Fresh and Flavorful Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

Quinoa Tabbouleh is one of my favorite light summer lunches or side dishes for dinner. Meal prep this Mediterranean-inspired salad on the weekend and eat on it all week long. A delicious, high-protein way to use up produce and eat your veggies!

Photo byThriving Home

Why Make Quinoa Tabbouleh

A friend and I have lately been lamenting/joking about how having kids has stolen some of our IQ. I wouldn’t have it any other way, of course. But with all the antioxidants in this Quinoa Tabbouleh I had for lunch, I’m hoping what functioning neurons are left might be sharpened!

There are so many different tabbouleh recipes out there, but below is how I typically make mine–full of whole grain, gluten-free quinoa, crisp garden veggies, and fresh herbs. It’s such a satisfying way to eat your veggies, especially if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours (or even a day or two) and let the flavors marry. The lemony vinaigrette makes everything pop and the feta cheese adds creaminess.

Ingredients Needed

You can certainly get creative with this recipe, but here are the building blocks I usually use in this Mediterranean-inspired salad.

Photo byThriving Home

• 2 cups cooked quinoa (sub: whole wheat couscous or bulgar wheat)
• 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 1 small cucumber, seeded and diced (peel if you want to)
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and diced (I used a yellow and an orange)
• 1/3 cup of packed fresh parsley, minced (or any combo of your favorite herbs, like mint and basil)
• 1–2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• juice of one lemon
• 3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• crumbled feta cheese (optional, to sprinkle on top before serving)

Variation Ideas: You could also include ingredients like red onions, green onions or chives, shredded carrots, toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds, and even grilled chicken like our Lemon Garlic Chicken.

Instructions

1. In a mixing/serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, herbs, and garlic.
2. Squeeze the lemon and drizzle the olive oil over the top and stir.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Leave out the feta cheese until ready to serve and then sprinkle some over the top of each bowl. Store in the refrigerator for up to about 3-5 days.

Photo byThriving Home

What to Serve with Quinoa Tabbouleh

Quinoa Tabbouleh makes a complete vegetarian meal by itself. However, if you’d like to use it as a side dish, try serving it alongside one of these main dishes:

• Mediterranean Shrimp
• Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Kabobs
• Turkey Pesto Paninis
• Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes
• Lemon Garlic Chicken

More Garden Fresh Sides You’ll Love

If you like the idea of Tabbouleh, check out some of these other veggie-rich sides on our site.

• Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
• Greek Dip
• Fiesta Chopped Salad
• Strawberry Summer Salad
• Roasted Veggies