Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Fresh and flavourful quinoa tabbouleh salad is a satisfying, light, vegan meal.

Mango Wood Salad Bowl with Serving Tongs

Tender quinoa and fresh vegetables mixed with fresh herbs and a bright, tangy dressing. I love to make tabbouleh as a light salad that is perfect for lunches and munches.

Tabbouleh, a classic Middle Eastern salad, is traditionally made using bulger, a wheat I find heavy and not friendly to my gluten-free loved ones. By swapping the bulger with quinoa, we solve the gluten problem, and by adding some spring mix it lightens up the entire dish. I also swap the typical lemon juice for lime juice, which completes the transformation.

While it makes a great lunch, the addition of sprig mix also makes it a lovely choice as a side salad.

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Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

quinoa:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

dressing:

• juice of 2 limes

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salad:

• 1 large English cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch rounds and halved

• 24 cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

• 6 cups spring mix

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Directions

Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid, 3.4 Quart

In a saucepan, prepare the quinoa according to package instructions, using the 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to season. After it has simmered and been standing, fluff it with a fork and set aside uncovered to cool. Quinoa is ready when the grains are tender.

While the quinoa boils, prepare the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Slowly begin incorporating the olive oil, drizzling it in so that it begins to emulsify. (Optional: Use a high-power blender and blending cup.) Refrigerate until the quinoa is fully cooled.

Mixing Bowls with Airtight Lids, Set of 6

Transfer the cooled quinoa to a salad bowl and add about 1/2 of the dressing then mix well. Cover and refrigerate the quinoa and remaining dressing for at least an hour, or until the next day. Before serving, mix in the chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint, and scallion. Toss with remaining dressing.

Arrange some of the spring mix on each plate and top with the quinoa mixture. Serve.

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Nutritional Information Per Serving:

total calories = 225 | total fat = 20.64g | saturated fat = 2.9g | cholesterol = 0mg | sodium = 168.22mg | net carbohydrates = 21.46g | dietary fibre = 3.93g | sugars = 3.8g | protein = 5.64g