Red Quinoa Tabouleh

Whether you spell it tabouleh, tabbouleh, tabouli, or tabbouli, to me this simple dish is synonymous with summer. A tangy mix of fresh herbs, tomato, onion, and grains, tabouleh is rumored to have it's origins in an ancient culinary rivalry between Caesar and Cleopatra. (Hey, I really can't make this stuff up!)  My first experience with tabouleh was at a wonderful Lebanese restaurant in northeast Minneapolis and it is a staple on the menu of many Greek restaurants, although most sources consider it a traditional Arab dish. Traditional tabouleh is made with a grain such as bulgur or in American versions couscous, but for a healthier spin I wanted to use one of my new favorite ingredients, quinoa.

If you have never worked with quinoa before let me assure you, there is no reason to be intimidated. First things first, it's pronounced keen-wah. While it is often referred to as a whole grain quinoa is actually a seed, but it used like other grains such as barley, oats, and bulgur because of it's versatility. Unlike grains, quinoa cooks very quickly, generally in 15 minutes. Quinoa's recent popularity is well deserved - it truly is a superfood. It has a high protein content and contains all nine essential amino acids making it a great protein source for vegans and vegetarians. In addition to being vegetarian-friendly, quinoa is also gluten free making it suitable for people with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease. It is also a great source of fiber, iron, folate, and omega 3 fatty acids. Quinoa seeds have a natural coating of saponins that will give an unpleasant bitter or soapy taste, so make sure you follow the directions and rinse the seeds before cooking.

Aside from the quinoa, this is a very traditional tabouleh with all the fresh flavors you would expect including parsley, mint, onion, tomato, cucumber, and lemon. It's particularly great when you can pick up most of your produce fresh from the farmer's market. One generous helping of this tabouleh is only 200 calories, has 11 grams of fat, and provides 5 grams of protein. You can serve this on it's own or with my Whole Wheat Pita, Baked Falafel, and homemade Tzatziki for a complete Greek feast. Enjoy!

Red Quinoa Tabouleh, Serves 6

1 cup red quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 red onion
2 small tomatoes, preferrably roma
1 cucumber
1 large handful Italian flat leaf parsley, about 1 cup
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice from one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Rinse quinoa very well in a fine mesh strainer to remove outer coating - do not skip this step. Add quinoa, water, and a generous pinch of sea salt to a medium-sized sauce pan and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until boiling. Turn heat down and simmer quinoa for 12-15 minutes or until the germ of the quinoa looks like distinct spirals. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork and place in a storage container and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Chop onions, tomatoes, and cucumber into small dice, about 1/4 inch. Add to cooked and chilled quinoa. Coarsely chop parsley and mint, add to mixture. Add vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil, stir well before adding salt and pepper to taste.