Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

This Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is a simple quinoa salad recipe with a twist on a classic Tabbouleh salad. Instead of being made with bulgar, this version is made with quinoa for a protein-packed side salad.

Quinoa salads are easy to make in advance and work well as light lunches or side dish recipes. For some other quinoa salad recipes, try this Kale & Quinoa Salad, this Southwest Quinoa Salad or this Greek Quinoa Salad.

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• Recipe Highlights
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Step By Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Highlights

• Easy & Simple — Unlike some other quinoa salad recipes, this quinoa salad has just a few ingredients and a very simple dressing so it is quick to make.
• Great for meal prepping — This tabbouleh quinoa salad is perfect for making in advance to eat throughout the week. It keeps well in the fridge and tastes delicious served cold.
• Protein packed — Quinoa has more protein than bulgar, and it is an easy substitution to make if you are looking for a more protein filled option.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Quinoa: This recipe uses white quinoa, but you can use whatever type of quinoa you like. If you make a substitution, make sure to follow the package instructions for cooking it.
• Tomatoes: You’ll need 1 to 2 Roma tomatoes that are finely diced. Choose firmer tomatoes so they don’t become too soggy when mixed into the salad.
• Green Onion: Green onion works best in tabbouleh salad. You’ll need about 2 to 4 stalks.
• Parsley: Use a large batch of fresh parsley that has been finely chopped. Dried parsley doesn’t work as a substitute.
• Mint: Mint leaves are a defining ingredient in tabbouleh salad. Finely chop a batch of fresh mint leaves. Dried mint doesn’t work as a substitute.
• Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
• Olive Oil: A small amount of olive oil is used for the dressing. You can use sunflower oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil as a substitute.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the quinoa well under cold water. Heat the water and quinoa in a saucepan over medium to high heat. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the temperature to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the temperature and let the quinoa sit for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

Step 2: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a mason jar. Shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds until well emulsified.

Step 3: Add the cooked quinoa, tomatoes, green onion, parsley and mint to a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix well to combine all the ingredients.

Expert Tips

• Add in some extras. If you are looking to add more ingredients into this salad to make it a bit more filling for a main course, some options include feta, bell peppers, cucumber or shredded carrots.
• Try another dressing. Tabbouleh salad has a very light and simple dressing. If you are looking for a stronger dressing, try this Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette or this Red Wine Vinaigrette.
• Rinse the quinoa. Don’t skip the step of rinsing the quinoa. This helps remove any of the bitter flavors from the quinoa before cooking it.

Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe