This ultra-fresh Quinoa Tabbouleh recipe is packed with juicy tomatoes, loads of parsley, and bright, tangy lemon. It's so tasty, nourishing, and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Enjoy it as a dip, salad, or grab-and-go meal! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This quinoa tabbouleh is incredibly fresh and delicious! It's made with just a few simple, healthy ingredients and is super easy to assemble.
Traditional tabbouleh is a Lebanese tomato, herb, and bulgur wheat salad. However this version has a gluten-free twist, swapping out bulgur for quinoa!
The result is so light, refreshing, and nourishing. Best of all, you can serve it as a salad, dip with crackers, or spoon it on pita bread or wraps. It's also great made ahead of time, so you can take it on the go.
Plus it's easy to customize just the way you like it. Let's get started!
Ingredients for Quinoa Tabbouleh
For this recipe, you'll toss together in a large bowl:
- White quinoa: You'll need a half cup dry quinoa, which is about 1.5 cups cooked. Quinoa is a whole grain (though technically it's a seed) and contains all nine essential amino acids which makes it a complete protein. Feel free to simmer it in vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.
- Fresh parsley: I use two large bunches of Italian flat-leaf parsley, but curly parsley works too. Parsley is rich in many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. This recipe is one of my favorites to enjoy an abundance of this wonderful herb! I purchase organic whenever possible.
- Ripe tomatoes: Most often I use tomatoes on the vine if they're available. Otherwise I opt for roma tomatoes, cherry or grape tomatoes, plum tomato, or other garden tomato. Just be sure your tomatoes are ripe and flavorful! (For the most bright and sweet flavor, use cherry or grape tomatoes.)
- Green onion (scallion): These provide a mild onion flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice: You'll need a quarter cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, which is about 1.5 lemons (or one large juicy lemon).
- Fresh garlic clove: Use one minced garlic clove, or even more if you love the flavor.
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Customizing
Many families have their own variations of this classic Middle Eastern salad. It's a versatile, forgiving recipe so play around to find your favorite style!
Popular alternate versions: These often include fresh mint leaves, cucumber, and good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
Other additions: You can also add garbanzo beans (chickpeas), white beans, lemon zest, red onion, vinegar, capers, Kalamata olives, vegan feta cheese, ground cumin, a dash of cinnamon, etc.
Tips
Fresh parsley: In my opinion, the highlight of tabbouleh is the abundance of fresh herbs. (It seems like a lot but go with it!)
Food processor: I use my food processor to help quickly chop the parsley, but you can hand chop if you'd prefer.
Tomatoes: Finding flavorful, ripe tomatoes is also very important. In winter, you may want to opt for grape or cherry tomatoes for more flavor when vine tomatoes are out of season.
Serving
Dip: I highly recommend serving it up with crackers alongside some creamy homemade hummus. (My favorite!) I find these two dishes pair beautifully together.
Side dish: Or try it with falafel, or your Mediterranean-style or Middle Eastern meals.
Salad: Simply grab a spoon and enjoy it as is! Or expand and build it around a fuller salad with baby arugula, mixed greens, cucumber, olives, vegan feta crumbles, etc. You can even drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on top to finish.
Main dish: Stir in chickpeas or white beans (for more plant-based protein and heartiness) to create a more substantial main dish.
Flavorful accent: Scoop it in lettuce wraps, or on top of fresh pita bread or naan bread.
Storing
You can enjoy this tabbouleh immediately, but it's even better after chilling for a few hours or overnight. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 3-4 days. (This makes it a great make-ahead option for picnics, potlucks, gatherings, or meal prep!)
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan quinoa recipes or parsley recipes.
Quinoa Tabbouleh (Easy!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white quinoa
- 1-2 large bunches fresh Italian parsley (lots!)
- 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes*
- 3 green onions
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Other possible additions:
- Fresh mint, lemon zest, cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, balsamic vinegar, cumin, dash of cinnamon, vegan feta cheese, etc.
Instructions
- Cook quinoa: Rinse and drain the quinoa well. In a small pot over medium-high heat, add the quinoa with 3/4 cup water. (Or vegetable broth for more flavor.) Bring to a light boil. Then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid has absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
- Prepare ingredients: While the quinoa is cooking, finely dice the tomatoes. (I remove the excess liquid and seeds.) Thinly slice the green onions. Mince the garlic. Then place these in a large bowl.
- Chop parsley: Finely chop the parsley, extra-thick stems removed. (I pulse it in a food processor since there's a large amount, but feel free to hand-chop if you prefer.) Add to the bowl.
- Combine: Allow the cooked quinoa to cool slightly, then add to bowl. Add the lemon juice and salt. (Taste and adjust the flavors if needed or add black pepper if desired.)
- Serve: You can serve this dish immediately, but it tastes even better after it chills in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to let the flavors combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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Georgi says
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 says
Wonderful to hear you've been enjoying it, Georgi! Glad it's held up in the cooler for your beach days, too. That's awesome. Thanks for sharing your kind and helpful feedback!