Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh
Traditional tabbouleh leans heavily on bulgur wheat, which puts it firmly off the table for anyone avoiding gluten — but swapping in fluffy white quinoa brings it right back. The result is a bright, herb-forward salad packed with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, fresh mint, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and tender scallion greens, all tossed in a sharp lemon and olive oil dressing. Every ingredient here is naturally free of gluten, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden grain-based fillers. The key to getting the texture just right is spreading the cooked quinoa out to cool completely before combining it with the vegetables — it keeps everything light and separate rather than clumped and heavy. A final taste-and-adjust moment at the end lets you dial up the lemon or salt to your liking, which is honestly half the fun. This makes four servings, so it's just as practical for a weeknight side as it is for a weekend gathering where you want something fresh and crowd-pleasing on the table.
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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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