This bright and refreshing quinoa salad is full of herby savory flavors. It uses simple wholesome ingredients and needs just 15 minutes to make. This easy salad is my fusion twist to classic Middle Eastern Tabouli ( Tabuli ) or Tabbouleh salad, which also is vegan, gluten free, dairy and soy free.
Tossed in a zesty fresh lemon juice, this plant based satisfying salad fills you up with delightful Mediterranean vibes. You can serve this as a side dish, a light meal, or as part of a mezze platter.
Travel is always a big influence and inspiration on my recipes. And this quinoa salad is certainly one of them.
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What is Quinoa Tabbouleh?
Quinoa tabbouleh is a variation of the traditional Middle Eastern tabouli salad, which typically features bulgur wheat as its base. In quinoa tabouli, we replace it with quinoa, a nutritious pseudo-cereal that is gluten-free and rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The classic recipes typically use lot more flat leaf parsley and green onions. I am reducing it to just enough to flavor without it overpowering or dominating the entire flavor.
Ingredients used in Quinoa Tabouli
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's the brief overview and Amazon affiliate links for my favorites.
- Cooked Quinoa - I prefer to cook quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water. It adds nice extra flavor. You can use tri color quinoa or white quinoa.
- Fresh Veggies - I am using cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers and red onion. You can use several other vegetables like sweet peppers, zucchini, artichoke, olives, radishes, green onions, kalamata olives and carrots etc.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - choose the best quality
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Herbs - Fresh Parsley and mint. You can use cilantro if you don't like parsley.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional Seasoning - I love to dust this traditional tabbouleh salad with warm spice mixes. Zaatar Seasoning, Baharat Mix or Ras El Hanout are all amazing spices. These ethnic spices add a sensational touch to this simple salad. I highly recommend them. You can also use roasted cumin powder if you don't have these spice mixes easily available.
How to Make
- Wash and rinse quinoa well. Cook quinoa as suggested. Let it cool down completely before mixing in the salad.
- Meanwhile, wash, dry and chop the veggies and herbs.
- Mix quinoa with chopped vegetables and herbs.
- Add olive oil and lemon juice and seasoning. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
- Mix well. Serve immediately or let it sit for 15 minutes so flavors mend together. Enjoy !
Serving Suggestions
It is a stellar side dish for dinner or brunch. For dinner, pair it with Moroccan Lentil Stew , Vegan Split Pea Soup or Creamy White Bean Soup. Serve it as a side for shawarma, hummus, burgers, falafel, or pita bread pocket sandwiches.
If you’re serving it for brunch, it pairs well with Sweet Potato Hash, Bombay Potatoes, Masala Toast Sandwich, Masala Oats or Bread Upma.
This salad recipe is incredibly versatile. Serve this fresh and flavorful quinoa salad either warm, at room temperature or chilled – it tastes amazing both ways !
You can easily double to triple the recipe as needed. It is perfect for big crowds and gatherings.
Think barbecue, picnics and cookouts.. the food stays out for a long time.. with this no dairy salad, you don't have to worry about spoilage.
More Salad Recipes
Healthy salads are my jam. I have so many different combinations, you can easily make a new salad everyday. There's Chickpea Salad, Orzo Pasta Salad, Wild Rice Pilaf Salad, Italian Summer Salad, Barley Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad or Tomato Peach Caprese.
I love cooking with quinoa. Tex-Mex Quinoa, Curried Quinoa Pilaf and Lentil Quinoa Soup are some of my popular quinoa recipes. Why is Quinoa considered Superfood? This Healthline article explains it well.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This simple grain salad is a complete meal full of nutrients. It is low in fat, rich in plant protein and fiber and incredibly delicious! Quinoa is a Superfood. It is a complete protein source, which means that it provides all nine essential amino acids. It also is rich in fiber and several minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
The basic ingredients of quinoa tabouli include cooked quinoa, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, chopped mint, finely chopped red onion, extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, feta cheese, salt, and pepper. When you mix these ingredients, it create a vibrant and refreshing salad that is bursting with flavor.
★ If you make this Quinoa Tabuli Salad Recipe , do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 small red onion - diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
- 2 persian cucumbers - diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves - finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves - coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil skip if WPPB
- 1 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper - per taste
Optional Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Zaatar seasoning or Ras El Hanout Spice Mix
Instructions
- Wash and rinse quinoa well. Cook quinoa as suggested. Let it cool down completely before using.
- Meanwhile, wash, dry and chop the veggies and herbs.
- Mix quinoa with chopped vegetables and herbs.
- Add olive oil and lemon juice and seasoning if using. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
- Mix well. Serve immediately or let it sit for 15 minutes so flavors mend together. Enjoy !
Notes
- Stove Top Cooking method – In a saucepan, bring quinoa and 1-½ cups of broth or water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook the quinoa until it is tender about 10-12 mins. Remove from heat, keep it covered and let it stand for 5 more minutes. Then fluff with a fork and allow it to cool down.
- Instant Pot Cooking method – for easier clean up, I cook quinoa using pot in pot method. Add 2 cups of water in steel insert. Add the rinsed quinoa in a separate bowl and add 1-¼ cups of broth or water. Place the bowl of quinoa on the trivet and put it in the main insert. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 1 minute. Once the cook time is up, release the pressure after 5 minutes. Let the quinoa sit for about 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork and use it as needed.
Nutrition
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This recipe was originally published on April 23, 2021. It has been modified to add Instant Pot quinoa cooking instructions and ingredient photos. It is republished on March 8, 2024.
Michelle CataldoMichelle
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!
Prajakta Sukhatme
So happy to hear that!
Tanya Willey
Just made this - so delicious! Reminds me of the tabouli my mom made growing up. Thanks for the recipe!