Soy Free Gluten Free Quinoa Tabbouleh
This bright, herb-forward grain salad is everything a summer bowl should be — fresh, vibrant, and packed with flavor from mountains of flat-leaf parsley, cool cucumber, juicy tomato, and fragrant mint. Quinoa steps in as the base, bringing a satisfying, slightly nutty bite that soaks up the zippy lemon-olive oil dressing beautifully. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from soy, so there's no label-scanning or ingredient-swapping required — just clean, whole foods from start to finish. The dressing is nothing more than fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, which means bold flavor without any of the hidden additives that sneak into bottled versions. Spreading the cooked quinoa out to cool before tossing is a small step that makes a big difference, keeping the salad light and fluffy rather than dense or clumped. It comes together easily and holds up well in the fridge for a short rest, making it a smart choice for meal prep, a weeknight side, or a dish to bring to a gathering.
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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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