Alpha Gal Friendly Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh
This bright, herby salad is everything a great tabbouleh should be — fresh, lemony, and packed with so much parsley and mint that every bite feels like a garden in a bowl. Quinoa steps in for the traditional bulgur wheat, making it naturally gluten free while adding a satisfying, slightly nutty bite that holds up beautifully against the crisp cucumber and juicy tomato. For anyone navigating alpha-gal syndrome, this recipe is a genuine win: every single ingredient — from the olive oil dressing to the scallion greens — is entirely plant-based, so there's no need to scan labels for hidden mammalian-derived additives. The dressing is just fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, which means clean, bold flavor with zero guesswork. Letting the quinoa cool before tossing everything together is the small but important step that keeps the salad light and fluffy rather than clumped or soggy. It comes together with mostly knife work and a quick simmer, making it an approachable dish whether you're meal-prepping for the week or throwing together a last-minute side. Serve it right away for maximum freshness, or let it chill briefly to let those flavors meld — either way, it disappears fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the quinoa
- ½ cup white quinoa
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 2 large bunches)
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium english cucumber, finely diced
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds, then drain well. Combine the rinsed quinoa, 1 cup water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 12–14 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat, uncover, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Spread it in a thin layer on a large plate or sheet pan and let it cool to room temperature, about 20–30 minutes.
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