Quinoa tabbouleh (Tabouleh)
Bright, herby quinoa tabbouleh — packed with fresh parsley, mint, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a protein boost from hemp hearts. This colorful, nutrient-rich salad bursts with zesty lemon flavor and makes a refreshing side dish or satisfying light meal!
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh, also known as tabouli or tabouleh, is a classic Middle Eastern dish: a fresh, herb-packed favorite — and the star is finely chopped parsley (lots of it!), delivering bright, vibrant flavor in every bite.
We’re swapping traditional bulgur wheat for protein- and fiber-rich quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) — a perfect gluten-free stand-in that adds extra nourishment. A sprinkle of hemp hearts brings healthy omega fatty acids and a subtle nutty boost!
Light, zesty, and ready in just 30 minutes, this quinoa tabbouleh is a refreshing mix of crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, fresh mint, and lively lemon. The parsley-mint combo keeps it clean and invigorating bite after bite.
Enjoy it chilled or at room temperature as a side dish, light lunch, or dinner. Stuff it into pita pockets, scoop it with veggies, or simply eat it straight from the bowl — it’s even better after a few hours in the fridge, making it ideal for meal prep and grazing all day.
I hope you love this bright, healthy twist as much as I do!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
This bright, herby quinoa tabbouleh comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients — fresh, crunchy, and bursting with zesty Mediterranean flavor. Not to mention, the smell is fresh and delicious, too!
Here is everything you will need, including substitution ideas:
- Quinoa — white or tri-color works beautifully (rinsed well before cooking)
- Garlic powder — or 1–2 fresh minced garlic cloves for extra punch
- Fresh parsley — the star herb, finely chopped (flat-leaf preferred)
- Fresh mint — adds that cool, refreshing lift (don’t skip!)
- Cucumber — regular, English, or Persian, diced small for crunch
- Red onion — finely diced (or swap with milder shallots)
- Cherry or grape tomatoes — halved or quartered for juicy pops of sweetness
- Hemp hearts — optional but recommended for extra protein and nutty texture
- Extra virgin olive oil — high-quality for richness (can reduce or omit for oil-free)
- Fresh lemons — juice and zest for bright, tangy balance
- Mineral salt & freshly cracked black pepper — to taste
How To Make Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Quinoa. Start by making the quinoa. Bring quinoa, water & garlic powder to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Perfect quinoa every time!
- Herbs. While the quinoa is cooking, finely chop your parsley and mint.
- Veggies. Prepare the cucumber and onion. Be sure to finely dice them as well; you want them on the small side. The cherry tomatoes can be halved or quartered if they are on the larger side.
- Assemble. To assemble the tabbouleh salad, combine the quinoa with the parsley, mint, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and hemp hearts, then add a drizzle of olive oil and the juice of your lemons, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Simple, clean, and healthy, tabbouleh is good any day. Now, all you have to do is eat and enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover quinoa tabouleh keeps beautifully for 5–6 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. Freezing isn’t recommended, as the cucumber can turn mushy once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this tabbouleh chilled or at room temperature — a fresh squeeze of lemon right before serving really wakes up the flavors! I love letting it chill for about an hour so the herbs and dressing meld together, but it’s delicious either way.
Serve it as a bright side dish, a light lunch, or even a satisfying dinner. Make it a full meal by tossing in a can of chickpeas or your favorite protein. It’s also a meal-prep superstar — portion it out for grab-and-go lunches all week!
More Easy Quinoa Recipes!
- Cherry, Pistachio + Mint Quinoa Salad
- Kale, Quinoa & White Bean Soup
- Sesame Quinoa + Tofu
- Strawberry, Apple + Quinoa Spinach Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- See all vegan Quinoa recipes on TSV!
If you try this quinoa recipe, let us know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe – Healthy & Gluten-Free
This fresh and healthy vegan quinoa tabbouleh swaps bulgur for protein-packed quinoa, tossed with parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, hemp hearts, lemon, and optional olive oil for a light, Mediterranean-inspired salad perfect for an easy lunch or meal prep!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
- Category: Salad, Side
- Method: mix, Simmer
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color)
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bunch parsley (about 2 cups lightly packed), stems removed
- 1 small bunch mint (about 1 cup lightly packed), stems removed
- 1 small English cucumber (skin on), diced
- 1 small red onion, diced or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)
- drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 2 large lemons
- mineral salt & cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
Quinoa: Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove any dust (sometimes I do this, sometimes I don’t). In a medium size pot, bring water, quinoa and garlic powder to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove cover and let set for 10 – 15 minutes, fluff with fork.
Prep: In the meantime, finely chop your parsley and mint. Dice your cucumber, tomato and onion.
Assemble: Once quinoa is ready, add in the parsley, mint, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, hemp hearts, drizzle of olive oil and the juice of your lemons, salt & pepper to taste, gently mix together.
Serve with a few whole mint and/or parsley leaves and lemon wedges.
Serves 4 – 6
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 – 6 days, in a covered container.
Notes
Make this a light lunch or dinner by adding a can of chickpeas.
Omit the oil to make oil-free.
FOLLOW TSV on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, or Subscribe (email) for more recipes and inspiration!
Added canned chickpeas instead of hemp hearts which I sautéed for a couple of minutes with minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Also used a small food processor to chop the veggies really fine which resembles an authentic Middle Eastern tabbouleh.
Made this for a birthday supper. A big hit-absolutely delicious. Didn’t have any mint but it tasted great even without it.
The perfect vegan quinoa! Couldn’t love this recipe more, and it was ridiculously easy to make. It’ll be a regular in my rotation.
I’m so excited to make this recipe! Tabouli is one of my favorite recipes ever. Can anyone tell me what a serving size is, tho? I see a serving size on the label is 293 calories. But what is the serving size? Lol any help is greatly appreciated!
It is delicious! I would say a serving is about 3/4 to 1 cup, depending on how big you chop the veggies. I hope that helps. Enjoy the quinoa tabbouleh, Maggie!
This turned out great. I didn’t do hemp hearts because I couldn’t afford them, and I’d use shallot instead of red onion. I added kidney beans and it really helped add some bulk and texture. 10/10 would make again
Can I sub basil for the mint? I know the flavour will be different, but will it taste good? I have a garden full of basil
Great question, Maureen! I think basil will taste great. Enjoy! :)