Lemony Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Types of Quinoa

When you see the word quinoa, you probably picture the standard white variety—the light, fluffy, popular, reliable kind that’s basically the golden retriever of grains. 

Except quinoa isn’t actually a grain, it’s a seed. But why let technicalities get in the way of a superstar salad ingredient?

Besides white quinoa, there’s also red, which has a slightly nuttier flavor and a firmer texture — perfect when you want a little more chew in your salad. 

Then there’s black quinoa, which is a bit earthier and stays firmer after cooking — it’s the strong, silent type of the quinoa world.

I don’t use red or black quinoa on their own, but I love mixing them with white quinoa for extra visual appeal — because salad should look as good as it tastes!

Not sure which quinoa to use? Then tri-color quinoa’s got you covered—it’s a mix of white, red AND black, so you get a little bit of each in every mouthful. Perfect!

No matter which variety you choose, know that quinoa is a nutritional superstar. It’s a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids — and that’s pretty rare in the plant world. 

It’s also packed with fiber, iron and magnesium and it’s naturally gluten-free, so it gets along with everyone at the table.

Best of all? Quinoa soaks in every drop of flavor from dressings and pairs nicely with fresh herbs, crunchy veggies, nuts, seeds, lentils and chickpeas, making it the perfect choice for satisfying salads.

It’s why I’ve always been keen on quinoa.

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