This Tabouli Salad has quinoa instead of bulgur, making it a fantastic gluten-free summer salad! Make this fresh, healthy meal in just 20 minutes.
Summer Salads
Growing up in Texas, we weren’t allowed to turn on the oven during the summer with it being 100+F outside and 90% humidity. When the hot weather hits, wholesome, refreshing, cool salads is where it’s at. This Quinoa Tabouli Salad is cool, zesty, and everything you ever wanted in a salad. And you can make it ahead of time!
Tabbouleh or Tabouli Salad?
This has to be one of the most refreshing, cleansing salads of a lifetime! Even my husband requests it. Technically, because we’re using quinoa rather than bulgur wheat, it is not a traditional tabouli recipe. Although, the technique and flavors are still the same; the difference is that ours is gluten free! Oh, and vegan friendly.
Here’s what I learned about tabbouleh:
- First, tabbouleh is sometimes spelled tabouli, especially here in the U.S.
- This vibrant salad is usually served along with mezza (a host of appetizers). But sometimes, I like to make it a complete meal by adding more protein. Things like feta cheese, or even tuna or salmon. SO GOOD!
- Also, tabouli is more parsley than grain. So technically, it’s a parsley salad versus a grain salad. Authentic tabbouleh is greener, contains more tomatoes, and has less bulgur wheat.
Quinoa Tabouli Ingredients
The key to creating a delicious quinoa salad, whether it’s this one or something like BBQ Tempeh Vegan Quinoa Salad, is to use fresh, FLAVORFUL ingredients.
There’s no argument that quinoa is healthy, but it doesn’t have much flavor on its own. That’s the magic of this gluten free tabouli recipe; the quinoa has so much flavor from fresh herbs, you won’t miss the bulgur at all!
- Whole garlic cloves
- Fresh lemon juice (2 lemons should be plenty)
- Flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley) – avoid using curly parsley; it’s really meant for garnishing plates. If you can’t find any Italian parsley, you can use cilantro
- Fresh mint leaves – choose mint leaves without brown spots or blemishes
- Red or yellow cherry tomatoes – grape tomatoes are another option. Basically, any tomato that is easy to finely chop.
- Scallions (green onions)
- Pitted Kalamata olives – Kalamata are Greek olives; they have a LOT of flavor, much more so than traditional green or black olives.
- Finely ground sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil – this is for drizzling over the salad, so buy the best quality olive oil you can afford. Avocado oil would be delicious as well.
- Optional toppings – crumbled feta or yogurt cheese
Tabouli Nutrition
Not only is tabouli delicious, but it’s also quite healthy!
One serving of quinoa tabouli salad will provide your body with fiber, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Quinoa is high in plant based protein and one of the few “pseudo” grains that contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Plus, fresh parsley and tomatoes both have antioxidant properties, and the lycopene in tomatoes can help to keep your heart healthy.
How To Make Quinoa Tabouli Salad
- Rinse and cook the quinoa.
For instructions, see my quinoa 101 post or the recipe notes below.
- Combine quinoa with other salad ingredients.
After cooking the quinoa, fluff it with a fork, then transfer it to a large bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients EXCEPT for the oil and cheese, then toss to combine.
- Leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
During this time, the quinoa will continue to absorb liquid and swell. If you want to make the salad ahead, be sure to leave out the olives, lemon, and olive oil. Place tomatoes on the very bottom of the bowl, then quinoa, salt, parsley and mint. Add the lemon, garlic, olive oil, and olives 30 minutes to an 1 hour before serving . Toss and leave it at room temperature. This prevents the tomatoes from getting to soft and acidic.
- Garnish and serve.
Add the olive oil, toss to combine, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Top with extra lemon and optional cheese topping (ie. feta).
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Let the salad sit at room temperature versus in the fridge. As a result, the taste will be a bit brighter.
- Chilled tomatoes can dampen the taste. That being said, if you want to make this ahead of time, I suggest adding the tomatoes last, just before serving.
More of Our Favorite
Delicious Quinoa Recipes
Tabouli Salad with Quinoa (Gluten Free)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This tabouli salad has quinoa instead of bulgur, making it a fantastic gluten free summer salad! Make this fresh, healthy meal in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa + 1 cup water (or ½ to ⅔ cup precooked quinoa)
- salt
For the salad
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Juice of 2 large lemons, or to taste
- 1 bunch chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- 10 ounces red or yellow cherry ripe tomatoes, very finely chopped
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced or diced
- Finely ground sea salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- Optional toppings – crumbled feta or yogurt cheese, and extra lemons for squeezing
Instructions
- Rinse and cook quinoa. For instructions, see this quinoa 101 post or the recipe notes below. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and transfer ½ to ⅔ cup quinoa to a large bowl. Toss with the minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions, olives, salt and pepper.
- Leave at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to 2 hours, so that the quinoa can continue to absorb liquid and swell. (see notes for making ahead)
- Add the olive oil, toss to combine, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Top with extra lemon and optional cheese topping (ie. feta).
Notes
If you want to make the salad a day ahead, be sure to leave out the olives, lemon, and olive oil. Place tomatoes on the very bottom of the bowl, then cooked quinoa, salt, parsley and mint. Add the lemon, garlic, olive oil, and olives 30 minutes to an 1 hour before serving . Toss and leave it at room temperature. This prevents the tomatoes from getting too soft.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: salad
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: middle eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 4.9 g
- Sodium: 153.3 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Soooo TASTY and Delicious and a complement to a good diet! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lorraine! It’s one of my favorites and so refreshing too!
It’s so delicious!
We love quinoa and are always looking for different ways to eat it! It’s perfect in the taboouli!
Yaaayyy!! So glad you loved it!
I love how fresh and bright this salad tastes. The leftovers were even better the next day!
Oh, yes! We enjoy the leftovers the next day too!
This is such a great salad!! Everyone at my house loved it!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks, Toni!
Yum! Looks so delicious and healthy! I can’t wait to make this!
Thanks, Beth! I hope you enjoy it!
I love tabouli so much and I love using quinoa! Great recipe, I am making it again for a cookout next weekend!
Thanks, Lauren! Glad to hear that!