This quinoa tabouli recipe is one of my family’s all-time meal prep winners. Whether you need a quick lunch, a hearty side dish, or a “just one bite” snack that turns into a full bowl—this one’s got you covered.
🌿 Why Mediterranean Cuisine Rocks
The Mediterranean diet is all about balance. It focuses on fresh, whole foods and a moderate intake of healthy fats—especially from olive oil, avocados, and nuts. It’s not about restriction. It’s about fueling your body with food that feels good and tastes even better.
👉 Curious about this lifestyle? Check out this post about eating like a Mediterranean local.
🛒 What You’ll Need
Let’s set you up for success. You’ll need a few kitchen tools and some fresh ingredients:
Tools
- A pressure cooker (I use my InstaPot)
- A large bowl
- One big airtight container or 2–4 small ones for grab-and-go storage
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, chopped or sliced
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup olives, sliced
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tsp ancient fine sea salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
🔥 Cooking the Quinoa Like a Boss
Here’s where the InstaPot magic comes in. I love using it for quinoa because:
- I don’t have to babysit it.
- It gives the perfect fluffy texture every single time.
While the quinoa does its thing, you can chop, prep, and measure out the rest of the ingredients. By the time it’s done, everything’s ready to mix. Boom. Meal prep done faster than you can say “Mediterranean tabouli.”
🥣 Let’s Put It All Together
Step 1: Combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups filtered water in your pressure cooker.
Step 2: Set to high pressure for 3 minutes. (Your pot may take 8–10 minutes to pressurize before the countdown starts.)
Step 3: While the quinoa cooks, prep your veggies:
- Rinse and drain your chickpeas.
- Finely chop your parsley (trust me, big leaves are awkward in tabouli).
- Chop the cucumber and red onion (I prefer slices, but go with your vibe).
- Cut the grape tomatoes in half—bonus points if you use a rapid slicer (my favorite kitchen hack!).
- Measure out your olives, olive oil, and coconut aminos.
- Cut and squeeze the lemon, making sure to avoid those sneaky seeds.
Step 4: Once the quinoa’s finished cooking, let it naturally release steam for 10 minutes. Then, carefully release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.
Step 5: Add the quinoa to your bowl of veggies and stir until everything is perfectly combined.
Step 6: Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy all week long—up to 6 days of fresh, delicious goodness.
🎥 Wanna See It in Action?
If you’re a visual learner or just love a good before-and-after reel, check out the TikTok I made while whipping this up.
📲 I’ll embed the video right here so you can save it, share it, or just hit replay 47 times.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Quinoa
- 1 Can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) Rinsed and Drained
- 2 Cups Filtered Water
- 2 Cups Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
- 1 English Cucumber Chopped
- 1 Medium Red Onion Chopped
- 2 Cups Grape Tomatoes Halved
- 0.5 cup Olives sliced
- 1 Large Lemon Squeezed
- 0.5 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 0.5 Cusp Coconut Aminos
- 1 tsp Ancient Fine Sea Salt or, to taste
- 0.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper or, to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking the quinoa, I like to use my insta pot pressure cooker. You can do this ahead of time and place cooked quinoa in the refridgerator.
- Add quinoa and water to the instapot and stir1 Cup Quinoa, 2 Cups Filtered Water
- Pressure cook quinoa on high for 3 minutes (this takes about 10 minutes total counting the time it takes the instapot to pressurize)
- While quinoa is cooking, chop / slice the vegetables, and place all of the ingredients in a large bowl.1 Can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), 2 Cups Flat Leaf Parsley, 1 English Cucumber, 1 Medium Red Onion, 2 Cups Grape Tomatoes, 1 Large Lemon, 0.5 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 0.5 Cusp Coconut Aminos, 1 tsp Ancient Fine Sea Salt, 0.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper, 0.5 cup Olives
- Once the timer goes off, allow the instapot to naturally release steam for about 10 minutew, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Once steam is released, carefully remove the lid.
- Add the quinoa to the bowl full of ingredients and toss together until combined.
- Serve warm, or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator and serve cold for up to 6 days.
Nutrition
📖 This Recipe Is From Eat Clean 21
Yep—this delicious, nutrient-packed recipe is straight out of my book, Eat Clean 21! If you’re ready to reset your eating habits and fuel your body with real, whole foods (without giving up flavor or fun), this book is your go-to guide.
Inside, you’ll find 21 days’ worth of clean meals, tips to beat the cravings, and easy recipes just like this one that support your energy, digestion, and focus.
👉 Grab your copy of Eat Clean 21 on Amazon and start fueling your body with food that works for you.
💌 Please Share This Quinoa Tabouli
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📌 Pin it, post it, or text it to your favorite food-prepping friend. Every time you share, you help keep this blog going and inspire others to eat better without the boring.