Enjoy the flavors of tabbouleh in this gluten-free Middle Eastern Quinoa Salad recipe. Perfect for barbecues and quick lunches or to enjoy as a side dish.
Welcome to tabbouleh with a twist! Friends, you know I love a good Middle Eastern salad. Well, this healthy gluten-free recipe is about as good as it gets! It uses tri-color quinoa instead of bulgur wheat for a vibrant and flavorful version of tabbouli salad.
This salad is perfect as a side dish for your summer barbeques or as an easy nutritious lunch. Make this salad for the entire family and watch as they devour their salads and ask for more!
What is Tabbouleh Salad?
Not sure what I'm talking about? Tabbouleh, or tabbouli, is a herby Levantine salad made with parsley, mint, and lemon. It's a favorite accompaniment to falafel, shawarma, or kebabs and is often served accompanied by pita bread. Because it uses grains, it is also very wholesome and filling.
So Why Use Quinoa?
Apart from catering to those with gluten sensitivities, quinoa is packed with nutrients. Its protein content, along with zinc, fiber, folate, and antioxidants, makes this superfood one of my favorite 'go-to' grains.
There are three colors of quinoa to choose from: white, red, and black. All of them have similar nutritional values; however, there is a texture difference depending on what you are using your quinoa for.
White quinoa is the least bitter of the three, is quite neutral in flavor and has a soft texture. It is best used for warm recipes or recipes where the quinoa is an additional bulking ingredient rather than the star of the show. I love to use it in vegetarian casseroles, or in quinoa fritters. I also love to make this Curried Quinoa Bake for the week, making sure we always have a serving of this delicious one-pan-meal within reach.
The red and black quinoa strains are slightly chewier in texture and give a more nutty taste to the dish. Combined, these two create wonderful flavors that are perfect when added to salads (and they look beautiful on your plate too!)
Our gluten-free tabbouli recipe today calls for tri-color quinoa (meaning a mix of all three types). This gives us the best of it all and provides a great balance of texture and flavor to our dish.
Tricolor quinoa combines red, black and white quinoa. It is chewy but mild in flavor, and retains its shape well when cooked - a game changer for quinoa salads!
Ingredients
For the quinoa tabbouleh:
- Tricolor quinoa - Our nutty, wholesome, nutritious superfood used as the base of our gluten-free tabbouleh salad.
- Tomatoes - Diced up small, our juicy ingredient
- Lebanese cucumbers: These small 'early cucumbers' are almost seedless and have no strong aftertaste like English cucumbers. They are fresh and crisp and slightly sweet, adding a crunch to our salad.
- Fresh mint - Fresh herbs, chopped, added for flavor
- Fresh curly parsley - Note here that we use curly parsley and not flat parsley. Curly parsley is milder in taste and is used mostly for garnishing dishes or when the recipe calls for thinly cut herbs.
For the sauce:
- Garlic cloves - Minced
- Lemon flavored olive oil - Terra Delyssa Lemon-flavored Olive Oil is one of my favorites and gives a beautiful lemon and herby flavor. But you can use any fruity olive oil of your choice depending on your preference.
- Juice of lemon - For an additional tart flavor
- Salt and pepper - To taste
Exact quantities in the recipe card below
To give salads a bright and explosive flavor, I often turn to flavored olive oils. In this case, I used the Terra Delyssa single source lemon infused olive oil, straight from Tunisia.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Sheet pan
- Knife and cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
Step by step instructions
Cook quinoa
Firstly, cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Then, spread the cooked quinoa on a large sheet pan to help it cool quickly.
Meanwhile, chop up your tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and parsley.
Make salad dressing
Next, make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the minced garlic, Terra Delyssa Lemon-flavored Olive Oil, and lemon juice for the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble salad
In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers. Add the chopped mint and parsley to the bowl and mix.
Finally, pour the sauce all over the salad and mix well, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serving options
This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe works wonderfully alongside my grilled chicken kofta kebabs, or my Moroccan Salmon recipe. You can also pour over some of this lemony, tangy tahini sauce for an additional condiment.
Other salads to try
Another twist to the traditional tabbouleh salad is my Mediterranean bulgur salad with feta cheese, blood orange and pomegranate.
Or try my roasted butternut squash and leek salad for a quick and easy meal you can make on autopilot!
If you want a grain-free Middle Eastern option, it doesn't get much more traditional than my chopped Israeli salad, except making it with feta.
More with quinoa
So you made your salad and now you have a bunch of quinoa that you don't know what to do with?! Don't fear, my quinoa fritters are here! The golden nugget recipe that will win over any quinoa wary contestants.
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Middle Eastern Quinoa Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
For quinoa salad:
- 1 cup tricolor quinoa
- 3 tomatoes diced
- 3 Lebanese cucumbers diced
- ½ cup fresh mint chopped
- 1 cup fresh curly parsley chopped
For the sauce:
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Terra Delyssa Lemon-flavored Olive Oil or another fruity olive oil of your choice
- 1 lemon Juice of
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
- Spread the cooked quinoa on a large sheet pan to cool quickly.
- While the quinoa cools, in a small bowl, mix minced garlic, Terra Delyssa Lemon-flavored Olive Oil, and lemon juice for the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- Add the chopped mint and parsley to the bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the salad and mix well.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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