Quinoa Tabbouleh with Chickpeas

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Dietitian | Nutritionist

July 6, 2018 POSTED IN Recipes

Tabbouleh is a popular Middle Eastern side salad that originates from Lebanon, traditionally consisting of parsley, mint, tomatoes, spring onions, lemon juice, olive oil and bulgar. Like most great recipes, the ingredients are simple, yet the taste is enticing. Tabbouleh is one of my favorite dishes, so I used it to inspire this complete and simple meal in one.

This salad is one of my favorite summer lunches because it’s light, energizing and easy to take on the go. Cucumbers are high in water, so they’re naturally hydrating, while also a great source of immune-protecting vitamin C. Quinoa and chickpeas are packed with protein, fiber and additional nutrients like folate and manganese. The protein and fiber will fill you up while stabilizing your energy all day long.

Recipe note: Traditionally tabbouleh consists of parsley and mint, but I only added parsley since that’s what I had on hand when I put this recipe together—but feel free to adjust based on your preferences or what you have lying around the kitchen! Truly, the combinations in this salad will work great with other herbs like cilantro or basil as well.

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Chickpeas

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dry quinoa

2 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth

1 cucumber

1/2 red onion, diced

8-10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 dates, pitted and chopped

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups cooked)

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 tablespoon each: sea salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley *see recipe note*

DIRECTIONS

Wash quinoa under water to remove any powdery residue. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 12-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and quinoa forms little white-spiral “tails.”

While quinoa is cooking, assemble the rest of the salad. Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and chop into bite-size pieces. Combine cucumber, red onion, tomato, dates and chickpeas in a large bowl.

Once quinoa is cooked, add to the bowl of chopped veggies. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss vinaigrette into salad and let sit for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors marinate together.

BALANCE IT OUT: Serve this salad over a bed of greens or on its own for a delicious meal. Or, reduce serving size for an excellent side salad. You can also add in another source of protein, like chicken or shrimp, for a more satisfying meal.

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