Fresh Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

This fresh quinoa tabbouleh salad is a fresh and flavorful gluten free version of a classic tabbouleh recipe! Made with fluffy quinoa, sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, green onions, aromatic parsley, and a bright and simple lemony dressing. Ready in less than 45 minutes from start to finish.

The best gluten free tabbouleh salad

We will never say no to an easy salad that is made with an array of vibrant ingredients like this tabbouleh salad!

Quinoa is such a versatile gluten free grain, and this recipe makes the perfect side dish for so many different types of meals, and also travels well if you’re bringing a dish to share for a potluck or dinner at a friends house.

Making it in summer is even better, because you’ll get to take advantage of the sweetest cherry tomato tomatoes!

Recipe testing notes

Fool-proof quinoa

During my years in the kitchen, I’ve been let down many times when opening the lid to a pot of quinoa I had just cooked to find a watery mess with only partially cooked quinoa.

I’ve tried reducing the amount of liquid used, but that didn’t always provide consistently fluffy quinoa.

The method that has always worked best for me is to lower the heat to the lowest possible heat setting and increase the cooking time by about ten minutes past the recommended time.

So for example, most quinoa cooking instructions on the package state to cook it for 15 minutes, but I find it turns out best when cooked for 25.

This amount of time ensures that the quinoa absorbs all of the liquid, and turns out light and fluffy every time.

If you’re looking for more yummy ways to use quinoa be sure to check out our recipes for Fresh Beet and Quinoa Salad, Curried Quinoa Pilaf, and One Pot Southwest Quinoa and Black Beans!

What is tabbouleh?

Tabbouleh (also sometimes called tabouli) a classic Mediterranean salad made with fresh and flavorful ingredients like tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and green onion.

Traditionally tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat which is a gluten containing grain.

But in this recipe, our version substitutes quinoa in place of bulgur for a seriously delicious + gluten free take that still has the same lovely bite and bright flavor!

Why you’ll love this quinoa tabbouleh salad

This tabbouleh recipe is:

• Super fresh
• Bright and flavorful
• Wholesome
• Versatile
• Vibrant
• Refreshing
• & SO tasty!

So grab all of your perfect summer tomatoes and cucumbers and let’s whip up a batch!

Ingredients

This tabbouleh salad recipe is made with many of the fresh ingredients that you’d find in a traditional tabbouleh recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients, along with measurements, in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations!

Here’s what you need

• Quinoa – To make this recipe gluten free I chose to substitute quinoa for the more traditionally used bulgur wheat. I find that quinoa offers the perfect texture and mild flavor that really allows the other ingredients to shine! This brand is a great option that comes pre-washed which cuts down on prep time.
• Olive oil, water or broth, and a pinch of sea salt to cook the quinoa – My preferred method for cooking quinoa is by gently toasting it in a pot with some olive oil, and then simmering on low with either water or broth, and a pinch of salt. It’s a great way to add a little extra flavor before adding it to any dish!
• Fresh parsley – Traditional tabbouleh salad is made using more parsley than grains. I scaled it back to just 1 cup for this recipe, but if you are a parsley lover you could add extra, or even double the amount!
• Diced cucumber – For some cool and refreshing crunch.
• Sliced cherry tomatoes – The sweeter the better! If you can’t find any good cherry tomatoes, you could leave them out or substitute with some sweet bell peppers.
• Thinly sliced green onion – I love the mild onion flavor of green onions for tabbouleh, but you could substitute chopped garlic, or a bit of finely diced red or white onion.
• A simple lemony dressing – Made with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Really, that’s all you need!

How to make gluten free tabbouleh

Cooking the quinoa and allowing it to cool are the most time-consuming parts of making this salad, but those are both hands-off tasks, which is nice! I always suggest reading through the recipe at least once before you start cooking so the recipe flows smoothly.

Here’s the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Make the quinoa

If your quinoa is not already pre-rinsed (it should say on the package), rinse it well using a super fine mesh strainer. Set strainer over a bowl to finish draining. 

Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, add rinsed and drained quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa is dry and smells a little toasty. Add broth or water along with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and stir well. Bring to a simmer, stir one more time, and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. 

After 25 minutes, remove pot from the heat and take off the lid. Allow steam and heat to release for about 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Set aside to cool. To cool it faster – transfer to a shallow bowl or glass dish (so the quinoa can spread out a bit) and stir every 5 minutes or so while it cools. 

Step 2: Prep the veggies and herbs

While the quinoa is cooking, prep the parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, and green onions. Set these ingredients aside until you’re ready to assemble the salad.

Step 3: Prep the lemony salad dressing

In a bowl large enough to mix the salad whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Step 4: Assemble the tabbouleh salad

When the quinoa is cool, add it to the large bowl that has the dressing in it along with parsley, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and green onions. Toss everything together until mixed well and add a little more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if desired.

Serve immediately, or move to the refrigerator to chill before serving.

What to eat with tabbouleh

Traditionally tabbouleh is served with lettuce leaves to scoop it up with, or pita bread.

But I love to serve it with any type of Mediterranean meal!

It would be delicious with hummus, your favorite lamb recipe, baked chicken breasts, skillet-baked curry chicken and rice, baked salmon, or falafel.

Here’s a few other recipes it would pair well with to get you started!

• Whole30 Mediterranean Chicken Bowls with Creamy Tahini Sauce
• Mediterranean Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetable Dinner
• Chicken Patties
• Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Dip
• Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

Recipe variations

• If you don’t have quinoa on hand or are looking for a low carb option, substitute with 2 cups raw cauliflower rice.
• To make this tabbouleh without parsley, substitute with mint or a variety of other fresh green herbs.
• No tomatoes or cucumber? Feel free to substitute with sweet bell peppers, finely diced celery, as well as any other fresh vegetables that you have on hand.

Can tabbouleh be made ahead of time?

This tabbouleh salad recipe can be made up for 4 or so hours in advance, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tabbouleh can still be enjoyed the next day, however the herbs and vegetables may wilt a bit under the weight of the lemony dressing.

If you’re hosting a dinner or party and want to prep as much as possible in advance, here’s what I would suggest:

• Prep and cook the quinoa. Allow to cool before storing in a tupperware.
• Make the dressing and transfer it to a jar or small covered container.
• Prep the veggies and herbs and keep them in separate containers.

Then just store all components in the refrigerator, and toss together shortly before serving!

Love this salad? Try these other recipes!

• Lemony Chickpea Feta Salad
• Summer Peach Salad with Almonds and Feta
• Watermelon Arugula Salad
• Chopped Vegan Chickpea Salad
• Gluten Free Italian Pasta Salad

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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