This quinoa tabbouleh is one of my go-to recipes. Quinoa, a grain that originated in South America, is considered a superfood because it contains more protein than most grains. It has a nutty flavor that tastes wonderful with the cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, feta and mint, and it’s a great gluten-free alternative to traditional bulgur wheat. Best of all, you can make this salad ahead; if it sits at room temperature for a few hours, the lemon vinaigrette really has time to soak into the quinoa and vegetables, so the salad is even more delicious!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (5 scallions)
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and medium-diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem
- 2 cups medium-diced feta (8 ounces)
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and 1 teaspoon of salt, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and open (they’ll have little curly tails). Drain, place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.*
- In a large bowl, combine the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt* and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the quinoa and mix well. Carefully fold in the feta and taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.
- * Ina uses Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is coarser than other brands; if you are using a finer-grain kosher salt such as Morton, use the smaller amount.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 210 |
| Total Fat | 14 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 25 milligrams |
| Sodium | 341 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 16 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 grams |
| Sugar | 2 grams |
| Protein | 7 grams |
| Calories | 210 |
| Total Fat | 14 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 25 milligrams |
| Sodium | 341 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 16 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 grams |
| Sugar | 2 grams |
| Protein | 7 grams |
Reviews
I have made this several times. Always consistent, delicious. Also add the zest of one of the lemons to the dressing. Make ahead and dress. Add the vegetables and herbs before serving. So fresh! Tonight with the Mediterranean chicken from the show. Haven’t tried that recipe yet. “How could that be bad?”;)
Absolutely a beautiful & delicious salad. I used tricolored quinoa as that is what I had on hand. It was a great way to use herbs & veggies from my garden. I did have a sliced lemon on the side as I like a little more than norm moisture in my salads. Definitely a keeper!
Nice combination of flavors, but WAY to salty….wish I had read the reviews first! Next time I make this, I would also scale back on the mint and parsley to about half of what is called for.
This is a great salad. More of a veggie salad with quinoa & feta than a quinoa salad. I made it with red quinoa, but it would be prettier with white quinoa. I’ll be making it again. Good amounts of lemon juice and olive oil. Be careful with the salt; start with 1/4 t. and add more as needed, bearing in mind that feta is usually salty. I added some grated lemon zest for a little more lemony tartness.
Amazing. I added mini bell peppers, and increased quinoa to 1.5 cups. Didn’t use quite as much parsley and mint as called for. Added a squeeze of agave as one review mentioned to cut the acidity of the lemon. Left the feta out for vegan family member. I will absolutely make this again, no doubt. Thanks for a delicious, healthy recipe!
Oh, this was awesome! I’ve been looking for more quinoa recipes and this nailed it. I didn’t add the feta for dietary reasons and it was still excellent! For those new to quinoa, look for pre-washed versions to avoid the bitterness (e.g. Ancient Harvest).
I made half of recipe, I used French Feta (1 cup = 1/4 lbs) Good
I went by the recipe and it was very good. All loved it. One note. I cooked the quinoa as directed but there was no water left in pot at the end of 15 minutes. Also, I did not see any tails! Still good, but wonder if it was the brand of quinoa or if I did not lower temp enough. Happened each time i have made it (2 times). Making again tomorrow. We will see. Not a problem, just odd.
This is one of our go tos! We make it regularly, usually with lamb. It makes for a great Mediterranean style summer dinner. Even my 6 year old loves it. I always make the cup of quinoa, half the oil and eye ball the rest of the ingredients to our tastes.
This is the first quinoa salad I’ve made and really loved. It was super simple to make and a huge hit at the bbq I took it to. I didn’t have much mint in the garden so added a handful of basil, some arugula and dill along with the parsley. The more herbs the better in this one.