My apologies to any Middle Eastern food purists if I have insulted you with the following recipe. I love tabbouleh, no matter the form. I know it is supposed to be made with bulgur, and there is nothing wrong with that. This version, though, takes it up a notch; all of us loved it. We made it twice in one weekend. First time was to put a dent in the massive parsley harvest we have growing. Second time, it was because we ran out of the first batch too quickly.
The nice thing about this recipe is that you control how much grain you add; the ratio of grain to greens is up to you. If you want more grain, use more than 2 cups.
A couple more thoughts: I used rainbow Quinoa and it was really tasty. Be sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking; otherwise the bitter powder that naturally occurs on it will completely ruin the dish (called Saponin, if you are curious). You can make this with any grain. I can't wait to try it with other grains like sorghum or farro.
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad Serving Size: 4 - 6 Ingredients: - 1 1/2 - 2 cups quinoa, cooled - 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt - freshly ground black pepper - 1 cup chopped cucumber - 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes - 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley - 1/2 cup diced red onion (soak in a bit of cool water to reduce the ‘onion’ bit, if you prefer. Be sure to drain before using). - 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves Directions: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the cooled quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, onion, and mint and toss to combine, adding more lemon juice to taste. If you like your tabbouleh with more greens, use a smaller amount of quinoa; more grains, then add more quinoa. Let sit for 30 minutes for flavors to blend well. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Tabbouleh can be made up to 4 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
Super yummy with hummus.