Cauliflower tabbouleh salad is a delicious and easy low-carb side dish. It only takes 15 minutes to make and is packed with fresh vegetables and herbs.
Tabbouleh - also spelled tabouli or tabbouli - is a popular Middle Eastern salad. It is made with finely chopped parsley, mint, onion and bulgur and has a simple lemon and olive oil dressing.
Traditionally, it is served as part of a mezze - a Levantine sharing platter. Which is about as delicious as food can get.
I adore Middle Eastern cuisine and had been craving tabbouleh for a while. In fact, most of the ingredients in the recipe are naturally grain-free and gluten-free - with the exception of the bulgur wheat.
The perfect replacement for bulgur? Cauliflower, of course! It has a similar texture and is low in carbs at the same time.
My keto tabbouleh is crunchy, fragrant and the perfect accompaniment for grilled meat and fish. It is dairy-free and Whole30 friendly. A family favorite!
Ingredients
- Cauliflower - make sure it is very fresh
- Cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes
- Parsley - you can use either curly or flat leaf parsley
- Mint - I love how the fresh mint leaves makes the salad taste so fragrant
- Red onion - chop it very finely. You can also use scallions or green onions
For the dressing, we're keeping it equally simple: Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and pepper.
Instructions
This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step 1: Put the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse to a rice consistency. Or, use a box grater.
Step 2: Make the dressing. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Step 3: Add a little dressing to a non-stick frying pan. Sauté the cauliflower rice on a medium heat until tender. This is my trick to infuse the cauliflower with more flavor! Allow to fully cool.
Step 4: Slice the cucumber in half. Scoop out the seeds and dice. Halve the tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds.
Step 5: Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste.
Expert Tips
Remove seeds: Scoop out the cucumber seeds and squeeze the liquid out of the tomato to prevent the salad from becoming wet.
More crunch: Add 3 heaped tablespoons of hemp hearts. These have a similar taste and size to bulgur and add a little more crunch - and more fibre!
Dressing on the side: If you know you won't eat all of the tabouli at once, only add the dressing the portion you are eating. That way, the vegetables stay crunchier for longer.
Recipe FAQs
Yes it is - if you use cauliflower instead of the bulgur wheat and make a cauliflower tabbouleh. This way, tabbouleh is grain-free and low in carbs.
Yes, you can. However, sautéing it first takes away any sharp taste. Also, cauliflower is easier to digest when it is lightly cooked.
Yes! You can microwave the cauliflower rice for about 6 minutes. Then, stir through the dressing while it is still hot. It won't have the nutty taste you get from frying though.
Serve with
Cauliflower tabbouleh is a great side for all grilled meat or fish. I love it with keto lemon chicken. We have also enjoyed it with lamb cutlets and with sea bass.
Or, serve it as part of a mezze with keto pita bread, keto hummus and keto falafel (image above).
It works with all Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Plus, it's a great side to bring to a summer barbecue!
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
It's possible to freeze the cauliflower rice separately and defrost before assembly.
Related Recipes
Here are more keto cauliflower recipes to try:
- Cauliflower Tortillas (4 Ingredients!)30 Minutes
- Low Carb Keto Sushi Rolls (cauliflower rice)40 Minutes
- Creamy Keto Cauliflower Risotto Recipe21 Minutes
- Keto Paella With Cauliflower Rice20 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 10 oz / 280g cauliflower florets 1 medium cauliflower head
- 1 ½ cup / 160g large cucumber chopped
- 1 cup / 150g cherry tomatoes quartered or equivalent weight in medium vine tomatoes, diced
- â…“ cup / 20g parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup / 10g fresh mint finely chopped
- 2 tbsp / 20g red onion finely diced
Dressing
- â…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 2 tablespoon lemon juice to taste
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ - 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt, to taste
- â…“ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the cauliflower rice by placing the florets in a food processor and blitzing until it resembles a rice consistency.
- Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of dressing to a non-stick frying pan. Sauté the cauliflower rice for about 5 - 6 minutes on a medium heat until tender. Allow to fully cool.
- Meanwhile, slice the cucumber in half and remove the seeds using a teaspoon. Dice.
- Add the tomato and cucumber to a mixing bowl. I chose not to take all the tomato seeds as this can make the cauliflower tabbouleh too wet.
- Add cooled cauliflower, parsley, mint and dressing to the bowl. Toss to combine, season to taste and serve.
Gillian Worthington
I’ve made this so many times now and it’s been perfect every time. It’s absolutely delicious. If you’ve not already tried this please give it a go you won’t regret it at all.
Jo
Who needs grains when you have this?! I'm making this again this week. So tasty.