Gluten-Free Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

4.58 from 7 votes

Gluten-Free Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

This light and refreshing salad has been on repeat in my kitchen for weeks now, and there’s no end in sight.

It’s made with fresh parsley, fluffy quinoa, diced tomatoes, minced green onion and the optional addition of fresh mint, all dressed simply with olive oil, lemon and a little salt and pepper.

Makes approximately 4 cups. Serving size is 1/3 cup.

Keyword Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Side Dish

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 74kcal

Author Heather Dessinger, FDN-P

Equipment

mesh strainer
Medium to large bowl
food processor (optional)

Ingredients

1½ cups quinoa, cooked and cooled (1/2 dried quinoa makes the right amount)
1 cup finely diced cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup green onion, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley (Or more if needed to yield 2 cups finely chopped. I prefer curly because it makes the salad more fluffy)
zest of one lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt (divided in half)
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh mint (optional)

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Drain off any excess water and refrigerate until cool.
Dice the tomatoes and place them in a mesh strainer that is resting over a bowl. Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix to combine. The salt prevents sogginess by releasing water from the tomatoes into the bowl.
Finely chop the green onion and set aside.
Trim the thick stems off the parsley, then place about 1/2 of the bunch in your food processor. Process until very finely chopped. Measure out 2 cups and place it in a serving bowl.
Add the cooled quinoa, green onion, and mint (if using) to the bowl. Grab the mesh strainer with the tomatoes and give it a little shake over the bowl to release excess water, then add them to the serving bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Pour it in the serving bowl and toss well to combine.
Taste and add an extra squeeze of lemon juice or more salt if needed. Let the flavors meld for 10-20 minutes if you can force yourself to wait, serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

* Prep time does not include cooking and cooling the quinoa.

* If you’re like me and want the tabbouleh to be ready asap, you can place the cooked quinoa in the freezer for about 30 minutes to speed up the cooling process.I put mine in a wide-bottom stainless steel bowl so that it cools quickly and evenly.

* If I’m planning for future meals I usually order sprouted quinoa to use in this recipe. Sprouting seeds before cooking them improves digestibility and nutrient absorption. However, if a craving hits and I haven’t planned in advance I just use the regular unsprouted quinoa sold at my local health food store. Both work well.

Nutrition