fluffy quinoa combined with fresh herbs, crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and a zesty lemon-garlic dressing. This healthy, herb-forward salad is perfect as a light meal or a nutritious side dish, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Quinoa
- ⅔ cup white quinoa (rinsed, or 2 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1⅓ cups water or vegetable broth
- ½ tsp salt (for cooking quinoa)
Salad
- 3 cups curly parsley (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup fresh mint (finely chopped)
- 1 cup Persian or English cucumber (finely diced)
- 1 cup tomato (cored and diced)
- 2 – 3 stalks scallions (green onions) (thinly sliced)
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
- 1 large garlic clove (minced or grated)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa, water or vegetable broth, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa grains show their little curly tails.
- Cool it down: Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, then spread it evenly onto a sheet pan. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature; this step is crucial to prevent wilting the fresh herbs later.
- Prep the vegetables and herbs: While the quinoa cools, finely chop the parsley and mint, dice the cucumber and tomato, and thinly slice the scallions to prepare for mixing.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ground black pepper until well emulsified.
- Toss it together: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, chopped parsley, mint, diced cucumber, tomato, and scallions. Pour the dressing over and gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Taste and serve: Let the salad sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, lemon juice, or pepper if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Rinsing quinoa before cooking removes its natural coating called saponin, which can taste bitter.
- Cooling the quinoa completely is important to keep the fresh herbs vibrant and prevent them from wilting.
- You can prepare quinoa in advance to save time; just refrigerate and fluff before mixing with the salad ingredients.
- Adjust lemon juice and salt to your taste preferences for brightness and seasoning.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, making it a great make-ahead option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
