Green Quinoa Tabbouleh

We’re heading straight into grilling season, and for me, tabbouleh is one of the all-time great cold side dishes, since it pairs so perfectly with all those highly-seasoned, smoky meats. Maybe it’s the size of quinoa, or the less wheaty flavor, but for me this vibrant, bracing salad is significantly better with quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur wheat. Blanching the herbs keeps this fresh and green for several days.

Step: 1

Bring water to a boil and prepare a bowl of iced water. Add 1/2 of the parsley, 1/2 of the mint, and 1/2 of the tarragon. Blanch herbs for 5 seconds, then scoop into the iced water. Let cool completely, about 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out the water.

Step: 2

Rinse quinoa well. Sprinkle salt into the blanching water. Add the quinoa and simmer on medium heat until just barely tender, about 12 minutes.

Step: 3

Meanwhile, chop the remaining herbs into small pieces.

Step: 4

Add garlic to the blender with the blanched herbs. Squeeze in lemon juice and add olive oil. Blend starting on low speed, pulsing on and off, and finishing on high speed, until dressing is smooth and green.

Step: 5

Remove quinoa from heat; place in a strainer set over a bowl and drain for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer quinoa to a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Let cool until it is between warm and room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step: 6

Stir dressing into the quinoa. Continue cooling if salad is not yet at room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes more. Add the chopped herbs and mix to combine. Wrap bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors meld, about 2 hours.

Step: 7

Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as desired. Transfer salad to a serving bowl.

Per Serving: 402 calories; protein 9.8g; carbohydrates 43.4g; fat 22.6g; sodium 78.2mg.

Getting stay in and make food your dinner instead of dining out is already a step in the best way if you’re more point on eating healthier. There’s no best way to know precisely what’s going into the food you’re eating than by making it homemade Mastering the main dish is only half the battle , though . And once you’ve mastering your chicken, steak, or fish, it’s time to turn your attention to the ever- important side dishes.

A side dish would easily make down of your health goals, as sweetness , sodium, fat, and calories can all get rather high quickly if you’re not careful . But with our good practise of cook on side dish recipes, you won’t ever run into that mistakes .