Make Ahead

Kale Tabbouleh

by:
July  1, 2013
4.7
3 Ratings
Kale Tabbouleh
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 6 to 8
Author Notes

Lebanese food holds a very special place in my heart. This tabbouleh, though not quite traditional, has all the parsley lemony goodness of the original but dials the nutrition factor up a bit with the addition of kale and quinoa. I love this salad and all the wonderful people I think of when I eat it. —lisina

Test Kitchen Notes

Kale tabbouleh, who'd have thought? This delightful rendition amps up the nutrition of traditional tabbouleh without sacrificing, or altering, the herby, lemony flavors we all love. Everything came together in a bite that was as tasty right out of the bowl as it was after a night in the fridge and some time in the car. I used millet instead of quinoa because it was what I had on hand. The kale came from our garden and I am looking forward to making this recipe many times this summer to help us deal with a bumper crop! —lmikkel

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch curly parsley (or 2 if the bunch is small)
  • 1/2 bunch curly kale
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 2 persian cucumbers or 1/2 english cucumber, diced
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup quinoa
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste
Directions
  1. Cook the quinoa as directed, then set aside to cool.
  2. Wash the parsley and gather it back into a bunch. Starting at the leafy top, cut perpendicular to the stems in 1/2- or 1/4-inch cuts until you reach the point where there's nothing left but stems. Discard the stems. You will have a large, fluffy pile of parsley on your cutting board. There will be some stems in there too, but it's ok.
  3. Repeat step 2 with the kale.
  4. Chop the pile of greens on your board with a knife or cleaver until the pieces of parsley and kale are no larger than 1/4 inch. It should be pretty fine, but you don't want it to turn into a paste.
  5. Move your greens to a large mixing bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. The salad can be eaten right away, or kept in the fridge for up to three days. If you make it in advance, toss the salad again before serving to redistribute the juices.
  6. You can eat the salad on its own, or with some grilled bread or other mezze.
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15 Reviews

Meidana P.
Meidana P. February 9, 2016
This is a keeper. I make a pot of some grain on Monday so I can throw it in w the kale which holds up over a few days.
 
Katesmith
Katesmith February 23, 2014
I love this recipie, it was perfect to bring to work for lunch. I will be making this often. It is light, fresh, healthy, and so delicious. Thank you for sharing it!
 
coffeefoodwrite
coffeefoodwrite January 28, 2014
This looks yummy -- can't wait to try…what a great idea to use the kale in a tabbouleh!
 
lisina
lisina January 28, 2014
thank you!!
 
Larry E.
Larry E. January 6, 2014
Just recently found the curly Kale, absolutely love it and this salad is wonderful. Thanks.
 
lisina
lisina January 6, 2014
Thanks Larry! So happy you liked it.
 
Lori H.
Lori H. December 3, 2013
Are the grains cooked?
 
lisina
lisina December 3, 2013
they are. thanks for pointing that out, i'll edit the recipe.
 
cookbooksareforeveryone
cookbooksareforeveryone November 2, 2013
added a few teaspoons of Tahini , one clove of brown garlic minced, to the dressing and some sliced radishes and walnuts . Now it's perfect!
 
tonya
tonya November 1, 2013
Such a great twist on tabbouleh! I also like to use kale in place of romaine lettuce in Caesar salad. Honestly one of my faves salads. Will have to give this one a try.
 
lisina
lisina November 2, 2013
i like to do that too! such a great way to up the nutrition in your salads.
 
Ceege
Ceege September 11, 2013
Would this work with a different grain such as faro or barley instead of quinoa? I have both of those in my pantry and am looking for more recipes to use those particular grains.
 
lisina
lisina September 11, 2013
sure! since the barely and farro have a larger grain they'll give the salad a little more of a bite, but that's fine! just make sure to rinse your barely really well because it has a stronger flavor. but whatever grain you use, it should still taste really good!
 
Anna P.
Anna P. September 2, 2013
This was absolutely delicious and makes just enough you can count on it as a great leftover for lunches. I love how the quinoa adds protein to an otherwise low protein salad/meal. The amount of dressing is just how I like it.
 
lisina
lisina September 3, 2013
thanks anna! all the reasons i love it too!