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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Modified: May 9, 2024 · Published: Jan 9, 2021 by Willow Moon · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Cilantro

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    Here is a new spin on a classic. This Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Cilantro is made with quinoa and jalapeño. Made in about 20 minutes!

    Quinoa Tabbouleh in a bowl.

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    Being gluten free can be a challenge sometimes. Fortunately, there are many substitutions that work seamlessly in recipes.

    Traditional tabbouleh has bulgur wheat. For this Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Cilantro, I used quinoa instead. It's a great option for people who are gluten intolerant.

    To change things up even more, I switched out the parsley for cilantro and added a small amount of jalapeño for a little kick. If you want a more classic tabbouleh or have little ones, you can leave it out.

    Other cucumber salad recipes to try are my Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts or my Vegan Cucumber Salad.

    Have you ever had quinoa for breakfast? Try my Vegan Breakfast Quinoa Bowl.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍽 Serving
    • 💭 Tips
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 Other Vegan Salads
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️ Why You'll Love It

    • It makes a great side dish or healthy salad for lunch. It can be served at room temperature so it's perfect for a potluck.
    • It's an easy recipe made with fresh ingredients. If you like to meal prep, this recipe is perfect since it can be made ahead of time.
    • It is a twist on a classic Mediterranean dish. It has quinoa and jalapeño.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Tabbouleh ingredients on a cutting board with labels.
    • White quinoa: Used as a gluten free substitute for bulgar.
    • Fresh mint leaves: Are traditionally used in tabbouleh.
    • Cilantro: I used cilantro instead of parsley, which is what is traditionally used. Feel free to use fresh parsley instead. Either flat leaf parsley or curly parsley would work. You could also add green onions.
    • Cucumber: I used English cucumbers because they have a thin skin and aren't as bitter as a regular cucumber.
    • Fresh tomatoes: I used grape tomatoes. You can also use cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes.
    • Jalapeño: Adds spice. for less spice, remove the seeds and ribs, or leave it out. For even more spice use a serrano pepper.
    • Fresh lemon juice: Adds a tangy flavor.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: Binds the salad and marries it all together.
    • Salt: Enhances flavors. I like to use sea salt.

    To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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    🔪 Instructions

    Quinoa being rinsed in a fine mesh strainer.

    Step 1: Rinse and drain quinoa.

    Quinoa in a pot with boiling water.

    Step 2: Add quinoa to a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat.

    Cooked quinoa in a saucepan.

    Step 3: Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Add salt.

    Chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and herbs in a large mixing bowl.

    Step 4: Add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs, and jalapeño into a large bowl. Stir to combine.

    Quinoa, lemon, juice, and olive oil added to the bowl.

    Step 5: Add the rest of the ingredients and more salt if needed.

    Quinoa salad in a large bowl with spoon.

    Step 6: Mix well.

    🍽 Serving

    Tabbouleh is a great addition to a Mezze platter.

    • Pita bread
    • Falafel
    • Tofu Feta Cheese
    • Fresh veggies
    • Baba Ghanoush
    • Kalamata Olive Hummus

    💭 Tips

    • If you buy your quinoa in bulk, make sure to thoroughly rinse your quinoa. It contains saponin, which gives it a soapy or bitter taste if not rinsed. If you buy packaged quinoa, make sure that it says it was rinsed before packaging.
    • You can toast your quinoa for a more nutty flavor before adding liquid and cooking it.
    Quinoa Tabbouleh salad in a small bowl.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    What is a gluten free substitute for bulgur wheat?

    For this gluten-free tabbouleh recipe, I used quinoa instead of bulgur. It makes an excellent substitute.

    🥗 Other Vegan Salads

    • Avocado Pesto Potato Salad
      Avocado Pesto Potato Salad
    • Sriracha Coleslaw
      Sriracha Coleslaw
    • Vegan Sweet Potato Salad in a bowl.
      Vegan Sweet Potato Salad
    • Vegan Macaroni Salad in two bowls.
      Vegan Macaroni Salad

    If you tried this Gluten Free Tabbouleh Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!

    This recipe was originally published on June 12, 2015. I've added new photos and more text.

    📋 Recipe

    Quinoa Tabbouleh
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    5 from 2 votes

    Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Cilantro

    Here is a new spin on a classic. This Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Cilantro is made with quinoa and jalapeño. Made in about 20 minutes!
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Mediterranean inspired
    Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 157kcal
    Author Willow Moon
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    Ingredients

    • ½ cup dry quinoa (1 ½ cups cooked)
    • 1  cup water
    • ¼ cup chopped mint
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup chopped English cucumber
    • 1 cup chopped grape, cherry or plum tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Salt
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Rinse and drain quinoa. This step is very important. Quinoa has a natural bitter coating of saponins. You will notice the suds quinoa creates when rinsing.
    • Place water and quinoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Add salt.
    • Put chopped mint, cilantro, cucumber, tomatoes, and jalapeño in a bowl.
    • Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and quinoa. Mix well. Let flavors combine for at least an hour before serving.

    Notes

    This gluten free tabbouleh recipe will last about 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 16.2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    SIGN UP for my newsletter, get a FREE 30 Minute Vegan Dinners 7-Day Meal Plan as a welcome gift! 💌

    *Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Aarika says

      December 10, 2015 at 8:56 pm

      This looks so refreshingly nutritious! I love quinoa and tabbouleh AND mint, so this looks like the perfect salad for me. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Liana says

      December 10, 2015 at 11:07 am

      This looks great! I am always looking for more ways to use quinoa.

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        December 11, 2015 at 3:24 pm

        Me too! I don't eat it enough. It is great because it is high in protein compared to rice and other carbs.

        Reply
    3. Katarzyna says

      December 10, 2015 at 10:14 am

      Lately we're eating more salads for lunch and this looks like a great idea to try!

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        December 11, 2015 at 3:23 pm

        I have eaten it for lunch many times, it is quite filling! It is good for potlucks too since it is made ahead of time and lasts awhile in the fridge.

        Reply

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    Quinoa Tabbouleh

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