Try cauliflower tabbouleh if you're looking for an incredible grain-free tabbouleh recipe. This cauliflower tabbouleh recipe is a spin on the traditional Middle Eastern salad. It is a fresh, light salad with chopped parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, herbs, and finely ground cauliflower.
Although I love traditional tabbouleh salad, today I hosted lunch for a dear friend who happens to be gluten-free. Since she loves Mediterranean and vegan food, I made a cauliflower tabbouleh recipe I knew she would love!
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What is Tabbouleh?
Traditionally, tabbouleh is a Levantine salad made of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur, and seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and sweet pepper. Some variations add lettuce or use semolina instead of bulgur.
Like most recipes, I often add or swap out ingredients to meet my desired results. For instance, quinoa tabbouleh is another unique way of replacing bulgar in the traditional recipe.
What makes recipes unique is the creative spin each person adds to a recipe for various options and personal preferences.
Cauliflower Tabbouleh Ingredients
- Cauliflower Rice: I cook cauliflower rice in a pan to soften it, so it is similar to a grain texture.
- Green Onions: Also called scallions, green onions are light is flavor and delicate in texture.
- Dill: I love dill. It's my favorite herb, so I always add dill to tabbouleh.
- Mint: Mint gives the salad a fresh and aromatic flavor.
- Parsley: Parsley is the main herbal ingredient in this cauliflower tabbouleh recipe.
- Sea Salt: A little salt brings out the natural flavors in the salad ingredients.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: I prefer using fresh lemon juice whenever possible. I also add lemon zest for additional flavor.
- Cucumber: I prefer English cucumbers because they have less water content than regular cucumbers.
- Tomatoes: I chose grape tomatoes in various colors. Grape tomatoes also have less water than other types of tomatoes.
Cauliflower Tabbouleh Ingredient Substitutions
- Try quinoa, millet, or amaranth instead of cauliflower.
- Red, yellow, and white onions substitute for green onions.
- Although traditionally, tabbouleh is filled with parsley, try a different mixture of your favorite herbs.
- Use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice in a pinch.
- If using regular cucumbers, remove the seeds not to water down the salad.
- Persian cucumbers are similar to English cucumbers in terms of water content.
- Cherry tomatoes are an excellent substitute for grape tomatoes.
How to Make Cauliflower Tabbouleh
First, place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower looks similar to rice. To avoid mushy cauliflower rice, do not over pulse.
I prefer to cook cauliflower rice, which softens it with a texture similar to bulgur or rice.
Spread the cauliflower rice on a baking sheet to allow it to cool quickly while preparing the other ingredients.
I suggest investing in an inexpensive vegetable chopper to speed up chopping. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl, and when the cauliflower rice is cooled, add it to the bowl.
Then, stir to combine the ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour so the flavors enhance.
Recipe FAQs
Originally from the mountains of Lebanon and Syria, tabbouleh has become one of the most popular salads in the Middle East.
Cilantro is a great substitute for parsley as a garnish and in more Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dishes (e.g., shakshuka). It's also likely the easiest herb to find in a grocery store. I've also found that cilantro is the only herb that can come close to replacing parsley in tabbouleh.
If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. If not, you can serve it immediately or leave it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Tips
- Do not over-pulse the cauliflower rice.
- Use a large blade in the food processor and pulse rather than process.
- Cooking the cauliflower rice in a pan softens the texture, but skip this step for a firmer texture.
- Add the zest of the lemon for a more deep lemon flavor.
- Tabouli is best served chilled, as a side dish alongside falafel or hummus, with pita bread, or as we did with pita bread chips. Wrapped in lettuce leaves makes a wonderful and colorful appetizer.
- To cool the cauliflower rice quickly, spread it onto a baking sheet while preparing the other ingredients.
If you want a grain-free way to enjoy tabbouleh, try this cauliflower tabbouleh recipe!
Vegan Salad Suggestions
If you love cauliflower tabbouleh, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 5 cups riced cauliflower I large head cauliflower, riced
- ½ cup green onions, sliced thin
- ¾ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup dill, chopped
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into florets.
- Add cauliflower florets to a food processor bowl with a large blade.
- Pulse until cauliflower resembles rice. DO NOT OVER-PULSE!
- Add the cauliflower and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add a little water or vegetable broth if needed.
- Cook for 5 minutes, moving the cauliflower in the pan with a wooden spoon until the cauliflower rice is softened.
- Spread the hot cauliflower rice on a baking sheet in a thin layer for it to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
- Cut the other vegetables and place them into a large bowl.
- Zest and juice the lemon in the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt and maple syrup.
- Add the cooled cauliflower rice.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and allow to chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, but prefer 1 hour before serving.
- Serve as a salad or with falafel, hummus, and pita bread.
Notes
- Do not over-pulse the cauliflower rice.
- Use a large blade in the food processor and pulse rather than process.
- Cooking the cauliflower rice in a pan softens the texture, but skip this step for a firmer texture.
- Add the zest of the lemon for a more deep lemon flavor.
- Tabouli is best served chilled, as a side dish alongside falafel or hummus, with pita bread, or as we did with pita bread chips. Wrapped in lettuce leaves makes a wonderful and colorful appetizer.
- To cool the cauliflower rice quickly, spread it onto a baking sheet while preparing the other ingredients.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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