Discover a delicious and gluten-free alternative to traditional tabbouleh with this lentil tabbouleh salad recipe. Made with lentils, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and a light lemon and olive oil dressing, it’s perfect for warm weather meals.

Lentil Tabbouleh is one of my go-to warm weather meals. With just a handful of ingredients and a little bit of prep you can have a fresh and flavorful salad that’s delicious served as part of a mezze platter, as a side salad or as a healthy and filling lunch all on its own.
It’s easy to pack up and take on the go and the flavors improve as it sits so you can easily make it ahead of time. The flavors are bright and fresh thanks to a generous amount of herbs and a light lemon and olive oil dressing.

What is Lentil Tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a parsley salad that can be found throughout the Middle East and beyond. It’s traditionally made with lots of finely chopped parsley, diced tomatoes, fresh mint, scallions and bulgur tossed in a simple lemon olive oil dressing.
Lentil tabbouleh simply swaps out the bulgur wheat for lentils making the dish gluten-free. It’s a delicious alternative to traditional tabbouleh and a satisfying salad thanks to the higher protein content of the lentils. (Also check out my cauliflower tabbouleh for another gluten-free option). Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Lentils – I like to use black Beluga lentils for this salad as they cook up quick and hold their shape but French green lentils (lentilles du Puy) also work well. I don’t however recommend using canned lentils which are too soft.
- Parsley – Parsley is the star of the show so you’ll need plenty of it. Use fresh flat leaf parsley for the best flavor.
- Mint – Finely chopped mint leaves brings a light fresh flavor and is an essential companion to the parsley.
- Scallions - Scallions provide a mild onion flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients in the salad.
- Tomatoes – I like vine tomatoes the best here as they are flavorful and easy to chop.
- Lemon Juice – You’ll need fresh lemon juice for the dressing.
- Olive Oil – Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.

How to Make Lentil Tabbouleh Salad:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- You’ll start by cooking the lentils. Black beluga lentils cook quickly (in about 15 minutes). Make sure to rinse the lentils before simmering them in water and to salt the lentils only after are they are cooked. I like to spread my cooked and drained lentils out on a sheet pan to cool more quickly and to allow any excess moisture to evaporate. You can prepare the lentils ahead of time and store them in the fridge until needed.
- Next you’ll seed and chop the tomatoes. Seeding the tomatoes ensures that they don’t water down the dressing. Slice the tomatoes crosswise and run your fingers through the insides to remove the seeds before chopping them.
- Now you’ll chop the parsley, mint and scallions. While you can do this in a food processor to save time you’ll get the best results when chopping by hand with a sharp knife as the food processor tends to make the herbs soggy and we want a light fluffy texture. Make sure your herbs are thoroughly dry before you start chopping. (You can also wash, dry and store the herbs in the fridge ahead of time.)
- When you are ready to assemble simply whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large bowl to make the dressing and add in all the other ingredients. Give everything a gentle toss and you are ready to serve!
Serve lentil tabbouleh as is or with little romaine lettuce leaves to scoop the salad.
Variations:
- Add finely chopped Persian cucumbers.
- Add cubes of feta.
More Lentil Recipes:

Lentil Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1 cup/172g black lentils, rinsed
- 1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 2-3 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 medium vine tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
- Baby romaine lettuce leaves to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover the lentils by at least 3-4 inches. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to a bare simmer (just a few bubbles along the edges) and cook until just tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- Once cooked, drain and spread lentils out on a sheet pan to quickly cool and sprinkle with ½ of the salt to season.
- In a large bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and the remaining salt.
- Place cooked and cooled lentils in bowl along with chopped herbs and toss gently to combine.
- Add chopped tomatoes and serve with lettuce leaves on the side for scooping.
Notes
Variations:
- Add finely chopped Persian cucumbers.
- Add cubes of feta. (Use vegan if desired)
Storage:
Lentil Tabbouleh can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up 3-4 days.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 359mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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