Tabbouleh salad (sometimes spelled tabouli or tabbouli), popular throughout the Middle East, has roots in Lebanese cooking. This fresh green vegan salad features chopped fresh parsley, fresh mint, tomato, scallions, lemon juice, and olive oil. Traditional tabbouleh also includes bulgur wheat grains. I have taken to replacing the bulgur in tabbouleh with toasted cooked quinoa, which makes the salad gluten free and adds a boost of healthy protein.
I first made this salad when hosting a Middle Eastern mezze lunch for some vegetarian friends of ours. They are big fans of Arab cuisine, so I went all out. What a spread… falafel, hummus, tahini, baba ghanoush, the works. One of my guests was vegan, and I was looking for ways to incorporate meatless protein into the mix. Substituting quinoa for bulgur wheat was a natural fit, leaving the salad perfectly balanced and nutrient dense with a wonderful texture.
Quinoa is gluten free, which means that people with Celiac disease and gluten intolerance can freely enjoy this salad (unlike traditional bulgur wheat tabbouleh). The texture is more delicate than bulgur wheat tabbouleh; it feels less heavy in the mouth and the stomach. The protein content of quinoa makes it a particularly good choice for vegans and vegetarians who do not get their protein from meat. It’s also easier to make than traditional tabbouleh; bulgur must be soaked for a few hours to overnight, whereas quinoa can be cooked in a matter of minutes.
Depending on who you ask, quinoa is also generally considered kosher for Passover because it is a seed, not a grain. I actually served this very salad at our Seder this year. Yet another reason to love quinoa tabbouleh!
The lost Incan city of Machu Picchu near Cusco, Peru
In addition to all of these benefits, quinoa is very healthy. Native to South America, this ancient seed was once called “the gold of the Incas,” and was fed to their warriors to increase stamina. It’s been cultivated in the Andes for centuries, and was a major agricultural commodity in Inca and Aztec society. Quinoa is closely related to spinach, and like that healthy leafy green it is packed with nutrients. Quinoa is a terrific source of protein, amino acids, insoluble fiber, magnesium, riboflavin, and phytonutrients. Regular consumption of quinoa can improve your cardiovascular health and reduce the frequency of migraine headaches.
Regionally, there are differences in the way tabbouleh is prepared. In Lebanon, a greener salad with less wheat is preferred. In some parts of Turkey, the bulgur is soaked and softened in tomato juice instead of water. In Greece, the salad is often made with more bulgur and less green. My recipe has far more green than quinoa, making it more Lebanese-style in the green/white balance.
No matter how it’s made, one thing is certain– tabbouleh is one of the most popular green mezze salads in the Middle East. This salad is perfect for summer– it’s light, lemony, and refreshing. Try adding a dollop of soft labaneh cheese on top, or some grilled halloumi for extra flavor. Enjoy!
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Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and minced (about 1 1/2 cups minced)
- 2 bunches fresh mint, stemmed and minced (about 1 cup minced)
- 3 fresh tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions or onions
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
NOTES
Instructions
- Rinse uncooked quinoa in cold water using a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Drain.Spread quinoa in the bottom of a stainless steel skillet in an even layer. Turn heat to medium and let the quinoa heat up, stirring occasionally, until the moisture is gone.
- Continue to cook the quinoa over medium heat, stirring frequently, for roughly 10 minutes until it begins to turn toasty and fragrant. The quinoa is ready when the seeds start to pop and turn golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Pour quinoa into saucepan along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pan.
- Cook quinoa for 10-12 minutes until tender, but not mushy. Stir and let cool to room temperature.
- Place minced fresh parsley and mint in a medium salad bowl.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
- Seed the tomatoes by quartering them, then use your fingers or a paring knife to remove the seeds.Dice the tomatoes into small pieces.
- Add the finely chopped tomatoes to the green herbs along with the chopped scallions, cooked quinoa, and olive oil lemon juice dressing. Stir gently to combine.Season with additional salt or lemon juice to taste, if desired. Serve at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator.
- Some people like to add garlic to their tabbouleh. If you want a garlicky flavor, add a well-minced raw clove to the salad. Enjoy!
Nutrition
I love the idea of adding quinoa into tabbouleh! What a great idea!
delicious ! i had never thought of using quinoa instead of bulghur for tabbouleh , i followed your recipe and just love it? thank you for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Really enjoyed your tabbouleh recipe with quinoa especially drying it out first to bring out the nutty flavour. Will definitely be using this recipe again. I added the garlic as well. Delicious!!
Tori,
My Babe of 36 years has Celiac disease. The adjustment to prepare our meals gluten-free came with a bit of a learning curve. We took the self-taught cram course because of the severity her disease.
I am not a person who writes a comment without first making the recipe. Yum-o and delish are not part of my lexicon. Now as to your recipe……absodarnlutely delicious. I paired it with lamb burgers and a Feta Tzatziki spread.
Thank you and best wishes from the Land of Enchantment.
Very happy you enjoyed it!
I added curry spice and white vinegar to give a real Sefardic flavor. I love so much more than the regular tabbouleh.
How much curry slice and white vinegar do you add? It sounds delicious!
Shoshanna
This is the first time I made this and it was EXCELLENT !!! Thanks for sharing
You’re cooking the quinoa all wrong!!! Rinse in warm water till clear then use a rice cooker. It will change your life.
Rachel, I do not have a rice cooker. Generally I try to avoid specialty gadgets because if I bought all of them my kitchen cabinets would be overflowing (as it stands now I barely have any room left!) Also I really feel that toasting the quinoa in a skillet gives it an extra nutty flavor which is nice in this salad, just cooking it in a rice cooker wouldn’t give me the same flavor.
I can’t wait to try this out today! Being a coeliac I miss my tabouli and I just started using quinoa in various ways! I was stoked to google up this great looking recipe! The only thing I’m going to do differently is I’m going to roast up some fresh garlic cloves in the skillet among the quinoa!
Hoping the family will LOVE this
Enjoy Iz!
Thanks so much for this recipe!
I used this, your Tahini Sauce and Falafel recipes together for a dinner at my house and it was a HUGE hit! I did not change a thing for this recipe and my roommates really enjoyed it!
The only caveat to everyone is that it doesn’t keep very long – so eat it all up!
If you have a vitamix, you can do a “wet chop” to quickly chop the parsley in seconds. Drain in a strainer.
Since my husband was diagnosed as a late onset ceoliac a couple of years ago, I’ve avoided anything with gluten including oats as we can’t get uncontaminated oats here. Having never prepared quinoa before and having no clue what to substitute the grain normally used I’m delighted with your quinoa tabbouleh recipe. It is tasty and together with a recipe for crispy falafal chicken from another site will become a staple now that I’ve discovered them both. Thanks so much.
Thank you for your description of quinoa. I am trying to change my diet to eliminate gluten.
Thank you for the recipe. I just had Tabbouli today and loved it. I am gluten intolerant and love that it can be made with Quinoa. My question though is this – I have cooked Quinoa for a couple years now and I have never seen the preparation you have above for it (in a skillet before cooking it in water). Can you tell me why you do it that way and does it make a big difference in the finished product?
Thank you!
Toasting it in the skillet adds a nutty flavor to the quinoa.
Wonderful! So light and most delicious!!
A great alternative to bulgur, especially for those who are gluten intolorent..
Looks lush. Tell me, why ditch the juiciest, tastiest part of the tomato, though??
Hi DP– if you don’t seed the tomato, it can make the rest of the salad soggy and clumpy because of the excess liquid in the tomato. However, if you don’t mind having that texture issue, feel free to keep the tomato unseeded. 🙂
I just had to tell you that this is now on our monthly salad rotation, my husband asks for it often. Thank you Tori.
LOVE THIS RECIPE! Feels so healthy to eat it. Family loves it…especially my vegan sister. Made this for her when she gave birth to her second baby girl…said it was the best thing she had in the hospital. Thanks!
This is just delicious-I always feel better after I eat it. Thanks 🙂
Hi, stumbled in this beautiful website through jaden of SteamyKitchen.
would like to ask if you have other recipes for Quinoa. my sisters and i are trying to have a healthy lifestyle and i’ve read that quinoa helps with lowering the cholesterol as well.
i really liked you site!
Hi Imee! I do have other quinoa recipes, just use the search box and type in quinoa– this link should give you results: https://toriavey.com/?s=quinoa
Hi, just found your site today, it’s great. I’m not jewish but love all middle eastern recipes. I used to eat alot of tabbouleh, but try not to eat too much wheat now, so this is definitely one I will try. Thanks