Quinoa-Infused Tabbouleh Salad Recipe

Tabbouleh enthusiasts, have you experimented with quinoa in your recipe? This variation is a delightful twist on traditional tabbouleh, utilizing quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. It transforms our beloved Lebanese salad into a gluten-free option. The quinoa is light and offers a slightly nutty flavor, yet the overall taste remains quite comparable.

Having already swapped one key ingredient, I took the initiative to incorporate chickpeas and feta cheese, additional components you might not typically find in tabbouleh. These additions are completely optional and utterly delicious. They enhance the salad’s heartiness; using both could elevate it to a light meal by itself.

This garden-fresh salad is incredibly invigorating on a sunny day. It showcases fresh parsley and mint, tomato and cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and quinoa. The ratios stay true to the traditional preparation, ensuring there’s more parsley than quinoa, and the lemon adds a bright zest. I believe you’ll enjoy this.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

1) Prepare your quinoa as directed in the following recipe. I have a trusted quinoa cooking method that varies from package instructions. It consistently yields perfectly fluffy quinoa.

2) Sprinkle salt on your tomato and cucumber, then let them drain. This technique intensifies the flavors of the tomato and cucumber, preventing your salad from being too watery. Mix the tomato and cucumber in a bowl with salt and allow it to sit while you chop the parsley. Drain any excess liquid before mixing the salad. Simple!

3) Use a generous amount of parsley and chop it finely. For this recipe, you’ll need three bunches of curly parsley. It’s much simpler to chop that much parsley in a food processor rather than by hand. Don’t worry about removing the delicate parsley stems—they add great flavor.

4) Season generously with lemon juice and salt. Tabbouleh should be zesty and full of flavor. To achieve this, ensure you use enough lemon juice and salt. You can find my suggested amounts in the recipe below.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Serving Suggestions

All these options are gluten-free, just like this one:

Please share your recipe outcomes in the comments. I always enjoy hearing from you.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This tabbouleh recipe features quinoa instead of bulgur, making it gluten-free while keeping the unique flavor of the traditional Middle Eastern salad. Chickpeas and feta are optional additions that enrich the dish. The recipe yields 6 servings (approximately 7 ½ cups of salad).

Instructions:

1. Rinse the quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh colander and rinse under running water for a minimum of 30 seconds. Drain thoroughly. Combine the rinsed quinoa with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, about 13 to 17 minutes.

2. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and allow the quinoa to steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

3. In the meantime, mix the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to combine the salad.

4. To prepare the parsley, trim the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this manually, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process one bunch at a time, transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before continuing with the next bunch.

5. Incorporate the cooled quinoa, chopped fresh mint (if using), and green onion into the bowl with the parsley. Drain and discard the accumulated juice from the cucumber and tomato (this keeps your tabbouleh from being too soupy). Add the drained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.

6. In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour this mixture into the salad and stir well. If using chickpeas or feta, add them at this stage. Taste and make adjustments if needed—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zest, or salt for enhanced flavor.

7. If possible, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Otherwise, serve immediately or refrigerate for later. The tabbouleh can be stored well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes:

Recipe adapted from my Best Tabbouleh.

Make it dairy-free/vegan: Exclude the optional feta.

Pasta topped with Pesto Sauce

It’s tough to top a bowl of pasta with pesto. Today, I’m presenting a traditional basil pesto pasta recipe from beginning to end! You’ll discover how to prepare basil pesto from scratch and mix it with freshly cooked noodles in ideal proportions.

I prefer my pesto pasta to be saucy, so I utilized a substantial quantity of pesto here, which becomes more cost-effective when you create your own. Making pesto in a food processor takes ten minutes or less, but you can certainly opt for store-bought pesto if you have a preferred brand.

This vibrant pesto pasta is quick and straightforward to prepare for dinner on a weeknight. It also serves as a delightful side dish for a dinner party or a casual summer barbecue. Get ready for the finest pasta dish you’ve ever tasted.

Pesto Pasta Ingredients & Options

You’ll find the complete recipe and an instructional video below. Here’s what you’ll require to create this dish and why:

Pasta

The ideal pasta choices for pesto are spaghetti or angel hair, spiral shapes such as rotini or fusilli, or farfalle (bow ties). Pesto adheres well to these shapes, so opt for your favorite. Aim to purchase bronze-cut pasta, which has more texture for clinging to sauce (it’s the traditional Italian method of extruding pasta).

Tip: Be sure to season your pasta cooking water generously, or your pasta won’t have as much flavor as it could.

Fresh basil

This recipe is a fantastic way to use up excess garden basil. You can also use a large container of store-bought basil. If basil isn’t available, substitute with arugula instead.

Tip: Keep your basil at room temperature—the easiest method is to place a paper towel in the container to absorb moisture, or better still, store it in a vase with the stems submerged in an inch of water. Basil thrives in warm weather and struggles in refrigeration!

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are commonly found in pesto. Alternatively, you can use almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds). I’ve tried and enjoyed them all.

Tip: For a richer nutty flavor, lightly toast the nuts in a skillet before blending them into the pesto. I’ve included this step in the recipe as it makes a significant difference.

Parmesan cheese

Pesto generally contains Parmesan cheese, which adds a deliciously salty, nutty, cheesy flavor that enhances the other ingredients. Technically, most Parmesan cheeses are not vegetarian, but you can find versions made by Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso that are suitable.

Lemon juice

I enjoy adding a dash of lemon juice to my pesto to enhance the flavors. It’s not mandatory, but I appreciate the additional flavor boost.

Garlic

Garlic cloves seem to have become larger lately, so use two small-to-medium cloves or one large one. Too much garlic can overpower the basil. There’s no need for finely chopping or pressing the garlic; just cut it into a few pieces and allow the food processor to handle the rest.

Olive oil binds the pesto together. We’ll drizzle it into the food processor while it’s blending to help incorporate it with the other ingredients.

Reserved pasta cooking water

Before draining the pasta, pour some of the cooking water into a heat-safe container like a glass liquid measuring cup. Pasta cooking water is magical—it contains starches that create a creamy emulsion and help bind the sauce to the pasta.

Pesto Pasta Serving Suggestions

Prepare pesto pasta when you have a craving for a fresh bowl of noodles. Serve it as a base for protein or vegetables, or as a simple side to pair with something like Eggplant Parmesan.

To enhance your pasta with produce, think about adding marinated artichokes, avocado, olives, peas, tomatoes (try raw or roasted cherry tomatoes with small mozzarella balls), or zucchini (perhaps sliced into ribbons with a julienne peeler).

Pesto pasta is a delightful dish to serve in summer when basil is in season, though I’m happy to enjoy it any time of year. Here are some ideas to help expand your menu.

More Pesto Recipes to Love

As you’ll see, I enjoy creative pesto recipes. Here are some imaginative ways to incorporate bold pestos and vegetables into your meals:

Please share how your pesto pasta turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Pesto Pasta

Prepare pesto pasta for a quick and simple dinner! These saucy pesto noodles are made with homemade pesto, which comes together swiftly in the food processor. This pesto yields ¾ cup, which will generously coat 8 ounces of pasta once cooked (you can extend this amount of pesto to coat up to 12 ounces of pasta, or easily double the recipe to use an entire 16-ounce package of pasta).

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta (it should taste salty). Cook the