This quick and easy gluten free tabbouleh salad is packed with fresh parsley, mint, creamy avocado, and crunchy chickpeas for extra protein. Ready in less than 30 minutes, and it makes a great meal-prep option for weekdays!
This green mezze salad has been added to my summer rotation of recipes to make regularly. Although traditional tabbouleh/tabouli is made with bulgur wheat, we use fluffy quinoa here to make it gluten-free and protein-rich.
Crunchy chickpeas and creamy avocado are added to make it more substantial as well as nutritious. It's great for meal-prep during the week, but can also be served as a side salad.
Bright, vibrant, lemony, and herby, this gluten free tabbouleh recipe can be served chilled or at room temperature, which makes it great for picnics and potlucks. Pair it with hummus and roasted eggplant dip for a delicious mezze platter.
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⭐️ Why This Tabbouleh is the Best
- Fresh, bright, lemony, vibrant, and packed with aromatic herbs like parsley and mint
- Healthy, nutritious, protein-rich, vegan/plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free
- Crunchy, creamy, fluffy, and citrus-y
- Simple tabouli recipe that's ready in less than 30 minutes
- Great option for picnics, potlucks, bbqs, etc.
🍽 What is Tabbouleh/Tabouli?
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli or tabbouli) is an herb-forward salad, typically made largely of parsley, mint, lemon, and bulgur wheat. The parsley and mint do much of the heavy lifting, providing the fresh, herby flavor that is ubiquitous with tabbouleh salads.
We use quinoa instead of bulgur wheat in this recipe for several reasons:
- It's one of my favorite grains
- Rich in protein
- Easier to cook than bulgur wheat
- Light and fluffy texture
- Naturally gluten-free, and therefore more allergy-friendly
🍋 Ingredient Notes
- Quinoa - One of my favorite grains, it has a high amount of protein and is also gluten-free. Try it in my vegan quinoa bowl or mediterranean stuffed peppers!
- Lemon juice and zest - Adds tangy citrusy flavor
- Chickpeas - Chickpeas are not included in classic tabbouleh recipes, but I wanted to make this a more substantial dish, with added protein.
- Parsley - Essential to tabbouleh, parsley provides fresh herby flavor that is the foundation of our salad. Use flat-leaf or curly parsley; in general, flat-leaf has a more robust flavor, but curly can be used here as well, and gives the dish more texture.
- Mint - Adds minty freshness
- Avocado - Gives our salad creaminess and added nutrition with healthy fats and protein.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Bulgur. If you eat gluten, you can substitute bulgur for the quinoa.
- Tomatoes. Any variety of (chopped) tomato will work great.
- Dried chickpeas. I use canned chickpeas for convenience and budget purposes, but you can also use dried chickpeas.
🔪 How To Make Gluten Free Tabbouleh
Rinse 1 cup of quinoa and add to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Add tomatoes, chickpeas, scallions, parsley, and mint to bowl with cooled quinoa and toss to combine. Add dressing and toss once more. Top with avocado slices.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Storage: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: You can either cook the quinoa up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the salad, or prepare the entire salad up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it (covered) in the refrigerator.
- Use freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Because lemon juice and lemon zest are one of the key flavors in this salad, fresh lemon juice really makes a difference.
- Rinse quinoa before cooking. Although most brands sold in the U.S. sell pre-rinsed quinoa, it doesn't hurt to give it another rinse! Just be sure to use a fine-mesh strainer.
- Serve tabbouleh chilled or at room-temperature.
🍽 How to Serve Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Serve tabouli as part of a mezze platter, along with olives, hummus, and pita
- Pair as a side salad to main dishes like Impossible meatballs, salmon stuffed with spinach, or lentil sloppy joes
- Serve as a main dish for lunch or dinner
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Quinoa is an excellent gluten-free substitute, as it's easier to cook and rich in protein.
Bulgur is a wheat grain commonly used in the Middle East and tabbouleh typically contains bulgur wheat as an ingredient.
While both are grains, quinoa is considered healthier as it contains more protein and is gluten-free.
🍆 More Gluten-Free Recipes
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Gluten Free Tabbouleh Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- ½ teaspoon salt
- juice of 2 lemons (about 2 Tablespoons)
- zest of ½ lemon
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 cups flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup mint, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced lengthwise
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup of quinoa and add to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Add tomatoes, chickpeas, scallions, parsley, and mint to bowl with cooled quinoa and toss to combine. Add dressing and toss once more. Top with avocado slices.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Cover bowl and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: You can either cook the quinoa up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad, or prepare the salad up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it (covered) in the refrigerator.
- Use freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Because lemon juice and lemon zest are one of the key flavors in this salad, fresh lemon juice really makes a difference.
- Rinse quinoa before cooking. Although most brands sold in the U.S. sell pre-rinsed quinoa, it doesn't hurt to give it another rinse! Just be sure to use a fine-mesh strainer.
- Serve chilled or at room-temperature.
Barbara J Haner
Easy and fast! Great for the summer days ahead!
Gastronotherapy
Absolutely! And so delicious! 🙂
Lindsay
I'm always looking for good recipes to make with quinoa, this looks amazing! I love how green and fresh it is. Making this weekend!
Gastronotherapy
Thanks, Lindsay!
Beth Sachs
Great idea to add chickpeas. It makes the tabbouleh filling and hearty.
Gastronotherapy
Exactly!
Angela
I love the flavor and ease of this recipe. It is a great healthy salad. Perfect for summer.
Gastronotherapy
Thanks, Angela!
Rosemary
This is awesome. I love this recipe. I usually make a salad with chickpeas and avocado. Now, I'm curious to add quinoa to it. Thanks for the inspiration. Great learning about the origins of Tabbouleh. Cheers.
Gastronotherapy
Thanks, Rosemary! Yes, adding quinoa to any salad definitely turns it into a more hearty meal. It's one of my favorite grains!
Tara Teaspoon
I just picked up avocados yesterday! I tried this for lunch today and it was so delicious. I love chickpeas and avocado together!
Gastronotherapy
Yay! Thanks, Tara!