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This Red Quinoa Tabbouleh may be the most delicious tabbouleh recipe I've made! It packs up perfectly for lunch or makes a great side-dish! | @tasteLUVnourish

Red Quinoa Tabbouleh

May 19, 2014 By Caroline 12 Comments

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My Mom doesn’t own a computer. She became so frustrated with the one she had, she threatened to throw it out the window. So, she only gets a glimpse of my blog every now and then when she visits my sister. It does make me sad that the most influential person in my life doesn’t always see what I’m doing here. Today, I’m OK with that.

Each time I give her a ring, she always asks me what I’ve been cooking for the blog. I usually end up explaining how I took something traditional and gave it a healthier twist with unusual ingredients. She’s my biggest fan, but my Mom is a purist through and through. I can almost hear her say…

“You didn’t use bulgur in your tabbouleh? Hmm. You like quinoa? What’s wrong with bulgur?”

I love her dearly.

So, there is nothing wrong with bulgur. Nutritionally, bulgur and quinoa are more similar than you’d think, although quinoa is a better source of minerals, aminos and it’s gluten-free. Changing things up a bit is just in my nature and yes, I do like quinoa. It soaks up the dressing and the flavors of the vegetables and makes this tabbouleh one of my favorites.

I gave my Mom a call today. I mentioned nothing of this crazy quinoa tabbouleh.

Red Quinoa Tabbouleh

1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 pint grape tomatoes, diced
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 seedless cucumber, finely diced
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped or 2 tablespoons dried mint
juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool while you chop your vegetables.

Combine the vegetables and the quinoa in a large bowl.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

This Red Quinoa Tabbouleh may be the most delicious tabbouleh recipe I've made! It packs up perfectly for lunch or makes a great side-dish! | @tasteLUVnourish

    Notes:

  • I love red quinoa because it is a bit nuttier and a bit less bitter than white. No matter which quinoa you use, always give it a rinse before using. Rinsing removes saponins that give it that bitter flavor. Once you rinse, you’ll never taste it.
  • I rarely ever use dried herbs. I just prefer fresh because I love the brightness they bring. That said…my family prefers dried mint in this recipe. I think the flavor of the dried mint is a bit milder. Personally, I love the fresh mint best!
  • This salad is so versatile. Use whatever you’ve got in the fridge or in your garden. Just chop finely by hand. It’s a labor of love…but worth it. You’re able to control the dice by hand and you eliminate the chance you’ll end up with a bowl of mush if you use a processor.
  • Serve this as a side dish or pack it up for a great lunch.

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Salads, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: cumin, dried mint, extra virgin olive oil, fresh, gluten free, healthy, lemon, lemon juice, lunch, mint, onion, parsley, pepper, quinoa, recipe, red onion, red pepper, red quinoa, rinse, salad, salt, saponins, sea salt, side dish, tabbouleh, tabbouli, tomato, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria Green

    May 13, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Such a great and healthy side dish!!! Thanks for sharing….will definitely make this again!

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      May 13, 2015 at 3:48 pm

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Maria! This is one of my favorites…I make it all the time to pack up for lunches. Thanks for your sweet words! :)

      Reply
  2. Maria | Pink Patisserie

    October 29, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    This look so delicious Caroline! I simply love quinoa and can’t ever have enough recipes!

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      November 1, 2014 at 5:19 pm

      Thanks so much, Maria! I love quinoa too…we eat it an awful lot!

      Reply
  3. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

    September 29, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    I didn’t mean to press enter so fast, it was so great to meet you this weekend! You are so much fun to hang out with!! XO

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      September 30, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      :) I’m thrilled to have met you! We really did have a lot of fun! Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

      Reply
  4. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

    September 29, 2014 at 8:58 pm

    This looks INCREDIBLE! And your pictures are just amazing! I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      September 30, 2014 at 2:06 pm

      Thanks so much Lauren! I hope you love it!

      Reply
  5. Cheryl Kadel

    June 10, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    This looks very good! I just have a quick question…did you sprout the quinoa? Thanks ahead!:)

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      June 11, 2014 at 10:36 am

      Thanks so much Cheryl! That’s a great question! I do not sprout the quinoa in this recipe, but you can certainly do that instead of cooking the quinoa. Then, just follow the recipe by adding the chopped veggies and the dressing. For anyone wondering about sprouting quinoa, it is a great way to improve the digestibility and even improve the nutrient profile of grains. Maybe one of these days, I’ll do a post on that topic.

      Reply
  6. Jen @ Savory Simple

    May 19, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    This is such a gorgeous photo! Your mom is seriously missing out.

    Reply
    • Caroline Hurley

      May 19, 2014 at 8:49 pm

      Awww…thank you Jen! :)

      Reply

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My name is Caroline. I’m so happy you’re here! I’m a bit obsessed with food, cooking and nutrition. Here you'll find plant-based recipes using seasonal, fresh and whole-food ingredients that are completely decadent and gratifying.

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