For me, quinoa tabouli is the essence of summer. It’s light and very refreshing. The simple dressing means that the flavours of the raw vegetables are allowed to shine through and it is very clean on the palate. I feel good after eating it.

Quinoa tabouli not only tastes great, it is also very healthy for you—parsley being a source of antioxidants, folic acid, and vitamins A and C, and quinoa a source of protein, dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and calcium.

Quinoa tabouli takes a lot less time than the more traditional version with burghul (cracked wheat), but none of the delicious flavour is lost and it’s gluten free.

Serve with a bit of ham and hommus, barbecued lamb, or grilled chicken.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3 cups curly parsley, chopped
2 cups baby grape tomatoes, halved
1 Lebanese cucumber, deseeded and diced
4 shallots, finely sliced
¾ cup mint, chopped

Dressing

⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Method

Rinse the quinoa well in a colander to ensure there is no grit. Once rinsed, place it into a small saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Remove the quinoa from the pan and place on kitchen towel to drain.

Meanwhile, place the lemon juice and olive oils in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Place the cooked quinoa into a large salad bowl and add the parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, shallots and mint. Toss to combine. Pour in three-quarters of the salad dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add additional dressing if needed.