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Gluten-free tabbouleh with quinoa, parsley, mint, tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil

Gluten-Free Tabbouleh with Quinoa

A fresh, herb-forward tabbouleh-style salad made with quinoa instead of bulgur for a gluten-free adaptation, with parsley, mint,lemon & olive oil.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1¾ cups water
2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (packed, stems removed)
½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, diced and drained of excess liquid
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions (or ¼ cup finely diced red onion)
¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Method
 

Cook the quinoa. Rinse quinoa under cold water. Combine with 1¾ cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until water is absorbed.
    Cool completely. Spread cooked quinoa in a thin layer on a plate or tray and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until fully cool. Don't skip this - warm quinoa wilts the herbs and releases water into the salad.
      Prep the herbs and vegetables. Finely chop the parsley and mint. Dice the tomatoes and scallions; if tomatoes are very juicy, salt them lightly and drain for a few minutes before adding.
        Make the dressing. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
          Combine. In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa, parsley, mint, tomatoes and scallions.
            Dress and rest. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors meld.
              Taste and adjust. Add extra salt, lemon juice or olive oil to taste just before serving

                Notes

                • This is a gluten-free adaptation of tabbouleh, not a traditional preparation - traditional tabbouleh uses bulgur.
                • Cooling the quinoa fully is the single biggest factor in avoiding a watery salad.
                • Keep it herb-forward: parsley should visually dominate the bowl, not the quinoa.
                • Check packaged ingredient labels for strict gluten-free needs; FDA rules require "gluten-free" labeled foods to contain less than 20 ppm gluten, and the Celiac Disease Foundation recommends watching for cross-contact during prep.
                • Best eaten within 2-3 days; texture softens as herbs and tomatoes sit in the dressing

                Nutrition (estimated per serving, 6 servings)

                Estimated from standard USDA ingredient data for the amounts above - recalculate once your final tested recipe is locked in.
                • Calories: ~150
                • Carbohydrates: ~15g
                • Protein: ~3g
                • Fat: ~9g
                • Fiber: ~3g
                • Sugar: ~2g
                • Sodium: ~300mg