Looking for a gluten-free tabbouleh recipe? This tabbouleh without bulgur wheat is made with millet instead.
I have a bit of a history with parsley.
I remember once as a child stuffing a whole bunch from the garden into my mouth because it looked so pretty and green (and then instantly spitting it out because the taste was way too overpowering)!
Strangely, that first encounter didn’t put me off and over time I’ve learned how to use this little herb properly.
One of my favourite recipes to include parsley in is tabbouleh. It's a light but satisfying Middle Eastern salad that traditionally combines delicious bulgur wheat with fresh parsley and tomatoes.
For anyone who's gluten-free however, bulgur wheat is a no-no, so here I've made my own take on this gluten-free tabbouleh recipe using millet instead. I hope you love it as much as I do!
GLUTEN FREE TABBOULEH - RECIPE NOTES
Iron-rich - This tabbouleh recipe is great because it’s packed with iron-rich ingredients (millet and parsley), AND ingredients that contain vitamin C to help absorb the iron (tomatoes and lemon). The perfect combination!
Easy - It's also a very easy salad to make, where the ingredients are the stars. I recommend using the tastiest tomatoes you can find as the flavours stand out in this recipe and you’ll notice if they are bland.
Also, be generous with the parsley as the recipe suggests - embrace the strong flavour and feel good about eating extra greens!
Pine nuts - The pine nuts are totally optional and can be replaced with toasted sunflower seeds if you'd like to make this recipe a little cheaper, or removed altogether for a seed/nut-free version.
Side dish or main - Finally, this tabbouleh salad can be eaten as a side dish (with soup, for example) or a main course. If you decide to eat it as a main, the full portion should feed one person. As a side dish, it will feed two.
This gluten-free tabbouleh goes really well with my Easy Chickpea Fritters, or Beet & Black Bean Burgers. Why not give them a try?
Gluten-Free Tabbouleh (vegan)
Ingredients
- ½ dry cup millet, cooked as per package instructions
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¾ cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup diced tomato
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts (or sunflower seeds if preferred)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked millet with the garlic, parsley, tomato, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and pine nuts.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and mix a little more.
- Divide the salad between two bowls and serve as a delicious side dish – or eat the whole lot as a meal on its own!
Notes
If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below. I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!
Follow Vancouver with Love on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!
Lynn Kinney
I love this recipe! I had tried making tabbouleh with quinoa, but this is so much better. The millet maintains the “bite” that you have with traditional tabbouleh.
One question: The instructions do not mention the vinegar. I wondered if it was an option instead of lemon juice or if both should be added. I think I omitted it last time and it was still wonderful.
Elizabeth
Hi Lynn - thank you so much for the excellent feedback! I agree - I find quinoa doesn't work as well as millet either. And thank you for bringing my attention to the vinegar issue - that was a simple typo (both vinegar and lemon juice should be used ideally) and I've added it to the recipe instructions now. 🙂