Summer is almost here and I’m looking forward to the weather! That said, I’ve been craving salads lately and one of my favorite salads is Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad. Tabbouleh is a staple salad in Israeli cuisine that I had the pleasure of enjoying when I visited Israel years ago. Traditionally it’s made with bulgur but this time I substituted the bulgur for quinoa, It’s a gluten free version that’s packed with nutrients and protein too. Cucumber, parsley, tomato, green onions and quinoa are tossed together with a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic for a light, refreshing salad…
Quinoa makes for a great gluten free substitute in dishes calling for bulgur, barley and even couscous. But you don’t have to be gluten free to enjoy this! Quinoa is a nutritious ingredient that I’ve been incorporating more into my dishes. It’s a great source of protein, rich in fiber, full of calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and other minerals. If you haven’t tried quinoa yet or perhaps want to give it another try, I highly recommend it! It is also so easy to prepare in the Instant Pot… maybe it’s too easy!
recipe adapted from Cooking Light
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup chicken broth or water
1 1/2 cups diced English cucumber
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Plug in the IP with insert set in place.
Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer to IP.
Toast quinoa in IP for 3-5 minutes.
Add water or chicken broth.
Press MANUAL and adjust the time to 1 minute on HIGH pressure.
Once at pressure, the display will reflect 1 (the number of minutes you initially set) and will begin to countdown to 0 minutes.
Open up your IP when the pin has dropped (allow a few minutes for this to happen). The IP will automatically default to the WARM mode.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and allow to cool completely.
When quinoa has cooled completely. add cucumber and remaining ingredients to quinoa; toss well. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.
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