Quinoa Tabbouleh - Lebanese-Inspired Salad

Fresh, herby and lemony, this Quinoa Tabbouleh is a simple twist on classic Lebanese tabbouleh.

It is packed with parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions, with fluffy quinoa standing in for the traditional bulgur.

The quinoa is cooked in stock first, which gives it a little more flavour before it even hits the salad. Then everything is tossed with a punchy lemon, garlic, sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.

It makes a brilliant side for grilled meats, chicken and fish, but is substantial enough to take to work for lunch. It can also be made ahead, making it a useful one to have in the fridge.

Read more: Quinoa Tabbouleh - Lebanese-Inspired Salad

Jump to:

• Snapshot
• What is Tabbouleh?
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• The Secret To Good Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Ingredients in Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• How To Make Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Expert Tips
• Troubleshooting
• Variations
• Make Ahead
• Storage
• What To Serve With Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Recipe
• Expert Tips
• Troubleshooting
• Variations
• Make Ahead
• Storage
• What To Serve With Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Frequently Asked Questions

Snapshot

Serves: 4-6 | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 15 min

Summary:
 A fresh and vibrant quinoa tabbouleh made with plenty of herbs, juicy tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions, finished with a sharp, garlicky lemon dressing.

Key Flavours:
 Fresh parsley, mint, lemon, garlic, sumac and pomegranate molasses.

Quick Method:

• Cook the quinoa in vegetable or chicken stock.
• Chop the vegetables and herbs finely.
• Whisk together the lemon, garlic, sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.
• Toss everything together and allow the salad to sit before serving.

Don't Skip:

✓ Cooking the quinoa in stock
✓ Lots of fresh parsley
✓ Fresh mint
✓ Fresh lemon juice
✓ Letting the salad sit before serving

What is Tabbouleh?

Tabbouleh is a fresh herb salad associated with the Levant, particularly Lebanon and Syria. Traditional tabbouleh is made predominantly from finely chopped parsley, with mint, tomato, spring onion, lemon juice and olive oil, alongside a small amount of bulgur wheat.

This version uses quinoa instead of bulgur. It isn't traditional tabbouleh, but it makes a really good everyday variation, particularly if you want something a little more substantial.

The important thing here is not to let the quinoa take over. Tabbouleh should still taste like a fresh herb salad first and foremost.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Fresh and full of flavour. Lemon, herbs, garlic and sumac give it plenty of flavour without making it heavy.
• The quinoa actually tastes good. Cooking it in stock means the grain isn't bland underneath all those fresh ingredients.
• Easy to make. Once the quinoa is cooked, everything else is simply chopped and mixed.
• Great for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge and travels easily.
• Really versatile. Serve it alongside chicken, lamb, grilled vegetables or falafel.
• A good way to use up herbs. If you have a large bunch of parsley sitting in the fridge, this is the recipe for it.

The Secret To Good Quinoa Tabbouleh

There are a few things that make the biggest difference.

Cook the quinoa in stock

Quinoa has a fairly mild flavour, so cooking it in vegetable or chicken stock gives it a much better base flavour. Crumble a stock cube into the cooking water before adding the quinoa.

Use plenty of herbs

This should be a herb-heavy salad. Parsley isn't just a garnish here. It is one of the main ingredients.

Don't overcook the quinoa

You want separate, fluffy grains rather than soft, wet quinoa. Once cooked, spread it out on a plate or tray so it can cool quickly.

Make a proper dressing

The dressing is where you can really lift the salad. Lemon gives acidity, garlic adds savouriness, sumac brings a sharp citrusy note and pomegranate molasses adds just a little sweetness.

Give it time

You can eat it immediately, but leaving it for 20-30 minutes allows the dressing to work its way through the salad.

Ingredients in Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Quinoa

Quinoa replaces the bulgur traditionally used in tabbouleh. Cook it until the grains are fluffy, then allow it to cool completely before adding it to the salad.

Stock Cube

Cooking the quinoa in stock gives it flavour before it even reaches the salad. Use either vegetable or chicken stock, depending on what you are serving it with.

Parsley
Parsley is the main herb in tabbouleh. Use flat-leaf parsley if possible and chop it finely with a sharp knife.

Mint

Fresh mint adds a cool, fragrant note that works particularly well with the lemon and parsley.

Tomatoes

Use ripe tomatoes for the best flavour. Remove some of the watery seeds if your tomatoes are particularly juicy so that they don't make the salad soggy.

Cucumber

Cucumber adds crunch and freshness. I like to use a small cucumber or Persian cucumbers where available.

Spring Onions

Spring onions add a gentle onion flavour without overpowering the herbs.

Lemon

Fresh lemon juice gives the dressing its sharpness. Bottled lemon juice doesn't have quite the same freshness.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Use a good extra virgin olive oil because it forms part of the dressing rather than simply being used for cooking.

Garlic

A small amount of fresh garlic gives the dressing a savoury edge. Grate it finely so that it disperses evenly through the salad.

Sumac

Sumac has a naturally sharp, lemony flavour and works particularly well with the herbs and lemon in this salad.

Pomegranate Molasses

A little pomegranate molasses rounds out the dressing with a subtle sweetness and extra acidity. You don't need much.

Salt and Black Pepper

The stock already seasons the quinoa, but the dressing still needs a little salt and black pepper to bring everything together.

How To Make Quinoa Tabbouleh

Note - The video shows Cherries being added to the Quinoa. This is an optional addition. A handful of Cherries tasted great in this recipe.

Step 1 - Cook The Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold running water. Add the quinoa, water and ½ crumbled vegetable or chicken stock cube to a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.

Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread the quinoa onto a plate or tray to cool completely.

Step 2 - Prepare The Vegetables And Herbs

Finely chop the parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions.

The smaller everything is chopped, the better the salad comes together. You don't want large chunks of cucumber or tomato competing with the herbs.

Step 3 - Make The Dressing

Add the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, grated garlic, sumac, pomegranate molasses, salt and black pepper to a small bowl.

Whisk well until combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. You want the dressing to be bright, lemony and slightly sharp.

Step 4 - Assemble

Add the cooled quinoa, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions to a large bowl.

Pour over the dressing and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Taste again and adjust the lemon, salt or sumac if needed.

Step 5 - Rest

Leave the tabbouleh to sit for around 20-30 minutes before serving.

This gives the quinoa time to absorb some of the dressing and allows the herbs and vegetables to take on the flavour.

Expert Tips

• Cool the quinoa completely - before mixing it with the vegetables. Warm quinoa can wilt the herbs and soften the cucumber.
• Don't skimp on the parsley - Tabbouleh should be generous with the herbs.
• Chop everything finely - This is so that you get a little of everything in each bite.
• Use fresh lemon juice - It makes a noticeable difference.
• Crush or Grate the garlic finely - You want it distributed through the dressing rather than getting a big chunk of garlic in one mouthful.
• Taste after resting - You may find that the salad needs another squeeze of lemon or pinch of salt once the flavours have settled.
• Don't drown it in dressing - You want the ingredients coated rather than sitting in a pool of oil and lemon.

Troubleshooting

My quinoa is soggy

This usually means it has been cooked with too much water or hasn't been allowed to cool properly. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a plate or tray to release excess steam.

My tabbouleh tastes bland

Start with the dressing. Add a little more lemon juice, sumac or salt and taste again. Make sure you have allowed the salad to sit for a while before deciding it needs more seasoning.

My salad is watery

Very juicy tomatoes and cucumber can release a lot of liquid. Scoop out some of the tomato seeds and pat the cucumber dry before chopping.

My herbs have gone limp

Make sure the quinoa is completely cool before mixing the salad. It also helps to keep the dressing separate if you're preparing the salad well in advance.

Variations

Add Pomegranate

Add a handful of pomegranate seeds for sweetness, colour and crunch.

Add Chickpeas

For a more substantial lunch, stir through a drained tin of chickpeas.

Use a ready pack 

For the Quinoa a great shortcut is to use a Merchant Gourmet/Supermarket own ready pack.

Add Feta

Crumble over some feta just before serving for a salty, creamy contrast.

Add Fruit

Grapes and Cherries work well. As do Strawberries. I added Cherries in the video.

Add Dried Fruit

A small handful of chopped dried apricots or raisins can work well if you like a little sweetness in your salads.

Make It More Traditional

For a more traditional tabbouleh, replace the quinoa with fine bulgur wheat and use a smaller amount of grain in relation to the herbs.

Make Ahead

Quinoa tabbouleh is ideal for making ahead.

You can cook the quinoa and chop the vegetables and herbs several hours in advance. Store them separately in the fridge and combine shortly before serving.

Alternatively, make the whole salad a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring it out around 15-20 minutes before serving and taste for seasoning.

Storage

Store leftover quinoa tabbouleh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The herbs and vegetables will soften slightly over time, but the salad will still be good for packed lunches and meal prep.

What To Serve With Quinoa Tabbouleh

Quinoa tabbouleh works with so many things. Try serving it with:

• Chicken shawarma
• Chicken kafta
• Grilled chicken
• Lamb kofta
• Falafel
• Hummus
• Baba ganoush
• Flatbreads
• Grilled vegetables

It also makes a lovely addition to a mezze-style spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is quinoa tabbouleh traditional?

No. Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat and is predominantly a fresh herb salad. This recipe uses quinoa as an alternative, making it a variation rather than a traditional Lebanese tabbouleh.

Can I use bulgur instead of quinoa?

Yes. If you want to make a more traditional version, replace the quinoa with fine bulgur.

Can I use vegetable or chicken stock?

Yes. Either works well. Use vegetable stock if you want to keep the salad vegetarian, or chicken stock if you are serving it alongside chicken or meat.

Can I make quinoa tabbouleh the day before?

Yes. It can be made a few hours or a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge and taste before serving as you may want to add a little more lemon or salt.

Can I freeze quinoa tabbouleh?

No. The fresh herbs, cucumber and tomatoes don't freeze particularly well and will lose their texture when thawed.

Can I add other vegetables?

Absolutely. Radish, red pepper and finely chopped red onion all work well, although keeping the vegetable additions fairly simple lets the herbs remain the focus.

Is quinoa tabbouleh gluten-free?

Yes. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, unlike the bulgur traditionally used in tabbouleh.

How do I stop quinoa from becoming soggy?

Rinse it well before cooking, use the correct amount of water and allow it to cool uncovered after cooking. Spreading it onto a plate or tray helps excess steam escape.

How long does quinoa tabbouleh last in the fridge?

It will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The texture is best during the first couple of days.

More Levant and Arabian Recipes

Chicken Shawarma
Lebanese Smash Tacos
Maftoul Salad
Lebanese Hashweh - Spiced Rice with Minced Lamb and Nuts

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