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Home » Recipes » Gluten Free Grains

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Published: Jan 20, 2021 by Lexi

566 shares
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This vegan tabbouleh (tabouli) with quinoa is refreshing, bright and also happens to be naturally gluten free! Ready in less than 30 minutes, it's the perfect make-ahead salad for meal prep, quick lunches and dinners.

overhead view of vegan quinoa tabbouleh in a salad bowl with serving spoons.

Video tutorial

Why we love this recipe

  • Quick and easy: cooking quinoa takes about 20 minutes, but otherwise this vegan tabbouleh comes together in about 5 minutes. Nothing fancy and no uncommon ingredients needed!
  • Gluten free and vegan: traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat. Quinoa makes this refreshing parsley salad 100% gluten free, and it's naturally vegan.
  • Perfect for meal prep: This quinoa tabbouleh actually tastes better after a day or two in the fridge, so it's the perfect make-ahead salad!
  • So flavorful! This quinoa tabbouleh is super fresh, bright, and packed with flavor. You'll definitely go back for seconds.
close up view of vegan quinoa tabbouleh in a salad bowl with serving spoons.

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this easy vegan quinoa tabbouleh:

  • Cooked quinoa
  • Cucumber
  • Tomatoes
  • Parsley
  • Mint
  • Simple lemon vinaigrette
overhead view of ingredients for quinoa tabbouleh salad in small bowls.

Ingredient Notes

  • Quinoa is not traditional in tabbouleh (tabouli), but it's a great alternative for those that are gluten free. For a more traditional option, you can use bulgur wheat.
  • Technically, you can use curly or flat leaf parsley for tabbouleh, but we prefer curly parsley for a light, voluminous salad. Flat leaf parsley is a bit more concentrated in flavor, but not quite as much texture.
  • Scallions (green onion) are an optional addition. You can also sub with more parsley.
  • No fresh mint? You can sub with 1 tablespoon of dried mint.

Directions

This quick and easy vegan tabbouleh comes together in just a few steps.

Cook quinoa

overhead view of cooked quinoa in a small saucepan.

Add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to a small saucepan with 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt. You can also add the olive oil and salt once the quinoa is cooked – up to you.

Bring the quinoa to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

The cooked quinoa should be light, fluffy and easy to stir.

Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. You can put the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer to speed this process.

Assemble quinoa tabbouleh

How to assemble a quinoa tabbouleh salad in 4 steps.

While the quinoa is cooking, prep all of the other ingredients.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for a quick dressing.

Finely dice the cucumber and tomatoes. The parsley, green onion and mint should be finely chopped; you don't want any huge pieces in the salad.

Add the cooked (and slightly cooled) quinoa to a large mixing bowl with all salad ingredients and toss in the dressing.

You can either serve right away or chill for an hour (or overnight) in the fridge.

Expert Tips and FAQs

  • We suggest making this quinoa tabbouleh up to a day ahead of time. The longer the salad sits, the more the quinoa soaks up flavor. It's still perfectly delicious if you eat it right away, but this is our favorite way to serve this vegan tabbouleh.
  • The ratio of parsley to grain (quinoa, here) differs widely amongst many tabbouleh recipes. For a more parsley-dominant salad, you can double the amount of parsley and cut back to 1 ½ cups of quinoa. Totally depends on your personal preferences!
  • Storage: This quinoa tabbouleh lasts about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
close up side view of quinoa tabbouleh in a salad bowl.
Should I rinse quinoa before cooking?


Quinoa has a natural coating (saponin) which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Rinsing quinoa before cooking removes this coating.

That being said, most store-bought quinoa is pre-rinsed nowadays, so it's probably not a concern! It can't hurt to give it a quick rinse, but likely not a necessary step.

What do you eat tabbouleh with?


We love this vegan tabbouleh alongside homemade hummus, mediterranean grilled tofu, falafel, pita, mujadara, and anything else you might find on this loaded mezze platter.

You can also eat this quinoa tabbouleh on its own as a light meal. Or, top with a grilled protein (or chickpeas) for a more filling option!

Can you freeze quinoa tabbouleh?


No. This salad definitely tastes best fresh, so we suggest consuming with 4-5 days.

However, you can freeze any leftover parsley! Freeze whole stems of parsley or chop and pack in olive oil "ice" cubes to use in a wide range of recipes in the future (like pasta, pesto and more).

overhead view of vegan quinoa tabbouleh in a salad bowl with serving spoons.

More grain salad recipes to try

  • Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Salad
  • Orzo Harvest Salad
  • Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
  • Stone Fruit Salad

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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overhead view of vegan quinoa tabbouleh in a salad bowl.

Quinoa Tabbouleh


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This vegan tabbouleh with quinoa is refreshing, bright and also happens to be naturally gluten free! Ready in less than 30 minutes, it's the perfect make-ahead salad for meal prep, quick lunches and dinners. 


Ingredients

Scale

Quinoa:

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked) 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¾ tsp salt

Salad:

  • 1 ½ cups diced cucumber
  • 1 ½ cups quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup green onion, finely diced
  • 3 tbsp mint, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fine kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Add 1 cup of dry quinoa to a saucepan with 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool slightly. 
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Add cooled quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, green onion and mint to a large bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. 

Notes

Technically, you can use curly or flat leaf parsley for tabbouleh, but we prefer curly parsley for a light, voluminous salad. Flat leaf parsley is a bit more concentrated in flavor, but not quite as much texture. 

No fresh mint? You can sub with 1 tablespoon of dried mint. 

Storage: This quinoa tabbouleh lasts about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

We suggest making this quinoa tabbouleh up to a day ahead of time. The longer the salad sits, the more the quinoa soaks up flavor. It's still perfectly delicious if you eat it right away, but this is our favorite way to serve this vegan tabbouleh.

The ratio of parsley to grain (quinoa, here) differs widely amongst many tabbouleh recipes. For a more parsley-dominant salad, you can double the amount of parsley and cut back to 1 ½ cups of quinoa. Totally depends on your personal preferences!

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 226
  • Sugar: 3.4 g
  • Sodium: 329.5 mg
  • Fat: 12.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25.2 g
  • Fiber: 4.2 g
  • Protein: 5.4 g

Keywords: vegan quinoa tabbouleh

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

More Gluten Free Grain Based Recipes

  • Almond Flour Cookies
  • Quinoa Salad with Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
  • Polenta with Vegetables and White Beans
  • Savory Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Macedonio

    February 08, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    Looks delicious! I will sure make it soon! Thanks...

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      February 11, 2021 at 6:56 am

      Thanks so much!

      Reply

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