From time to time I whip up this delicious Easy Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad as the perfect side dish which seems to go with just about everything…. and is soooo irresistible.
It’s a divine combination of fluffy quinoa, juicy tomatoes, fresh parsley, and zesty lemon dressing. I love to throw in some chopped mint and green onions for a pop of flavor. This dish not only tastes amazing but it’s also made with simple ingredients that makes for a mega healthy salad.
You’d think I was channeling my inner chef ha ha.
Quinoa is one of those wonder seed ingredients loaded with so many nutritional benefits. High in fibre, protein, essential amino acids and is gluten free.
If you love quinoa you might also want to give our colourful Quinoa Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing a whirl. If you love a warm style winter salad then you’d probably go for our Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad recipe.
What is Tabbouleh Salad?
Tabbouleh salad is a Middle Eastern dish made with parsley, mint, tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, olive oil and bulgur.. It is often served as a light and fresh side dish.
Though who needs to stick to tradition? Quinoa tabbouleh salad puts a modern spin on this timeless classic, giving it a gluten free delicious makeover.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
💚 Gluten Free – no need to use the traditional ingredient bulgur wheat for this recipe. Quinoa is gluten free and a nutritious substitute making this only slightly different from the traditional tabbouleh.
💚 Quick – This recipe is a total game-changer – it’s quick, easy, and practically makes itself!
💚 Fresh herbs – load of fresh parsley and mint. Makes for a vibrant looking salad..
Recipe Ingredients
“You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing Quinoa Tabbouleh recipe
Ingredient Notes
Quinoa –Get creative with your choice of quinoa in this tabbouleh recipe! Red, tri-colored or black. Be sure to allow the grains to cool after cooking before mixing everything together.
Onions – use whatever onion variety you like. We’ve used green onions (spring) as they’re not as strong in taste, but feel free to use red onion if you prefer.
Fresh lemon juice – this is a non-negotiable. Sorry folks fresh is best.
Cracked black pepper – it might be just me but cracked black pepper and a pinch of sea salt flakes makes the salad dressing pop. Just love it!
How to make Easy Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad STEP BY STEP
STEP 1. First thing rinse your uncooked quinoa thoroughly under cold water. Cook your quinoa according to the packet directions. If using a microwave, stove top or instant pot you can find helpful tips here. Allow to cool to room temperature.
STEP 2. While the quinoa cooks, chop your parsley, mint and green onions and pop into a large bowl. De-seed your tomatoes and chop into smaller pieces. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together to make the dressing.
STEP 3. Pop everything into a bowl and mix gently then drizzle with the dressing.
Recipe Tips
Rinse your quinoa well. Always rinse your quinoa before cooking. If you’ve ever had that bitter taste from quinoa, it’s usually because it wasn’t washed thoroughly before hand. Even if the package says it’s been pre-washed, it’s always a great idea to just run it under cold water. Use a fine mesh sieve or you’ll probs loose your quinoa down the sink if using a colander style strainer.
Cooking quinoa. You can cook quinoa few different ways. Cook in a medium pot on the stove top. I used our ancient rice cooker and it turned out beautifully. I did lessen the water to quinoa ratio a little to keep this quinoa in a firm shape.( 1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cups water).
Water to quinoa ratio – It’s normally 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water (or stock). If you are using a rice cooker, microwave or instant pot these tips from Food Network are amazing. I’ve included my “how to” step by step guide below on how I did it in our rice cooker.
De seeding your tomatoes – when using juicy tomatoes it makes such a difference if you have the time to remove the seeds. It’s super easy. Cut into 8 quarters and using a small sharp knife just loosen the seed and pulp.
How To Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker – (Sonya Style)
- Our rice cooker is an older-one-button-cook version but works a treat.
- I like to lightly spray the bucket prior to adding the quinoa to avoid sticking.
- Add the water, push the button and wait till it pops. Remove immediately once the quinoa is cooked.. You might need to trial this method a couple of times till you get the right result. I do use slightly less water with quinoa to rice but it might just be my rice cooker.
Storage and Reheating
keep this quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It should last around 2 days before it goes a little soggy. If you are making this salad for as a meal prep, then store the salad and the dressing separately.
Additions and Substitutions
Quinoa -For this recipe we used white quinoa. Though there are a variety of colours to choose from. Including black, red and tri-colour so feel free to use whatever you have at home or mix them up for a really vibrant salad.. You can buy quinoa easily from your grocery store or wholefoods shop.
Use cherry tomatoes – No need to de-seed them or use chopped tomatoes. Just cut in half. Easy peasey.
Chickpeas – Adding chickpeas can provide extra protein and texture to the salad.
Feta cheese – The salty and creamy flavor of feta cheese pairs well with the fresh herbs and lemon dressing.
Avocado – Creamy avocado chunks can add richness and creaminess to the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What parsley can I use for quinoa tabouli recipe?
Flat leaf (Italian Parsley) or curly parsley works fine. In most cases the flat leaf parsley tastes just that bit nicer and is easier to chop as well.
Can I use a food processor to cut my herbs?
I’ve tried this in the past but ended up with a mush of green. I think it would depend on your type of machine. Chopping may take longer but it’s kind of therapeutic.
What do I serve with tabbouleh salad?
This dish is super versatile! Traditionally, it’s served alongside hummus, pita bread, and falafel. Its also lovely to eat as a snack with crunchy pita chips. Ps. you might like to try it alongside our Easy Zucchini Falafel Recipe.
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Rate this recipe
I hope you love this Easy Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad! If you make it, be sure to leave a star rating so I know how you liked it!
Recipe Card
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes about two medium sized and remove the seeds. (optional)
- 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 3 spring onions finely sliced or onion of your choice
- 2 tbs fresh mint chopped
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice freshly squeezed
- pinch salt and pepper
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Cook your quinoa as per packet instructions. Be sure to rinse well before cooking. After cooking allow to cool.
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Chop you parsley and mint finely.
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Cut your tomatoes into wedges into 8 quarters and remove the seeds. (this is optional but will give a much drier salad when finished}. Then chop into smaller pieces.
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Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together.
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Combine the cooled quinoa, parsley, mint, tomatoes and mix well. Then dress with the lemon and oil dressing.
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