Easy Lebanese-inspired Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with flavorful tomatoes, parsley, and lemon. We love serving this tasty, ultra-fresh dip with our favorite crackers! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
What is Tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a Lebanese tomato, herb, and bulgur salad.
It is considered a national dish of Lebanon, and is popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.
However my version swaps out the traditional bulgur for quinoa to make it gluten-free. The result is incredibly refreshing and light.
For me, the highlight of tabbouleh is the abundance of fresh parsley. (It seems like a lot but go with it!)
I use my food processor to help quickly chop, but simply hand chop if you'd prefer.
Finding fresh, ripe tomatoes is also very important. In winter, you may want to opt for grape or cherry tomatoes for more flavor when tomatoes are out of season.
Variations
Many families have their own variations of classic tabbouleh.
It is a versatile, forgiving recipe, so have fun playing around to find your favorite style.
Some popular alternate versions include fresh mint, cucumber, etc. (See the notes in the recipe for other possible additions.)
How to Serve
This quinoa tabbouleh is a versatile dish. Try it:
- As a dip with crackers (our favorite)
- In lettuce wraps
- With pita/naan bread
- As a side dish with Mediterranean-style or Middle Eastern meals
- Or add chickpeas for a more substantial dish
You can eat immediately, but it is best served after chilling for a few hours or overnight.
This makes it a great make-ahead option for picnics, potlucks, gatherings, or meal prep.
For more inspiration, browse all quinoa recipes or oil-free recipes.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white quinoa (or 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1-2 large bunches fresh parsley (lots!)
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, finely diced
- 3-4 green onions
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt to taste
Other possible additions:
- Fresh mint, lemon zest, cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, balsamic vinegar, cumin, dash of cinnamon
Instructions
- Cook quinoa: rinse quinoa well. In a small pot over medium-high heat, add quinoa with 3/4 cups water. (Or vegetable broth for more flavor.) Bring to a light boil. Then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has absorbed.
- While quinoa is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients: finely dice tomatoes. (Remove some excess liquid if they're extra juicy.) Thinly slice green onions. Mince garlic. Then place tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a large bowl.
- Juice the lemons and add 1/4 cup lemon juice to bowl.
- Let the cooked quinoa cool a bit before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. After quinoa is added, toss well to combine. Salt to taste.
- Can serve immediately, but it really tastes best after it chills for a few hours/overnight to let the flavors combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
If you are enjoying this (gluten-free & oil-free) Quinoa Tabbouleh, also check out:
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Georgi
THIS IS AMAZING! There is so much flavor, it's refreshing! Even my carnivore family couldn't get enough of this. Also, I made this for our trip to the beach and it held up well during travel, in a cooler. I've made this several times and it's always a winner. Thank you!
Kaitlin McGinn
So fantastic to hear! Thanks for your kind feedback!