Seed Oil Free Quinoa Tabbouleh with Turmeric Lemon Dressing

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time15 min

4.6

(15)

Seed Oil Free Quinoa Tabbouleh with Turmeric Lemon Dressing

This vibrant grain salad takes the classic Lebanese-inspired dish and builds it around fluffy quinoa, heaps of fresh parsley and mint, crisp cucumber, and juicy tomatoes — all tossed in a golden turmeric-lemon dressing. The dressing is where this recipe really shines for anyone avoiding industrially processed oils: it's built entirely on extra virgin olive oil and bright fresh lemon juice, with no canola, soybean, or sunflower oil anywhere in sight. That kind of clean simplicity is harder to find than it sounds, especially in store-bought dressings and prepared grain salads that almost always sneak in refined seed oils. Turmeric and cumin give the vinaigrette a warm, earthy depth that makes every forkful feel more interesting than your average salad. Letting the quinoa cool before tossing is a small but important step — it keeps the herbs vivid and the vegetables crisp rather than wilted. A handful of pomegranate seeds scattered over the top adds a jewel-bright pop of sweetness that takes the whole bowl from weeknight staple to something you'd genuinely want to serve at a dinner party. It's fresh, filling, and completely satisfying without any of the ingredients you're trying to avoid.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 ¾ cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the dressing

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt

For the salad

1 ½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 large bunch)
½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 english cucumber, finely diced
3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 13–15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa's white germ rings are visible.
2
Remove the pan from the heat and let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

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