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Easy Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad

~ Just a few simple ingredients yield bold, bright flavors in this Easy Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad! With the addition of super-nutritious kale and the swap of protein-packed, gluten-free quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur wheat, this delicious spin on tabouli salad has all the flavors and textures you love, with healthy advantages you’ll feel great about! Plus, it makes a big, big batch that keeps well for several days – a perfect make-ahead for busy weeks! ~

This Recipe Is:     Make Ahead    Vegan (and Vegetarian)    Gluten Free  

Just a few simple ingredients - so easy! This Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad has all the bright flavors you expect in tabouli, plus super-healthy kale (you won’t even taste it - seriously!), and gluten-free quinoa instead of bulgur wheat! Makes a big batch and keeps really well – a perfect make-ahead recipe! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com
Just a few simple ingredients - so easy! This Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad has all the bright flavors you expect in tabouli, plus super-healthy kale (you won’t even taste it - seriously!), and gluten-free quinoa instead of bulgur wheat! Makes a big batch and keeps really well – a perfect make-ahead recipe! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com

Tabouli piled in curved white serving bowl next to pita triangles; extra ingredients in background.

“Exploding Good!”

From the mouths of babes … seriously.

I had so many things I wanted to tell you about this Tabouli Salad recipe (because you know I’m never short on stuff to say!) … and along came a little guy named Marcus (maybe six years old, tops) who totally stole my thunder, summing this recipe up in just two adorably perfect words: Exploding Good. Best compliment ever! I’m thinking of hiring the little guy for our marketing department (well … if we had one …).

You see, we “debuted” this recipe last weekend, during a cooking demo Two Healthy Kitchens did at a big, local farmers’ market.

Shelley, Scott and Amy wearing THK logo t-shirts and holding tabouli ingredients next to sign advertising Farm Market.
My sweet Ty isn’t in this shot, since he’s our “staff photographer” behind the lens, but all four of us worked together at the Countryside Conservancy’s Farm Market, talking to hundreds of visitors. We demonstrated how to make this Kale and Quinoa Tabouli recipe, plus our super-popular, spinach-loaded Chicken and Quinoa Salad. Lots of recipe samples, and many great discussions about how to cook quinoa, how to use more spinach and kale in recipes, and even how to finely mince basil and zest a lemon! It was a fun whirlwind – and so truly rewarding to share the joy of delicious, healthy eating!

My very favorite part of the whole, wonderful day was watching lots of little kiddos (like Marcus) as they skeptically eyeballed our samples of this tabouli before finally, cautiously trying it … and then seeing their sweet faces slowly light up with huge, completely surprised, “I like it!!!” grins.

My nutrition-loving-self secretly did a happy dance each time. You know … deep down inside, where nobody could actually watch my dance moves.

Those surprised “I like it!!!” grins are what it’s all about for me … the simple joy of introducing a child to a veggie that tastes better than they’d ever imagined possible.

Serving of tabouli on small white plate with three wedges of pita bread.

So I’m not even mad at adorable little “Exploding Good!” Marcus for stealing my thunder. Totally worth it to see his giant smile as he happily chowed down on a mouthful of kale!

Oh, right. Plus I’m still going to tell you all the things I wanted to tell you, anyway!

Like how this recipe all started one day last spring, when my husband and I popped by one of our favorite local Mediterranean restaurants, eagerly preparing to tuck into our usual platters of their delicious hummus and tabouli. But wait … a special little side menu that day offered a different tabouli. Huh. One with kale and quinoa, too. Double-huh. We didn’t hesitate – and we weren’t disappointed!

Flatlay of serving bowl piled with tabouli next to wooden servers on red napkin with extra lemons, parsley and tomato.

In fact, I went home and began concocting my own version of Kale and Quinoa Tabouli straightaway, because we knew we needed this new tabouli in our lives (and our fridge) on a regular basis.

A couple batches and a bit of tinkering later, and it had just the flavor profile, just the balance and brightness and texture we wanted. Plus, it made such a whopping big batch that we gleefully noshed on it for days … so perfect because tabouli tends to just get better and better as it sits.

There’s a lot about this Kale and Quinoa Tabouli that’s the same as regular tabouli … and also a lot that’s different.

So How’s This Tabouli Salad the Same as Regular Tabouli?

Primarily, the flavor. Fresh parsley and bright lemon, juicy tomatoes and spicy-sweet onions. This tastes like … well … like tabouli.

Overhead of chopped tabbouleh ingredients piled in sections in clear glass bowl before mixing.

It’s seriously surprising how much you truly just don’t notice that there’s kale (a whole heaping lot of kale!) in there.

At the Farm Market last weekend, we didn’t just meet skeptical kiddos, but also some pretty skeptical adults, too – and quite a few people who said they simply didn’t like kale. And yet, time after time after time, I was thrilled as they tasted our tabouli, and exclaimed in surprise that they loved this recipe after all – and couldn’t even taste the kale. Surprising … but true!

And How’s This Tabouli Salad Different from Regular Tabouli?

First off, because we’ve swapped in quinoa instead of the more traditional bulgur wheat, this tabouli is gluten free. And quinoa boasts loads of protein, too, so it combines perfectly with all the great fiber in this recipe to offer a terrific, keep-you-full combination of nutrients.

(Hint: if you’re already a quinoa addict – or want to become one – be sure to check out ALL our healthy, easy Quinoa Recipes, including our Disney-inspired Quinoa and Chickpea Salad, our Mexican Chicken Fajita Casserole, and our Corn, Edamame and Quinoa Salad)!

Overhead of one serving on white plate with fork, with serving bowl in background.

And also kale. Lots and lots of kale. I mean really … A LOT. And when it comes to nutrition, kale doesn’t mess around. It’s rich in vitamins A, C and K, plus oodles of polyphenols and phytochemicals. Kale’s a “superfood” darling for a reason!

But you know what? For all this talk of nutrients and protein and gluten free … it can all be summed up really, really simply: Exploding good.

Curved serving bowl of quinoa tabouli on white platter surrounded by pita wedges.

That’s really all you need to know! (Thanks, Marcus! 😀 )

* P.S. Hugs to my best buddy, Gretchen. These photos of the Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad are the last that I’ve had stockpiled from the recipes she photographed back before she formally left THK to pursue her dream of working more closely with special needs kiddos. Cheers to so very many fun THK days together, my friend! Miss you bunches! xoxo

More Big-Batch Salads to Love All Week Long …

Curved serving bowl of quinoa tabouli on white platter surrounded by pita wedges.

Easy Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad

Yield: 10 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

All the bright flavors you expect in a Tabouli Salad, plus super-healthy kale and gluten-free quinoa! Makes a big batch that keeps well for several days – great for meal prep and make-ahead lunches!

•  Make Ahead    Vegan (and Vegetarian)    Gluten Free  

Ingredients

Tabouli Salad

  • 1/2 cup uncooked red quinoa (any color variety of quinoa will work)
  • 8 cups finely chopped kale (tough stems removed) (see note)
  • 3 cups finely chopped fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley (from about 2 big bunches)
  • 2 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomato (about 4 medium tomatoes)
  • 1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (about 1/2 a large onion)
  • 1 tablespoon very finely minced fresh mint

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions and allow to cool completely.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, kale, parsley, tomatoes, onion, and mint, stirring to mix thoroughly.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, making sure that the salt is completely dissolved.
  4. Pour dressing over kale mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
  5. Although you can serve this immediately, we recommend that you refrigerate it for at least an hour or two to let the flavors meld. Alternately, you can refrigerate this tabouli, covered, for several days.

Notes

Kale: To achieve 8 cups of finely chopped kale, we typically start with about 7-10 ounces of roughly chopped, bagged kale or about 11-12 ounces of whole kale leaves (about 1 large bunch). The wide variance is due mainly to the amount of stems you may or may not need to remove. Once you've removed the tough stems (we generally remove some of the stems, even from the chopped, bagged kale), and you've finely chopped your kale, those starting weights should yield about 8 cups. Note, though, that if you choose not to chop your kale as finely as we did (see our photos for reference), then that will also change the relationship between your kale's starting weight and your ending yield.

Yield: We state that the yield is 10 1/2 cups, but this tabouli salad settles a bit after refrigeration, so the exact yield can vary slightly.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 21 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 170mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.

Did You Make This Recipe?

We'd LOVE to hear! Please leave a star-rating above. And, tag us on Instagram @twohealthykitchens

Just a few simple ingredients - so easy! This Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad has all the bright flavors you expect in tabouli, plus super-healthy kale (you won’t even taste it - seriously!), and gluten-free quinoa instead of bulgur wheat! Makes a big batch and keeps really well – a perfect make-ahead recipe! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com
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34 Comments

    1. It’s great to hear from you, Toni! And what wonderful feedback – especially coming from you! 🙂 Thank you so much – I’m thrilled you loved it! It really is flavorful, isn’t it? Still has all the characteristic flavor profiles you’d want in a tabouli, but nice that it’s gluten free and even has the extra punch of nutrition from kale! Total win!!! 🙂 ~Shelley

    1. Hi, Tawnie! I’m so glad you thought this was amazing!! Wow – thanks for the compliment! As much as we adore “regular” tabouli with cracked wheat, we also really enjoy this gluten free tabouli version, too. It’s every bit as delicious, and really still tastes like you would think that tabouli should … but it’s just a nice change of pace. And also great if I’m having guests who need gluten free options. Anyway – thanks bunches for taking a moment to leave feedback and such a sweet comment! ~Shelley

    1. I think you’ll love this version, too, Liz! It really does taste so much like traditional tabouli, with the added boost of nutrition from the kale, plus the bonus of being a gluten free tabouli recipe. If you have a sec – pop back after you make it and let me know what you think! 😀 ~Shelley

    1. I hope you give it a whirl, Katie! We definitely love it at my house, and as I mentioned in the post, I was even a bit blown away by how much other kiddos like this. Getting kids to try something a bit unique (like tabouli) … and LOVE it … I count that as a huge win all around LOL! 😀 ~Shelley

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