This healthy and gluten free, quinoa and lentil tabbouleh salad recipe is full of traditional flavors like parsley and lemon. But I replaced bulgur wheat with gluten free quinoa and black lentils! This recipe is easy and quick to make and tastes delicious and fresh. It is filling and high in protein yet light and simple.
Why you will love this Tabbouleh Salad
This quinoa and lentil tabbouleh is easy to love. It is super filling, wicked fresh and it's perfect for meal prep. These flavors meld with time making it an ideal side salad for picnics or lunchboxes. This tabbouleh salad is balanced and full of good for you ingredients. Plus it's a great way to use up summer garden produce and herbs. Adding lentils to this tabbouleh make it more filling than traditional tabbouleh. Eaten by the bowlful or as a side salad, this summer recipe will be a favorite.
What is Tabbouleh?
Quinoa and Lentil Tabbouleh Salad Ingredients
I chose to replace bulgur with protein rich and gluten free black lentils and quinoa. Both of these cook quickly, are affordable and add wonderful texture for a Tabbouleh Salad. They are both earthy and mild in flavor just like bulgur and combine to make a great source of plant-based protein! The ingredients in my Tabbouleh inspired salad recipe are:
- Black Lentils
- Quinoa
- Red Cabbage
- Parsley
- Persian Cucumbers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Zuchinni
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon
- salt and pepper
How to make my Tabbouleh recipe
Making this Salad is a breeze!
- Boil the lentils until soft (about 25 minutes) drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until you are ready to make it! I cook the whole package and use what I need for this recipe then refrigerate or freeze for other recipes. If black lentils are unavailable use Green or Brown Lentils.
- Cook the Quinoa according to the package and let cool. For tips on cooking quinoa click here. Again, I like to cook the whole package then refrigerate or freeze the extra for other recipes.
- Chop the parsley, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and grate the zuchinni
- In a large mixing bowl add the lentils, quinoa, and chopped veggies and herbs.
- Drizzle the olive oil, squeeze the lemon, add salt and pepper then mix until well combined
- Eat within 3 days. It will be the best on day two when all the flavors have time to meld. By day 3 the parsley and tomatoes will degrade slightly but will still be good.
Other Delicious and Healthy Salad Recipes
Quinoa and Lentil Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
- 1 cup black lentils cooked and cooled
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- 2 cups red cabbage shredded
- 3 Persian Cucumbers small dice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 large lemons squeezed
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ea black pepper to taste
- 1 small zucchini grated
Instructions
- Boil the lentils until soft (about 25 minutes) drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until you are ready to make the salad! (I cook the whole package and use what I need for this recipe then refrigerate or freeze for other recipes.)
- Cook the Quinoa according to the package and let cool. For tips on cooking quinoa click here. (I cook the whole package then refrigerate or freeze the extra for other recipes.)
- Chop the parsley, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and grate the zuchinni
- In a large mixing bowl add the lentils, quinoa, and chopped veggies and herbs.
- Drizzle the olive oil, squeeze the lemon, add salt and pepper then mix until well combined
- Eat within 3 days. It will be the best on day two when all the flavors have time to meld. By day 3 the parsley and tomatoes will degrade slightly but will still be good.
irina
Hi,
I wanted to make this, but doesn't say how much zucchini.
Sara Tercero
Hello Irina, sorry about that typo. I have edited it to add 1 small zucchini which should yield about 1 1/2 cups grated.
Irina
I did try it, I added honey and ground cumin to the dressing and turned out amazing! Thanks Sara!🙏🤗
Sara Tercero
Yay! So happy you liked it!
Kim
Hi is this one cup lentils/quinoa before cooked or 1 cup after? Thanks!
Sara Tercero
Great question. This is calling for 1 cup before cooked!
Eliana Rangel
The salad was soooo delicious! I forgot to add the zucchini but still great! Is the nutrition info per serving?
Sara Tercero
Hello, thanks for the feedback! And yes it is per serving!
Joan E Hill
I am trying to get more plant protein in my salads. The salad tastes good and a little differed that the Jennifer Aniston type of salads. I accidentally left out the zuke just because I hadn't pick mine yet. I think next time I will add an avocado just to add a healthy fat as well.
Sara Tercero
Good for you Joan that is certainly doing your body good! I appreciate the comment and an avocado is a great idea! I would just make sure to add it when serving so that it doesn't turn brown.