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Home » Salads

Vegan Quinoa Tabbouleh

Published: Aug 8, 2024 · Modified: Aug 24, 2022 by Janelle Hama *This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure

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A fresh twist on the traditional Lebanese tabbouleh, this vegan quinoa tabbouleh salad is a gluten-free adaptation of a family favorite. By substituting bulgur with quinoa, it's perfect for those with gluten sensitivities.

A white bowl with a glass spoon filled with quinoa tabouli salad
Vegan quinoa tabbouleh is so refreshing

Discovering my sensitivity to gluten led me to adapt classic dishes to align with a (mostly) gluten-free diet. This quinoa tabbouleh is a nod to the authentic Lebanese tabouli, a dish deeply cherished by the Lebanese community.

Fun fact: While tabbouleh and fattoush are both iconic Lebanese salads, they’re worlds apart! Tabbouleh is parsley-forward with a lemony bite, while fattoush stars crispy pita and a sumac-kissed dressing.

Rooted in personal experience and learning from my Lebanese elders, the art of preparing tabbouleh has been passed down through generations, as with other Lebanese salads.

Highlighted Ingredients and Variations

tomato, cucumber, quinoa, lemon, salt and parsley on a white background

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

In this quinoa rendition, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (cut off the hard stems), tomatoes, onions, and fresh mint are essential. To elevate the freshness, I added cucumbers.

Depending on the pairings, white beans can be a delightful addition. Other variations may include olives, toasted nuts, seeds, or fresh pomegranate arils. Sometimes I also like to add some chopped up Lebanese chickpea balls aka falafel, oh yum! Yes please!

Standard Tabbouleh Dressing 

The quinoa tabbouleh is dressed with a blend of fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. For a hint of heat, I often add a touch of cayenne pepper.

If you are on an oil-free diet, leave the oil out and adjust the amount of lemon juice to suit.

a bunch of parsley with stems chopped off
tomato, parsley, onion, mint leaves and cucumber all finely chopped in white bowls

Preparation

Cook The Quinoa

Start by washing the quinoa under running cold water in a sieve. Gently massage it with your hands for at least a minute to remove bitterness. 

This step is crucial as quinoa is naturally bitter due to an outer coating containing saponins. Rinsing will help rid the bitterness. 

a female hand washing quinoa and a pot of uncooked quinoa submerged in water
washing and then cooking quinoa in water

In a medium saucepan, add the washed quinoa and double the amount of cups of water. Bring it to a boil on high heat, then turn the stove down to low and cook for 13 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow the covered saucepan to stand for another 10 minutes. 

Then take off the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and allow it to cool down to room temperature. 

To quicken the cooling time, spread the quinoa out onto a clean tray or plate as close to a single layer as possible. Here's a method for instant pot quinoa , if using this recipe, just use plain water. 

fluffing and plating quinoa to cool down
fluffing and spread out quinoa to cool down

Toss the Salad 

In a large bowl, add the cooked and cooled quinoa along with all the remaining ingredients, and toss until well combined. 

Taste test and adjust the dressing as needed. Serve the salad cold.

chopped parsley, onion, tomato and mint leaves in a glass bowl
combine the chopped veggies with the cooked quinoa

Janelle's Tips 

To save time, cook the quinoa ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. You can also try making this quinoa sweet potato salad recipe.

When ready to serve, simply prepare the vegetables, toss them in the dressing with the pre-cooked quinoa, and enjoy this refreshing salad. Similar to this falafel and quinoa salad.

Storage

Leftover quinoa tabouli can be stored for 1 day in the fridge when sealed in an airtight container. I don’t recommend storing any longer as the vegetables tend to wilt quickly and turn soggy.

quinoa tabouli with white beans through it in a white plate
with added white beans

Serving Suggestions

My family likes to enjoy this salad with vegan kibbeh a Lebanese bulgur loaf, potato kibbeh which is like a meatless tartare or tofu skewers (or any kind of shish tawook)

a white bowl with quinoa salad in it

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

A white bowl with a glass spoon filled with quinoa and chopped vegetables

Vegan Quinoa Tabbouleh

A fresh twist on the traditional Lebanese tabbouleh, this vegan quinoa tabbouleh salad is a gluten-free adaptation of a family favorite.
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Prep Time: 17 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Quinoa

  • 2 cups Water cold
  • 1 cup Quinoa washed

Salad

  • 1 cup Flat leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 2 medium Tomatoes finely diced
  • 2 medium Cucumber finely diced
  • ¼ cup Mint leaves finely diced
  • 1 medium Onion finely diced

Dressing

  • 2 medium Lemons juiced
  • 1½ teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • ¼ cup Olive oil extra virgin
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Instructions

  • Rinse the quinoa under cold running water using a sieve for about a minute to eliminate any bitterness.
    In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water, then bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook for 13 minutes.
    After turning off the heat, let the saucepan sit with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes to let the quinoa steam.
    Finally, remove the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and let it cool to room temperature. You can make the quinoa ahead - see Janelle's Tips section above.
  • In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa and all the ingredients, and toss until well combined. Taste test and adjust salt, lemon and oil as needed.
    Serve cold.

Video


Notes

Yield is for 4-6 servings.
You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. Leave out the oil and adjust the lemon and salt to suit.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 41 serving | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 897mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1986IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 4mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.


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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 41 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Celine

    December 02, 2022 at 9:59 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is perfect for me because I struggle to find cracked wheat in my supermarket. The quinoa is an excellent substitution! Yum - will make again!

    Reply
  2. Aria

    November 14, 2022 at 10:48 pm

    5 stars
    I love using quinoa in recipes. This salad was very good

    Reply
  3. Kara

    October 25, 2022 at 11:16 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this gluten free version of tabuli salad. I could it it every day!

    Reply
  4. Kris

    October 19, 2022 at 1:29 am

    5 stars
    This was a great way to use up the last of my fresh mint and parsley (had a lot of it). I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out wonderful!

    Reply
  5. Swathi

    August 30, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    5 stars
    I love taboulh salad this quinoa version was delicious, I made it for a family member who is GF and they gave it a thumbs up

    Reply
  6. Erika

    August 24, 2022 at 10:02 pm

    I'm so excited to try this gluten-free quinoa taboula salad.:) Loving the ingredients of it like parsley, mint leaves, tomato, and onion.:) Thanks!

    Reply
  7. leyla

    August 11, 2020 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    We had a family bbq and I made this tabouli, no one asked if I had swapped anything. The whole salad was eaten. I would say that is a good thing 🙂

    Reply
  8. VideotesttubeCom

    March 06, 2020 at 9:15 am

    This recipe is super simple and you need only 6 ingredients to make it: quinoa, tomatoes, spring onion (white or red onion are okay), mint, parsley and lemon juice. Feel free to add extra virgin olive oil, but I only add lemon juice and the salad tastes amazing.

    Reply

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