Minted Quinoa Tabouli Salad ( Tabbouleh)

Summer has officially arrived and fresh seasonal vegetable salads are a welcome addition at any gathering. I especially love tabouli ( tabbouleh) made with lots of fresh parsley and fresh mint.

Tabouli ( Tabbouleh) Salad

If you have an herb garden, belong to a CSA, or frequent local farmer's market, you will begin to see and abundance of summer parsley and fresh mint right about now . 

Both of these fragrant herbs are used in this gluten free quinoa tabouli salad along with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and kirby cucumbers.

I was introduced to Middle Eastern foods like tabouli, humus, stuffed grape leaves, and falafel long before these delicious delicacies ever made their appearance on mainstream supermarket shelves.I met my husband and his family forty seven years ago, shortly after they arrived in America.

The very first time I was invited to my husbands parent's house for dinner, my now mother in law made tabouli/tabbouleh as one of the side dishes. I was delighted with all of her unusual ( to me) recipes , but I was most intrigued with the bold colors and lemony taste of her authentic tabouli parsley salad that was a vegetarian's dream come true.

I was not following a gluten free diet years ago, so I cheerfully indulged in her authentic salad made from parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, and cracked bulgher wheat. It was tastefully doused with lemon and olive oil like most of my mother in laws recipe.

The other night, my sister in law hosted a family dinner and she made a gluten free version of her mother's delicious family recipe. Jocelyn substituted cooked white quinoa to replace the bulgher wheat. Truthfully, I could hardly tell the difference.

The vegan and gluten free salad was light and tastefully dressed. 

It's a nice diversion from the traditional lettuce and tomato salad.

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Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes for quinoa
Serves: 6 sides


Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups of cooked white quinoa, cooled to room temperature
10 cherry tomatoes , halved and then quartered
3 kirby cucumbers, peeled and chopped small
1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint
Dressing:
1/4 of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt

Directions: 
Blend the salt, mint, lemon juice and olive oil in a blender. Pour over the cooled quinoa and toss well. Place cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and parsley in a large bowl and toss until well mixed.
Add the quinoa mixture to the vegetable mixture and toss well. Chill overnight so flavors can mingle. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

 Herbs in Other Recipes Too

1. First of all you can easily Grow Your Own Herbs on Your Windowsill or Deck 
like parsley, basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cilantro.

2. Next, pin my Spinach/basil pesto for when the basil is plentiful- which is soon.

3.  Cool Off with our family recipe for Middle Eastern Lemonade with Fresh Mint

There is nothing like an ice cold glass of fresh lemonade on a hot day.

Do You Need  light Easy to Store Cutting Boards? These are great!

I love having color coded cutting boards. These are light yet durable and store easily. Also BPA free
Premium 4 Piece Cutting Board Set with Stand - Dishwasher Safe - Color Coded - Microban - BPA FREE

This post was shared on Beth Fish Reads ( weekend linky) and Souper Sunday linky for soup, salad, and sandwiches.


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