BHA & BHT Free Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh
This bright, herby grain salad is everything a summer bowl should be — fresh, vibrant, and packed with so much parsley and mint that every bite tastes like a garden. Quinoa steps in for the traditional bulgur, making it naturally gluten free while still delivering that satisfying, slightly nutty chew that holds up beautifully against the crisp cucumber and juicy tomatoes. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means no sneaky synthetic preservatives like BHA or BHT anywhere in the bowl — just real food doing all the work. The dressing is nothing more than fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, so you get a clean, tangy finish without reaching for any bottled shortcuts. Spreading the cooked quinoa out to cool before tossing everything together is a small but smart step that keeps the salad light and fluffy rather than clumped and heavy. It comes together easily and tastes even better after a short rest in the fridge, making it a great make-ahead option for lunches, potlucks, or a simple weeknight side.
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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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