Gluten-Free Buckwheat Tabbouleh Salad with Roasted Carrots

August 1, 2023 | WRITTEN BY: Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Tabbouleh Salad with Roasted Carrots

This gluten-free tabbouleh is a delicious winter dish perfect to prepare for any festive gathering this winter season. Wow your friends and family with this colorful plant-based creation.

If you were tasked with bringing a side dish to a gathering, or simply want to get a bit more creative in the kitchen, this recipe is your solution! Tabbouleh is a hearty dish that is full of flavor and good-for-you nutrients. Plus, the additions of the roasted carrots and pomegranate seeds add a pop of color that will make the table even more beautiful to the eye.

What is in Tabbouleh?

The base ingredients for tabbouleh usually include a grain, olive oil, fresh herbs, diced tomaoes, lemon juice, and a few other flavor enhancers. This gluten-free tabbouleh is made with buckwheat, vegetable broth, olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, baby spinach, cilantro, chives, and pomegranate seeds as the stars of the recipe.

Is Tabbouleh Gluten Free?

Original tabbouleh is made from bulgur wheat, which contains gluten. However, this version is made with buckwheat. While buckwheat has wheat in its name, buckwheat is a naturally gluten-free grain. The other ingredients added to the dish are also gluten-free, making this tabbouleh gluten-free!

Buckwheat Pomegranate and Roasted Carrot Tabbouleh

This recipe adds a fun flair to the usual tabbouleh, paired with roasted carrots and a delicious orange yogurt sauce, and topped with pomegranate seeds. It is the perfect dish for a festive gathering and will make you feel like a real sous chef without needing much experience in the kitchen.

How to Make Gluten-Free Tabbouleh

You’ll first want to start by cooking the buckwheat in vegetable broth and bay leaves. Once the grain is fully cooked, discard the liquid and bay leaves. Then, in a large mixing bowl, mix together the buckwheat, shallot, olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, chopped spinach, cilantro, and chives.

Finish the dish by adding the roasted carrots, yogurt sauce, and pomegranate seeds, and serve!


Servings: 8 Print

Ingredients

Orange Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk Greek Yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Carrots

  • 2 bunches carrots, stems reserved for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Tabbouleh

  • 2 cups dry buckwheat groats
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils

Directions

  1. Make the Yogurt Sauce: Combine all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside and keep chilled until ready to serve.
  2. Roast the Carrots: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the carrots and remove the stems. Reserve some of the stems for garnish. Add the carrots to a baking tray and pour over the orange juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes until lightly caramelized and soft through the center. Set aside.
  3. Cook the Buckwheat and Make the Tabbouleh: Place the buckwheat in a large saucepan with the vegetable broth and bay leaves over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and drop down to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and cook until tender. There might be some cooking liquid leftover. Drain, discard the bay leaves, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add the shallot, olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, chopped spinach, cilantro, and chives to the large mixing bowl with the buckwheat. Toss together to coat. Distribute the Tabbouleh on a serving platter and top with roasted carrots. Generously drizzle the orange yogurt sauce over the carrots, garnish with carrot tops, and pomegranate, and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 400mg | Fiber: 8g

Explore More Grain-Based Dishes

Try these other dishes made with another gluten-free grain, quinoa:

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