Day: July 30, 2025

Quinoa-Infused Tabbouleh Salad Recipe

Tabbouleh enthusiasts, have you experimented with quinoa in your recipe? This variation is a delightful twist on traditional tabbouleh, utilizing quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. It transforms our beloved Lebanese salad into a gluten-free option. The quinoa is light and offers a slightly nutty flavor, yet the overall taste remains quite comparable.

Having already swapped one key ingredient, I took the initiative to incorporate chickpeas and feta cheese, additional components you might not typically find in tabbouleh. These additions are completely optional and utterly delicious. They enhance the salad’s heartiness; using both could elevate it to a light meal by itself.

This garden-fresh salad is incredibly invigorating on a sunny day. It showcases fresh parsley and mint, tomato and cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and quinoa. The ratios stay true to the traditional preparation, ensuring there’s more parsley than quinoa, and the lemon adds a bright zest. I believe you’ll enjoy this.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

1) Prepare your quinoa as directed in the following recipe. I have a trusted quinoa cooking method that varies from package instructions. It consistently yields perfectly fluffy quinoa.

2) Sprinkle salt on your tomato and cucumber, then let them drain. This technique intensifies the flavors of the tomato and cucumber, preventing your salad from being too watery. Mix the tomato and cucumber in a bowl with salt and allow it to sit while you chop the parsley. Drain any excess liquid before mixing the salad. Simple!

3) Use a generous amount of parsley and chop it finely. For this recipe, you’ll need three bunches of curly parsley. It’s much simpler to chop that much parsley in a food processor rather than by hand. Don’t worry about removing the delicate parsley stems—they add great flavor.

4) Season generously with lemon juice and salt. Tabbouleh should be zesty and full of flavor. To achieve this, ensure you use enough lemon juice and salt. You can find my suggested amounts in the recipe below.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Serving Suggestions

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

Please share your recipe outcomes in the comments. I always enjoy hearing from you.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This tabbouleh recipe features quinoa instead of bulgur, making it gluten-free while keeping the unique flavor of the traditional Middle Eastern salad. Chickpeas and feta are optional additions that enrich the dish. The recipe yields 6 servings (approximately 7 ½ cups of salad).

Instructions:

1. Rinse the quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh colander and rinse under running water for a minimum of 30 seconds. Drain thoroughly. Combine the rinsed quinoa with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, about 13 to 17 minutes.

2. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and allow the quinoa to steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

3. In the meantime, mix the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to combine the salad.

4. To prepare the parsley, trim the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this manually, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process one bunch at a time, transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before continuing with the next bunch.

5. Incorporate the cooled quinoa, chopped fresh mint (if using), and green onion into the bowl with the parsley. Drain and discard the accumulated juice from the cucumber and tomato (this keeps your tabbouleh from being too soupy). Add the drained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.

6. In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour this mixture into the salad and stir well. If using chickpeas or feta, add them at this stage. Taste and make adjustments if needed—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zest, or salt for enhanced flavor.

7. If possible, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Otherwise, serve immediately or refrigerate for later. The tabbouleh can be stored well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes:

Recipe adapted from my Best Tabbouleh.

Make it dairy-free/vegan: Exclude the optional feta.