Three Recipes Featuring Parsley

A sprinkle of parsley adds freshness to dishes in cultures around the world. Whether the curly or flat-leaf variety, parsley offers an impressive nutrient profile. Its bright green color points to its vitamin K content – offering a whopping 547 percent of the daily recommended intake to support blood coagulation and bone health. It also features quite a few antioxidants to help prevent cell damage and support various bodily functions, including carotenoids, vitamin C and flavonoids. Finally, parsley’s a good source of folate, especially important for pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects. The best part? Parsley is easy to incorporate by sprinkling it onto a variety of dishes and even making it the star of the show in a chimichurri or tabbouleh. Check out these three simple recipes to enjoy parsley this season:

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado and Chili Lime Chimichurri – Serves 4

This recipe tastes like summertime, combining the freshness of parsley and shrimp with the grill’s flame. The creaminess of the avocado combined with the zing of the chimichurri is bound to make these tacos crowd-pleasers.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 lb. peeled, deveined raw shrimp
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• Spray oil
• 2 avocados
• Street tacos

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and cilantro.
2. Marinate shrimp for 30 minutes. While marinating, make the chili lime chimichurri.
3. Spray the grates with oil. Grill shrimp over high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, until fully cooked. During the last minute of grilling, grill tacos.
4. Mash 1 spoon of avocado on a taco, add 3-4 shrimp and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of chimichurri. Top with diced tomato.

Chili Lime Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 red chili pepper, seeds removed (use half to reduce spice level)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Top tacos with chimichurri.

Moroccan Chicken Meatballs with Parsley Orzo and Citrus Whipped Feta – Serves 4

This complete meal is perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Featuring lean meatballs made with ground chicken and feta whipped with Greek yogurt, it offers fullness without guilt.

Moroccan Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Spray oil
• 1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil and prepare spray oil.
2. In a bowl, mix Place the ground chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, until thoroughly combined.
3. Roll 1-inch sized meatballs and place the meatballs in a single layer on the baking pan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, until meatballs are browned and cooked through. Top with parsley.

Citrus Whipped Feta

Ingredients

• 8 oz. feta cheese
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic
• Juice and zest of ½ lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Add filtered water if necessary.

Parsley Orzo

Ingredients              

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare a pot of boiling water with salt to taste.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to pan. Once hot, toast the orzo until golden.
3. Boil orzo until al dente according to package instructions.
4. In a bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, oregano and parsley. Let sit until orzo is finished.
5. Combine tomato mixture with finished orzo. Serve with Moroccan chicken meatballs and whipped feta.

Glazed Grilled Salmon with Thai-inspired Tabbouleh – Serves 4

This recipe makes parsley the star of the show and combines its freshness with salmon. Traditionally a Lebanese dish, this tabbouleh takes a Thai twist by including lime, chili and sesame oil.

Glazed Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp. grated ginger
• 4 salmon filets
• Spray oil

Instructions

1. Prepare marinade. In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, lime juice and ginger. Reserve 3 tablespoons of marinade.
2. In a flat dish, place salmon filets skin side up in the marinade. Allow the fish to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
3. Prepare grill grates with spray oil. On a hot grill, grill skin-side down first until temperature registers 100 degrees F. Flip and apply remaining glaze and cook until desired internal temperature. Salmon tastes great at 125 degrees F.

Thai-inspired Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• ½ cup bulgur
• ½ English cucumber, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 medium bunches curly parsley
• 3 sprigs green onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Cook bulgur according to package instructions. Drain excess water and set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the parsley by removing thick stems, then finely chopping. To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley. In a bowl, combine parsley, cucumber, tomato, green onion and bulgur.
3. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili garlic sauce and salt to taste. Toss the dressing with the salad. Massage if needed.
4. Let the salad rest for 15 minutes to let the flavors develop. Enjoy!

Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family.

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