When I was first introduced to traditional tabbouleh (or tabouli) in the 1990s I made it from a box. In addition to the bulgur wheat there was a pack of dried ingredients – parsley, mint, garlic, etc. I didn’t realize at that time how easy it was to make it from scratch using fresh ingredients. Eventually I figured it out and before I gave up eating wheat, I enjoyed preparing it at home (sadly bulger wheat contains gluten).
When I see it on a menu, I’m reminded of how much I like the mix of fresh herbs with lemon and olive oil. Collectively they create a vibrant flavor. Typically I’m unable to eat it (bulgur wheat contains gluten) so I was happy to see it on a menu recently made with quinoa instead of bulgur wheat.
We had a wonderful family reunion at Skytop Lodge in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. They have a few different dining options where we enjoyed many good meals. On our last night there we dined at the Lakeview near the golf course. Having eaten quite well for three days, I decided to opt for a lighter vegetarian option – their Roasted Portobello which consisted of marinated roasted portobello mushrooms served with quinoa tabbouleh (!), red pepper coulis, roasted sunchokes and broccolini. It was just what I needed. The highlight was definitely the quinoa tabbouleh.
Quinoa is not only gluten-free, it is also high in protein and fiber plus B vitamins and dietary minerals. I used a mix of red, white and black (sometimes called ‘rainbow’) quinoa for this recipe as that’s what I was able to find at my local grocery store. Any color or mix will do as all colors take the same time to cook. I added to it the requisite fresh parsley, mint (I still have lots in my herb garden), scallions and dressed it with freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. I added cherry tomatoes and diced cucumbers for flavor and texture. While not traditional, I added French feta (my go-to feta – any feta will do) but if you want to make this dairy-free you can leave this out.
This definitely satisfied my craving for tabbouleh. Using quinoa in place of bulgur wheat changes the overall texture but the flavor profile is consistent and that is what I was looking for.
I borrowed the technique for cooking the quinoa from New York Times Cooking – the rest of the inspiration for this tabbouleh from Ina Garten.
I have also made a Hemp Seed Tabbouleh which is also gluten-free.
| Quinoa Tabbouleh | Print |
- 1 cup quinoa (white, red and/or black) (see Notes)
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ 3 lemons)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 to 5 scallions, white and green parts finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and diced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces feta, crumbled (~ 1-1/2 cups)
- Kosher salt
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer, and combine with the water and salt to taste in a saucepan (at least 3 quarts). Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the quinoa shows little white spirals.
- Drain quinoa through a strainer, tap to remove excess water, then return the quinoa to the pot.
- Place a dish towel over the top of the pot, and return the lid. Let sit for 15 minutes. The quinoa should now be fluffy.
- Mix in lemon juice, olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt in a small bowl. Stir in half of the dressing to the warm quinoa that’s still in the pan. Let cool. Once cooled stir in remaining dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber and tomatoes.
- Add the dressed quinoa and mix well.
- Carefully fold in the feta. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
- Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold. Can be made a day in advance.
Source: Variation on recipe from Ina Garten and Food Network Magazine + New York Times Cooking
Spenser – I’m so glad you like it. It is yummy!