Quinoa "Tabbouleh" with Preserved Lemon and Green Herbs
My nontraditional tabbouleh is inspired by the classic pairing of grain, parsley, lemon, and olive oil; modified here with the addition of quinoa, preserved lemon, dill, mint, and coriander, resulting in a fresh, tangy, and herbaceous salad that always delights.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups parsley finely chopped, use both leaves and stems, * see note
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped, use both leaves and stems, * see note
- ¼ cup dill finely chopped, use both leaves and stems, * see note
- ¼ cup mint leaves finely chopped, stems discarded
- 2 green onions green and white parts thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes finely diced
- ¾ cup quinoa cooked, *see note
- 4-6 tablespoon preserved lemon peel finely diced, *see note
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste * see note
Instructions
- Add the finely chopped herbs, tomatoes, quinoa, and preserved lemon peel to a large mixing bowl - start with the smaller amount of lemon peel, and add more if desired once you have had a taste. Add in the lemon juice and the olive oil, then taste for seasoning. If needed, add more salt, lemon juice, preserved lemon peel, or olive oil to create a harmonious balance; eat as soon as you can, and enjoy!
Notes
Make sure to wash and thoroughly dry your herbs before using to remove any potential grit and reduce extra moisture.
When using preserved lemons, rinse if excessively salt crusted or salty. Remove the inner flesh, membranes, and flesh before slivering and dicing the peel.
As preserved lemons can be very salty, taste your tabbouleh before adding any additional salt.
If you are cooking quinoa for this recipe (instead of using leftovers), use veggie stock instead of water for extra flavour!