Quinoa Tabbouleh

4.97 from 133 reviews

This quinoa tabbouleh recipe is made with all the classic ingredients, like mint, parsley, and tomatoes and uses white quinoa in a lemon dressing.

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
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Quinoa Tabbouleh.
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Make a bowl of easy quinoa tabbouleh!

Every time I post my traditional Lebanese tabbouleh, someone asks if they can make it with quinoa instead of bulgur, and yep, it works. Quinoa isn’t traditional, but it’s easy to find and still gives you that hearty base to soak up all the lemony, herb flavor. I usually make this quinoa tabbouleh when I’m out of bulgur or just want something gluten-free. It’s still got a bunch of parsley, mint, tomatoes, and scallions, and the lemon and olive oil bring it all together, just like the classic.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Quinoa Tabbouleh Ingredients

Cooked quinoa in a small pot
  • Quinoa: White quinoa is what I use for this recipe.
  • Water: I cook the quinoa in water here, but sometimes I use chicken stock for extra flavor. You can also make your own vegetable stock!
  • Parsley: I use curly-leaf parsley in my tabbouleh recipes, but flat-leaf Italian parsley works, too.
  • Mint leaves: If you can’t find it, you can skip it. If you have dried mint, ½ tablespoon will still add a bit of freshness.
  • Green onions: I use both the green and white parts in this quinoa tabbouleh salad recipe to add a gentle onion-y taste without overpowering the salad. You can also use diced white or red onion.
  • Tomatoes: Seeded and chopped. You can also use halved cherry tomatoes.
  • Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

How to Make Quinoa Tabbouleh

Make the Dressing

Oil, lemon juice, and spices in a bowl.
Step 1: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a bowl.
After mixing.
Step 2: Whisk together until combined. Set aside.

Cook the Quinoa and Assemble

Quinoa in a dry skillet after toasting.
Step 1: Dry-roast the quinoa by adding it to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until it begins to pop, turns somewhat golden brown, and smells nutty.
Quinoa in a pot of water.
Step 2: Add the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until the quinoa is tender.
After cooking, fluffing with a fork in a bowl.
Step 3: Uncover, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and let it cool to room temperature.
Chopped parsley, mint, green onions, tomatoes and quinoa in a bowl.
Step 4: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, chopped herbs, and veggies.
Pouring dressing over.
Step 5: Pour the dressing over the top.
After tossing together.
Step 6: Stir gently to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Quinoa tabbouleh salad.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.97 from 133 reviews
This quinoa tabbouleh recipe is made with all the classic ingredients, like mint, parsley, and tomatoes and uses white quinoa in a lemon dressing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Servings4 servings

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Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup quinoa
  • ¾ cup water
  • 3 bunches parsley finely chopped (3 cups)
  • ¼ cup fresh mint finely chopped
  • 4 green onions very finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa to a dry pan and toast it, stirring frequently until it begins to pop, turns somewhat golden brown, and smells nutty, about 5 minutes.
  • Add water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and let it cool to room temperature.
  • While the quinoa cools, make the dressing by stirring together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  • In a large bowl, place the chopped parsley, chopped mint leaves, green onions, and tomatoes. Add the cooled quinoa and pour the dressing over the top. Stir gently to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2–3 days in the fridge, but the parsley may start to retain water after the first day. Before serving leftovers, stir the salad to redistribute the flavors and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Sodium: 325mg, Potassium: 586mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 4359IU, Vitamin C: 80mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Recipe Variations

  • Boost the protein. Add crumbled feta cheese, roasted chickpeas, or shredded chicken to make the salad a heartier main.
  • Brighten it up with pomegranate seeds. The juicy arils add a sweet burst of flavor and a ruby-red pop of color. Here’s a tutorial on how to cut a pomegranate.
  • Stuff it in a pita pocket. Turn quinoa tabbouleh into a more substantial lunch by serving it in pita bread.

Recipe Tips

  1. Finely chop the parsley by hand. I recommend you chop the parsley yourself for the best texture. A food processor can wilt the parsley and ruin the texture.
  2. Prep the parsley ahead of time. I like to wash the parsley a day or two before chopping so it can fully dry and not make the tabbouleh soggy.
  3. Fluff your quinoa. After your quinoa finishes cooking and resting, fluff it with a fork so it doesn’t clump in the salad.
  4. Chill the ingredients for 30 minutes before tossing. This helps keep the salad crisp, fresh, and vibrant.
  5. Don’t mix the salad until you’re ready to serve. Like all salads, I recommend tossing the dressing right before serving. This is especially true for quinoa tabbouleh, because the parsley can get soggy if it soaks in the dressing for too long.
spoon stirring tabbouleh in a bowl

Serving Ideas

FAQs

How do I store quinoa tabbouleh salad?

Store leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2–3 days in the fridge, but the parsley may start to retain water after the first day. Before serving leftovers, stir the salad to redistribute the flavors and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Can I make the quinoa tabbouleh salad ahead of time?

Yes! I recommend storing the salad ingredients and the dressing separately, then tossing them all together right before serving.

Why is my quinoa too mushy or too crunchy?

If your quinoa is too mushy, you might have used too much water or cooked it for too long. If your quinoa is too crunchy, you might not have used enough water or cooked it for long enough.

My salad tastes bland. How can I fix it?

Tabbouleh relies on fresh ingredients for flavor. If it tastes bland, try adding a little more lemon juice, olive oil, salt, or fresh herbs. Adjust according to your taste preference.

Plate of the of final quinoa tabbouleh recipe garnished with green onions

More Mediterranean Salad Recipes

This quinoa tabbouleh salad recipe was originally published January 8, 2019 and has been recently updated with new photography and step-by-step image collages to help make the recipe. The recipe remains the same with clearer instructions.

4.97 from 133 votes (121 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Toddy says:

    It was sooo yummy!!!
    I feel like having it every day 🙂

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Aww, so glad you loved it! Thank you!!

  2. fidha says:

    Too much lemon used for recipe

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So sorry you felt that it was too much lemon, Fidha. You can absolutely reduce the amount next time to your flavor preferences.

  3. Kaitlyn Davis says:

    Are the nutritional facts per serving, or for the entire bowl? What is a “serving size?” Thank you!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yes, the nutritional info is for 1 serving! There are 4 servings in the recipe. The serving size will vary slightly depending on the ingredients but it should be around 1 cup. Hope that helps!

  4. Alex says:

    Fabulous recipe and a great starting point for variations! I omitted the onion and tomato, but added edamame, pumpkin seeds, and a small amount chopped kale. So delicious. The dressing ratio is perfect.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Love your tweaks! Thanks so much, Alex! Glad you liked it!!

  5. Vicki Lindsay says:

    Delish! It tastes like traditional tabbouleh, but healthier – even for my guests who can eat gluten. I just wanted enough for me for dinner, so I eyeballed the ingredients, so it looked like your picture. The important thing about the dressing is the ratio of olive oil to lemon juice, which was perfect. With dressing, I always like to start out with what I think is the minimum. You can add more, but you can’t take it away. Also, it gives me a chance to adjust the ratio and the seasoning, if necessary. But in this case my first pass turned out to be perfect. I am looking forward to serving it to friends, soon. Thanks.

    p.s. It turned out to be more than I can eat. I bet it will be great tomorrow, too.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Aww, so happy you liked it!! Thank you, Vicki!

  6. Chania says:

    I felt that the ratio of dressing to Quinoa was too much and it made it too wet and sloppy, I had to drain it off. I also added some seeded and chopped cucumber to give it some crunch!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So sorry to hear that, thank you for the feedback.

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