Quinoa tabbouleh

A parsley-heavy tabbouleh with quinoa in place of bulgur, plus tomato, cucumber, green onion and lemon.

  • Lazy AF
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Middle Eastern
  • Lunch
  • Side
  • Vegetables
  • Meal prep
Hands-on
22 min
Total time
40 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Clean up 5 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
8
Cost/serving
$2.90

Per serving

Calories
261
Protein
6.7 g
Fiber
5.8 g
Net carbs
21 g
Fat
16 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 879%, Vitamin C 123%, Folate 43%, Vitamin A 35%, Iron 31%, Vitamin E 25%, Magnesium 23%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 2 cups fresh parsley (120 g), flat-leaf, about 2 bunches

    Same amount as: 480 mL.

  • ¼ cup quinoa, dry (42 g)

    Same amount as: 60 mL.

  • 2 medium tomatoes (246 g)
  • ¼ medium cucumber (75 g)
  • 3 medium green onions (45 g)
  • ½ clove garlic, smashed (1.5 g)

    Same amount as: ½ tsp fresh minced garlic, ¼ tsp jarred minced garlic, 0.1 tsp garlic powder.

  • 2 tbsp olive oil (27 g)

    Same amount as: 30 mL.

  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (45 g)

    Same amount as: 45 mL, 1 lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.

  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Find alternative ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings. Keeps 2 days in the fridge. The parsley darkens but still tastes good.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (302 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories261
Total fat16 g20%
Saturated fat2.2 g11%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Sodium201 mg9%
Total carbohydrate27 g10%
Dietary fiber5.8 g21%
Total sugars5.5 g
Net carbs†21 g
Protein6.7 g13%
Vitamin D0 mcg0%
Calcium131 mg10%
Iron5.6 mg31%
Potassium890 mg19%
Vitamin A318 mcg35%
Vitamin C111 mg123%
Vitamin E3.7 mg25%
Vitamin K1,055 mcg879%
Thiamin (B1)0.2 mg17%
Riboflavin (B2)0.18 mg14%
Niacin (B3)2 mg13%
Vitamin B60.3 mg18%
Folate170 mcg43%
Vitamin B120 mcg0%
Magnesium97 mg23%
Zinc1.7 mg15%
Selenium2.3 mcg4%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve.

  2. Add the quinoa and boil it like pasta, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Drain it in the sieve and spread it on a plate to cool.

    Done looks like: Grains soft with tiny white spiral tails showing. Dry, not clumped.
  3. Meanwhile, wash the parsley and dry it well in a towel. Pick off the thick stems and chop the leaves fine.

    Done looks like: A big pile of fine green flecks, no whole leaves left.
  4. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber small. Slice the green onions thin. Grate or mince the garlic.

  5. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the parsley, quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber and green onion and toss.

  6. Taste. Add more lemon or salt until it tastes bright and sharp.

Equipment

Medium pot with lid, about 2 L (2 qt) $15–35

What to look for

  • Lid that fits snugly
  • Thick base so it does not scorch

Skip: Glass lids that fog up are fine; copper is not needed.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Wet, soggy tabboulehParsley not dried, or tomato juice left in.Dry the parsley well. Tip off extra tomato juice before mixing.
Bruised, black parsleyChopped with a dull knife or chopped over and over.Use a sharp knife and cut through the pile in long strokes, a few times only.
Bitter quinoaNot rinsed.Rinse in a fine sieve until the water runs clear.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 22 min, total 40 min.261 kcal
6.7 g protein
5.8 g fiber
21 g net carbs
16 g fat
Higher proteinAdd chickpeas. Hands-on 22 min, total 40 min.426 kcal
15 g protein
14 g fiber
41 g net carbs
19 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.