Parsley Tabbouleh Recipe

Parsley often gets overlooked as a simple dinner condiment – something to add to a dish to make it more visually appealing – but this herb is actually an amazing medicinal plant. Not only is it high in important nutrients like Vitamin C, folate and Vitamin A, it also helps to support healthy digestion so you can get the most out of the foods you eat! Here are three of the many ways parsley can support your health — plus a parsley tabbouleh recipe.

Antioxidant Rich

Parsley is super rich in antioxidants that have been proven to enhance heart health and prevent cancer. It’s also high in vitamin C that can help prevent free radical damage, which has been shown to have numerous negative health effects.

High in Vitamin K1

Vitamin K is an important vitamin that helps to coagulate blood. It’s also essential for healthy bones. To absorb the most Vitamin K1 from parsley be sure to eat it with some healthy fat like olive oil.

Supports Digestion

Parsley contains a lot of volatile oils that support healthy digestion. These aromatic parts help to reduce gas and bloating and keep digestion moving along at an optimal rate. To get the most benefits from parsley you’ll need to eat a lot more than that little sprig on your dinner plate at the restaurant. This recipe is one delicious way you can get more of that beneficial parsley into your life.

Special considerations

Parsley is safe for most people to consume in large amounts. However, people on blood thinners or with kidney disease should speak to their doctor before eating lots of parsley.

Parsley Tabbouleh Recipe

I want to create a simple summer dish that is chock full of fresh veggies (especially parsley). This dish is perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks. Tabbouleh recipes originally come from the Eastern Mediterranean. There are thousands of versions out there. To make this my own recipe I added a generous amount of fresh fennel and switched out the glutinous bulgar or couscous for quinoa. This recipe makes six generous portions.

What you’ll need…

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups chopped parsley
• 2 cups chopped fennel bulb
• 6 chopped green onions
• 1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemons (about three lemons)
• zest from lemons, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• paprika to taste
• Need herbs? Visit Mountain Rose Herbs.

1. The first step in our tabbouleh recipe is to cook the quinoa. Rinse the dried quinoa well, then add it to a medium sauce pan along with 2 cups of water (or vegetable broth). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile gather the veggies, tomatoes and mint and get those chopped and sliced.

2. Measure out the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.
   
   

3. Once the quinoa has cooled put it in a large bowl along with all the prepared veggies, tomatoes and mint. Pour in the lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest. Stir well.
   
   

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Spring with paprika and it’s ready to serve. We like this tabbouleh as a side dish to rosemary chicken. Enjoy!
   
   
   

Written by Rosalee de la Forêt

Rosalee de la Forêt is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She’s a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Explore Rosalee's website and podcast. All content and photos in this article are © Rosalee de la Forêt.