Nov 11 / Star Khechara

Quinoa Tabbouleh: A Functional Skin-Nutrition Recipe

Traditional tabbouleh gets a skin-nutrition upgrade in this version made with quinoa instead of bulgur.
Quinoa’s amino acid profile supports collagen synthesis, while parsley, cucumber and lemon deliver antioxidants and hydration-supporting phytonutrients.

This dish is a perfect example of functional food, rich in vitamins A, C, E, polyphenols and plant proteins that protect the skin barrier, enhance microcirculation and promote a radiant complexion from within.

Ingredients

Serves: 2–3

  • 2 cups of cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup of fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup of fresh mint
  • 1 lemon
  • 2-3 fresh tomatoes
  • Half a cucumber
  • Red onion
  • Sea salt / pink salt
  • Optional: Pomegranate

Method

  • Cook quinoa and allow to cool completely. 
  • Finely chop the herbs, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion.
  • Juice the lemon.
  • Add everything to a bowl and mix thoroughly.
  • Season with salt.


Optional: Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and chopped pistachio nuts.
Orange blossom hydrosol is also an amazing addition to this dish.

Skin Nutrition Spotlight

  • Quinoa supplies essential amino acids and zinc for collagen production and skin repair.
  • Parsley rich in vitamin C to support collagen cross-linking and antioxidant defence.
  • Lemon provides citrate and bioflavonoids that support detoxification pathways.
  • Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, a carotenoid that protects the skin from UV-induced oxidative stress and supports an even skin tone.


Together, these nutrients help maintain the extracellular matrix, support capillary health and promote firm, hydrated skin.

Quinoa

Parsley

Lemon

Tomatoes

Practitioner Insight

This recipe bridges clinical nutrition and everyday eating, showing clients that skin health can be supported through simple, delicious meals.

Encourage clients to integrate dishes like this into weekly meal plans to reinforce collagen integrity, antioxidant status and gut-skin balance.

Continue your professional learning.
Explore the Skin Nutrition Science Glossary, a growing resource designed for practitioners in aesthetics, nutrition and health science.

Article by Star Khechara

Professional agehacker, author, speaker, founder of skin nutrition institute
About me
Ex-skincare formulator and beauty author turned skin-nutrition educator: Star distilled her 20+ years of skin-health knowledge into the world’s first international accredited skin-nutrition school to teach skin therapists, facialists, face yoga practitioners and estheticians how to help their clients feed the skin from within for cellular-level rejuvenation and vibrant beauty. 
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