Four-Grain Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-04 · Updated 2026-07-04

A wholesome salad featuring a blend of four cooked grains tossed with fresh vegetables and a zesty lemon-tahini dressing. This Mediterranean-inspired salad recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 40 minutes, pairs quinoa, bulgur wheat, farro into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup bulgur wheat
• 1/4 cup farro
• 1/4 cup couscous
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1/4 cup each of quinoa, bulgur wheat, farro, and couscous under cold water. In separate pots, cook quinoa and farro in boiling water for 15 minutes, bulgur wheat for 12 minutes, couscous by soaking in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and cool all grains.
2. Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled grains with 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup diced cucumber, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint.
3. Step 3: To make the dressing, whisk together 3 tbsp tahini, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp water, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper until smooth and creamy.
4. Step 4: Pour the lemon-tahini dressing over the grain and vegetable mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
5. Step 5: Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.