Salads of summer

Everyone’s got their go-to recipe, song, friend. So this is clearly not a song or friend, but it IS my go-to recipe to share with my favorite people during my favorite season: summer. And I’m sharing this secret with you, internet friends, so thank me later. Read on for my Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad.

It may not technically be summer, but I’ve never been one for technicalities. Spring, summer, same:same. Especially when it’s warm, the days are long and the sun is shining. The best is when the earth starts to erupt with all the greenery – herbs, flowers and all the glory of Mother Earth. My little herb garden isn’t quite in the flourishing stage, but 1.) I also left my herbs out for a week before planting them (black thumb) and 2.) it’s still early. So for now, I’ll be sourcing my herbs from my favorite farmer’s market, Green City Market.

The best recipes for group get-togethers are 1.) crowd-pleasers (duh) 2.) withstand the temps (no ice box cakes or heating required) and 3.) sing the songs of summer (let fruits & veggies reign on!). This summer tabbouleh hits all the marks. It’s loaded with fresh herbs, freshly squeezed citrus, ripe heirloom tomatoes and seedless cucumbers (modern science, thank you for solving my first world problems). I’m headed to a friend’s rooftop cookout this afternoon (rain pending!) and can’t wait to share this summer quinoa tabbouleh salad! Get the dEATs below and do me a favor, take this recipe everywhere you go this summer – even say it’s yours – I won’t tell anyone.

Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
-1 C of quinoa, rinsed*
-2 C of vegetable broth (or water)
-1/4 C of olive oil
-1/4 C of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
-1 bunch of sliced scallions, both whites and greens
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
-1 hothouse cucumber, sliced crosswise into quarters
-1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped (about 1 C)**
-1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped (about 1 C, can include stems)**
-a couple handfuls of arugula
– 1-3 tsp salt, depending on your preference
– freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Make the quinoa by boiling the vegetable broth (or water) in a small to medium size pot over the stove top on medium heat. Once boiling, add the quinoa to the pot of broth, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa has soaked up the liquid and is light and fluffy.
Step 2: Place the cooked quinoa in a serving bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper; mix well.
Step 3: Fold in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate and serve!

The flavor builds as it marinades in the herbs and lemon juice, so I always think it tastes that much more flavorful a few hours later, but you can also serve it right away.

*I’ve also made this recipe with other grains, like bulghur wheat or farro.
**If you have a food processor, I highly suggest using it to chop the herbs. It’ll be done in 2 minutes vs 10!

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.