This simple, healthy, gluten-free lentil quinoa tabbouleh turns a traditional Middle Eastern side dish into a meal-sized salad. Made with just a handful of summer ingredients, including cucumber, herbs, tomato, lentils, and quinoa, this recipe is a must-have for summer picnics and other such outdoor get-togethers. It’s also the perfect low-fuss weekday meal.
Keeping things light, simple, and healthy today with this lentil quinoa tabbouleh. When I set out to create this recipe, it was going to be a lentil cauliflower tabbouleh… but lo and behold, on the very day that I needed cauliflower, the grocery store was sold out. I switched gears and made this quinoa version instead, which I must say I like even more than the cauliflower concept. I’m the kind of person who needs a hearty grain in a dish in order to feel satisfied, so I don’t think cauliflower would have cut it for me.
lentil quinoa tabbouleh: the details
While tabbouleh is typically a simple salad consisting of lots of parsley, mint, tomato, cucumber, and a little bit of bulgur, I’ve taken liberties with my version by adding decidedly not Middle Eastern quinoa, as well as lentils. The quinoa and lentils add a ton of protein, fibre, iron, folate, and slow burning, complex carbohydrates to leave you satisfied and energized for hours. I made it for dinner one night a few weeks back, along with harissa hummus with fried halloumi and citrus honey (recipe for that is coming up soon), as well as homemade focaccia. It would be a great salad to bring on a picnic or to a potluck, too. And what’s not to love about local cucumbers, tomatoes, and herbs that most of us have access to at this time of the year?!
ingredients you’ll need
For the tabbouleh salad, you’ll need quinoa, French green lentils, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, green onions, Kalamata olives, and celery.
For the dressing, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, sea salt, and pepper.
the method
Cook the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from the heat, and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool completely.
Once cooled, combine the quinoa, lentils, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, green onions, Kalamata olives, and celery in a large bowl.
To make the dressing, combine the oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
And that’s it! A super simple tabbouleh that is nourishing and satisfying while still being light and healthy. My kind of summer fare, and hopefully yours, too! I can see it being a big hit at any Canada Day or Fourth of July festivities you may be having in your backyard this weekend.
If you love this tabbouleh, be sure to check out my other satisfying summer salad recipes, including:
- Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Avocados
- Egg, Fried Halloumi and Berry Baby Kale Salad with Lemon Caper Basil Pesto Dressing
- Asparagus Tahini Caesar Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Finally, I hope that you love this lentil quinoa tabbouleh. If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made.
Enjoy!
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Lentil Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This simple, healthy, gluten-free lentil quinoa tabbouleh turns a traditional Middle Eastern side dish into a meal-sized salad. Made with just a handful of summer ingredients, including cucumber, herbs, tomato, lentils, and quinoa, this recipe is a must-have for summer picnics and other such outdoor get-togethers. It’s also the perfect low-fuss weekday meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 cups cooked French green lentils
- 2 packed cups finely chopped parsley
- ½ packed cup finely chopped mint
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, or 2 regular tomatoes, diced
- ½ of an English cucumber, diced
- ½ of a red bell pepper, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾–1 teaspoon sea salt (to your taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from the heat, and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool completely.
- Once cooled, combine the quinoa, lentils, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, green onions, Kalamata olives, and celery in a large bowl.
- To make the dressing, combine the oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
You’ll need about 1 ½ cups of uncooked French green lentils to get 3 cups of cooked lentils. To cook lentils, place in a medium saucepan and cover with a couple of inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down heat and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, but not falling apart, adding more water as needed, 20-25 minutes. Drain and use as directed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad, Main Course
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: lentil quinoa tabbouleh recipe
Thank you to Ottawa Farm Fresh for the cucumbers and green onions used in today’s recipe!
Frankie
I love this salad!
★★★★★