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I used to think that the only thing curly parsley was good for was a garnish at a restaurant, and a bad one at that.
This quinoa tabbouleh salad has 100% changed my thoughts about curly parsley! This salad transforms curly parsley from a gross piece of greenery on my plate into a crunchy, tangy, refreshing salad that’s super satisfying.
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad that traditionally uses bugur wheat as the grain. I decided to make my version of Tabbouleh salad using quinoa because I love it so much and to keep this salad gluten free. A win win!
Our quinoa tabbouleh line up:
- Cooled quinoa
- Lots of curly parsley – herb-y and full of texture
- Fresh mint – adds so much refreshing goodness, give me all the mint!!
- red onion – for depth
- red bell pepper – crunchy and sweet
- seedless cucumber – crunchy and refreshing
- A simple but flavorful lemon and olive oil dressing – quick and simple
- feta cheese – for a salty finish. Only if you wish
Chewy, crunchy, Lemon-y, refreshing, herb-y, and minty this salad is packed with so much flavor and texture, it will make your stomach happy!!!
Quinoa tabbouleh only takes 25 minutes to make and can be made in advance. Actually, it’s best after it has sat in the fridge for a day so that all of the flavors can hang out and marry.
Quinoa tabbouleh is the perfect salad to fit into your weekly meal prep because you simply toss everything, including the dressing, together in one big bowl – also this makes it great for packed lunches. Since you can make it in advance and serve it at room temperature it would be the ultimate salad to serve at parties or bring to picnics or BBQs (warm weather we’re ready and waiting with our salads over here!)
Try serving it with my roasted baba ganoush I shared on Monday – I’m on a Middle Eastern food kick!!!
Not only does this Quinoa tabbouleh salad taste awesome it’s packed with so much nutrition – Just the parsley alone provides tons of vitamins, zinc, potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium. Parsley is also known to be an anti-inflammatory, and support the immune system. I say we give curly parsley another try – no longer just an overlooked garnish.
This quinoa tabbouleh will be my go-to summertime salad, especially when my garden mint is bursting at the seams!
I see healthy, crunchy satisfying quinoa tabbouleh salads served at all the spring and summertime gatherings…real soon my friends, spring is on it’s way!!!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment below along with a star rating, I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to snap a photo on Instagram and use the hashtag #RobustRecipes so I can see what you come up with – it makes me smile! Thanks for being here!
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Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
- Category: Salads, Side, Appetizer, 30 Minutes
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy Free
Description
Quinoa tabbouleh salad is a gluten free twist on the traditional Middle Eastern dish. It’s packed with parsley, mint, crunchy veggies and tossed in a simple lemon & olive oil dressing. It’s best when made in advance making it perfect for packed lunches or bringing to parties.
Ingredients
- Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water (or sub chicken stock or veggie stock for more flavor)
- pinch of salt
- Dressing
- the zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- optional: red pepper flakes, to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- Salad
- 2 bunches curley parsley (not flat leaf parsley), leaves only, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (or more) of fresh mint, chopped*
- 1/3 cup red onion, mniced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (maybe 2 if you want even more crunch)
- 1/2 seedless cucumber(AKA English cucumber) sliced into half moons
- Optional: 2 to 4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled (for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Combine the water (or stock), quinoa, and salt in a small sauce pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow the quinoa to simmer for 15 minutes, with the lid on. Turn off the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Cool the quinoa: Spread the quinoa out on a plate or baking sheet so that it cools faster. Allow it to cool while you prepare the other ingredietns for the salad.
- Make the dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Keep in mind that this dressing will be what flavors the entire salad, so don’t be shy with the seasoning.
- Make the salad: Prepare the veggies as instructed above, if you haven’t already – add all of the veggies EXCEPT FOR THE FETA CHEESE (if using), to the mixing bowl. Once the quinoa has been mostly cooled ( you don’t want it to still be steaming or hot otherwise it will wilt the veggies) add it to the bowl with the veggies. Toss well to combine.
- Serve: You can serve this salad right away, room temperature but it does get even better after a day of sitting in the fridge – it’s a good salad to make ahead of time, it will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Just before serving crumble the feta cheese on top of the salad (if using).
Notes
* If you can’t get a hold of mint you can leave it out. If you happen to grow it in your garden and have an abundance of it I honestly don’t think you can have too much mint in this recipe, so add as much as you like.
To keep this recipe vegan/dairy free omit the feta cheese. Also a good way to keep the salad a little lighter.
If in season some halved grape tomatoes might also make a great addition to this salad. Tomatoes can also be a traditional ingredient in tabbouleh.
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