Quinoa Tabbouleh

This tabbouleh recipe uses quinoa instead of bulgur. It's a gluten-free alternative to the classic Lebanese salad that everyone can enjoy.

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quinoa tabbouleh

Tabbouleh fans, have you tried making it with quinoa? This recipe is a fun variation on classic tabbouleh made with quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. It turns our favorite Lebanese salad into a gluten-free dish. The quinoa is fluffy and has a somewhat nutty taste, but overall, the flavor profile is quite similar.

Since I already changed one primary ingredient, I took the liberty of adding some chickpeas and feta cheese, more ingredients that you would not expect to find in tabbouleh. Theyโ€™re entirely optional and absolutely delicious. They make the salad more hearty; if you use both, it could qualify as a light meal on its own.

This herbaceous salad is so refreshing on a warm day. It features fresh parsley and mint, tomato and cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and quinoa. The proportions remain true to the traditional recipe, so it contains more parsley than quinoa, and the lemon packs a punch. I think youโ€™ll love it.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

This quinoa recipe incorporates all the techniques I learned while developing my Best Tabbouleh Recipe, which really is the best!

1) Cook your quinoa according to the recipe below.

I swear by my go-to quinoa cooking method, which differs from the directions youโ€™ll find on the package. It yields perfectly fluffy quinoa every time.

2) Salt your tomato and cucumber, then drain them.

This method concentrates the flavors of the tomato and cucumber, and ensures that your salad doesnโ€™t become diluted by excess liquid. Combine the tomato and cucumber in a bowl with some salt, and set it aside while you chop the parsley. Drain off the excess juice before stirring the salad together. Easy enough!

3) Use plenty of parsley and chop it finely.

This recipe calls for three bunches of curly parsley. Itโ€™s much easier to chop that much parsley in your food processor, rather than by hand. Donโ€™t worry about removing the thin parsley stemsโ€”they offer great flavor.

4) Season liberally with lemon juice and salt.

Tabbouleh should be zingy and full of flavor. To get there, be sure to use enough lemon juice and salt. Youโ€™ll find my recommended quantities in the recipe below.

Watch How to Make Quinoa Tabouli

Quinoa Tabbouleh Serving Suggestions

All of these options are gluten-free, like this one:

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments. I always love hearing from you.

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Quinoa Tabbouleh

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews

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This tabbouleh recipe uses quinoa instead of bulgur, so itโ€™s gluten-free while retaining the classic Middle Eastern saladโ€™s distinctive taste. Chickpeas and feta are optional additions that make the dish more hearty. Recipe yields 6 servings (about 7 ยฝ cups salad).

Ingredients

  • ยฝ cup quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium)
  • 1 cup diced tomato* (1 large)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
  • 3 medium bunches curly parsley
  • โ…“ cup (โ…” ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommendedโ€”you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
  • โ…“ cup thinly sliced green onion
  • โ…“ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
  • 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • Optional additions: 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and/or up to 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  1. Rinse the quinoa: Pour the quinoa into a fine-mesh colander and rinse under running water for at least 30 seconds. Drain well. Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 13 to 17 minutes.ย 
  2. Remove the pot from heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.ย 
  3. Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ยฝ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until youโ€™re ready to mix the salad.
  4. To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stemsโ€”you can do this by hand, but itโ€™s much easier in a food processor with the standard โ€œSโ€ blade. Process 1 bunch at a time, transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next.
  5. Add the cooled quinoa, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isnโ€™t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
  6. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ยฝ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. If using the chickpeas or feta, add it now. Taste, and adjust if necessaryโ€”add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor.ย 
  7. If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. The tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from myย Best Tabbouleh.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the optional feta.ย 

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโ€™s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Chris

    I Have made this with Quinoa. I have Not done the feta/chickpeas though. I definitely will add those. Thanks!

  2. Nam

    Every recipe here is always fabulous, Kate. But this one landed in my inbox today on one of the hottest days of the year, and I really didnโ€™t want to stand in the kitchen in front of a flame so I decided this would be dinner. I had all the ingredients sans two โ€“ I skipped the onions and replaced parsley with coriander. Iโ€™m sure parsley would have been marvellous, but even without this was an absolute delight to eat on a hot day. Thanks for all your work here, you really are an important part of my kitchen!

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Thanks so much, Nam! Iโ€™m glad this recipe arrived at the right time. Stay cool. :)

  3. Michelle

    I have a bunch of regular parsley to use up. Would that work with this recipe?

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Hi Michelle, yes, it will!

  4. Karla

    Delish. And I love it better with the quinoa. I used 2-bunches of parsley, better proportion for our taste. The dressing was just right, not too heavy or too light. I did add ยฝ can of chickpeas (bc I luv them) & it was perfect for our summer night meal.

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Thank you, Karla! Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the salad.

  5. Joy

    Excellent salad. Love the addition of chickpeas and feta. My family prefers a little less parsley. Letting it rest a little really helps the flavors to blend. Iโ€™ve also made this with Israeli couscous and with orzo.

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Thank you, Joy!

  6. jb

    Cilantro is missing!!
    You need equal amounts of parsley!

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Hi JB, the salad is traditionally parsley-based, but you can substitute some cilantro if youโ€™d like!

  7. Guy Roberts

    I made this as per the recipe including chickpeas and feta and it is delicious. My wife loves it and says that she could live on it.

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Hooray! Thanks for letting me know!

  8. Dianna

    YUM. This is a wonderful adaptation ! I love tabouleh but have been removing wheat to help reduce persistent inflammation after injury. The quinoa doesnโ€™t taste significantly different from bulgar wheat and I adored the addition of chick peas and feta.

    1. Kathryne Taylor

      Thank you for your review, Dianna! Iโ€™m so glad you appreciate this variation. :)

    2. Cookie and Kate

      Hi Dianna,

      Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment and review.

  9. Jaculin B Wankum

    DELICIOUS
    I am a BIG Cookie and Kate fan.. this recipe is one of the best ever!!
    Made as written with adding the chick peas and then slices of goat cheese on the side! Thank you Kate for your commitment to healthy nutrition

  10. Marvelle Karahadian

    This is absolutely delicious!

  11. DoNo

    I have now made this recipe twice (I included the chickpeas and feta each time), and all I can say is WOW! Itโ€™s been a big hit each time โ€“ it will definitely become a summer staple!

    1. Cookie and Kate

      Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to rate and review.