Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, also known as Tabouli, is a fresh, vibrant salad that combines cooked quinoa with finely chopped parsley, mint, arugula, tomatoes, and onions, all tossed in a lemony olive oil dressing! It’s a gluten-free and protein-rich option that’s perfect as a light main course or flavorful side dish.
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The Best Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
This tabbouleh salad recipe features quinoa, instead of bulgur wheat which is used in traditional Middle Eastern tabouli recipes. Using quinoa makes this salad a wonderful gluten-free option, and also has more nutrients thanks to the protein and fiber-rich quinoa!
The fresh vegetables mixed with herbs like parsley and mint make this salad seriously packed with flavor. The flavor is made even better with a light lemony olive oil dressing!
It is nutritious enough to be a light lunch, or it can be served as a flavorful side dish with your favorite proteins!
Ingredients Needed
- Quinoa: This tabbouleh salad features quinoa for added fiber and nutrients!
- Chicken Broth: Cook the quinoa in chicken broth for added flavor. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth or water and salt.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs like parsley and mint are the star of the show here!
- Arugula: I like to add greens like arugula to my quinoa tabbouleh salad. Chop up the arugula along with the herbs! If you prefer, you can add chopped spinach or omit this entirely.
- Tomatoes: I used colorful cherry tomatoes here! Dice them up into your desired size. You can use any kind of tomatoes you’d like!
- Red Onion: Dice the red onion into small pieces. If you prefer, you can use green onion or shallots for a less strong flavor.
- Olive Oil: I like to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil!
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice will brighten the flavor and add a little tang!
- Salt & Pepper: Season to taste with salt and black pepper!
How to Make quinoa tabbouleh salad
- Prep Quinoa: Rinse and drain quinoa, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Toast the quinoa over medium high heat, until it starts to brown. This will take 2-3 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently.
- Add Liquid: Stir in the chicken broth, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Combine with Veggies & Herbs: Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl along with the parsley, mint, arugula, tomatoes and onion. Drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to combine.
- Season to Taste & Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 4 days!
Tips & Tricks
- You can replace the quinoa with couscous or extra fine bulgar! Both of these options offer a similar texture.
- Make sure to chop up the vegetables and herbs into fine pieces! This is important to creating the perfect texture in this quinoa tabbouleh salad.
- Add extra veggies! Tabbouleh salad can have a variety of additional ingredients such as cucumbers, olives, or even added herbs!
- For best results, I recommend chilling the tabbouleh salad for about 30 minutes before serving. This will give a chance for all the flavors to really meld together!
Serving Suggestions
You can add your favorite protein to this salad like rotisserie chicken or my perfect grilled chicken! For a vegetarian protein, try mixing in some white beans or chickpeas.
As a side dish, I recommend serving this herby quinoa salad with my Greek chicken bowls, chicken shawarma, Greek marinated chicken, or Greek chicken meatballs!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh, also spelled as tabouleh, tabbouli, tabouli, or taboulah, is traditionally a Levantine (from Lebanon) salad that is composed mostly of chopped parsley along with tomatoes, mint, onions and bulgur wheat. It is almost always dressed in olive oil with lemon juice, salt and pepper!
Is quinoa tabbouleh salad gluten free?
Yes! This quinoa salad is naturally gluten-free, making it a great alternative to classic tabbouleh salad.
How long does quinoa tabouli salad last?
You can store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days!
More Healthy Side Dishes to Try
- Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
- Lemon Spinach Orzo
- White Bean Salad
Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup arugula, chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain quinoa then transfer to a medium saucepan.Toast quinoa over medium high heat until it starts to brown. (This will take 2-3 minutes) Make sure to stir frequently.
- Stir in chicken broth cover then simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl along with the parsley, mint, arugula, tomatoes and onion.Drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 4 days!
Nutrition Information
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