Gelatin Free Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh
This bright, herby grain salad is the kind of dish that makes you want to eat more vegetables — full stop. Heaps of fresh flat-leaf parsley and mint do the heavy lifting here, backed up by juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a sharp lemon-and-olive-oil dressing that ties everything together beautifully. Quinoa steps in as the base, and once it's rinsed, simmered, and cooled until fluffy, it absorbs the dressing in the best possible way. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of animal-derived setting agents, so there's nothing to scrutinize on a label or swap out — it's just clean, whole food from start to finish. The technique of spreading the cooked quinoa on a sheet pan to cool is a small but smart move that keeps the grains light and separate rather than clumping into a dense mass. It comes together quickly and holds up well in the fridge, making it a reliable option for meal prep, potlucks, or a refreshing 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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