Grain-Free Cauliflower Tabbouleh (Vegan, Paleo)

This gluten-free and grain-free cauliflower tabbouleh is a wonderfully fresh, tomato and herb-filled salad that makes a delicious addition to any warm weather meal.

You are most likely already familiar with tabbouleh (or tabouli), the Middle Eastern salad of finely chopped parsley that ordinarily features fresh tomatoes alongside bulgur and mint.  Its popularity has made it a staple in more than just the Middle East and various versions of it can be found in restaurants and supermarkets across the globe. 

With few ingredients, no cooking and relatively little prep time it’s an easy and delicious addition to any meal, which makes it the perfect summer salad.

The fresh herbs used in tabbouleh are definitely no accent; they give the salad its signature taste and bring a refreshing grassy brightness to the dish.  With just a little bit of prep you end up with a green flecked salad bursting with flavor. 

Traditional tabouli however is not gluten-free due to the bulgur wheat that’s commonly used, so I’ve swapped out bulgur for cauliflower rice for an entirely raw, gluten-free and grain-free version.  The fresh herbs however remain the stars of the show and a scattering of walnuts across the top adds a little extra welcome crunch.

How to make grain-free cauliflower tabbouleh:

Since parsley is front and center in tabbouleh, you’ll need quite a bit of it along with a slightly smaller quantity of mint, dill and scallions all finely chopped; preferably with a sharp knife instead of a food processor which will make mush out of your herbs.  You want the herbs to have a light fluffy texture to them. 

How to chop herbs:

To chop herbs without bruising them, dry the herbs well before you start, make sure your knife is very sharp, remove the stems, fold leaves into a tight bundle and thinly slice through the bundle until you reach the end, then turn the bundle and slice in the opposite direction until you have fine pieces.

Next is the cauliflower rice.  You can either chop florets of cauliflower into “rice” in your food processor or take the easy route and just buy a bag of cauliflower rice (make sure it’s fresh not frozen). 

How to seed tomatoes:

You’ll also need tomatoes, as ripe as you can find.  You’ll seed them by quartering the tomatoes then running your fingers through the inside ridges to remove the seeds.  Removing the seeds will keep your tabouli from getting too soggy.

Finally a quick lemon and olive oil dressing flavored with allspice, paprika and coriander brings it together.  A sprinkle of chopped walnuts and you have yourself a little flavor fest that’s better than any store-bought version and will quickly become your new favorite lunchtime standby. 

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Yield: Serves 4

Grain-Free Cauliflower Tabbouleh (Vegan, Paleo)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This gluten-free and grain-free cauliflower tabbouleh
(tabouli) is a wonderfully fresh, tomato and herb-filled salad that makes a delicious
addition to any warm weather meal.

Print

Ingredients

• 8oz/227g of cauliflower rice or cauliflower florets riced in a food processor
• 1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
• ½ bunch of fresh dill, stems removed, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, stems removed, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh squeezed lemon juice
• The zest of ½ a lemon
• 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1/8th teaspoon coriander
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 small vine tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons/15g walnuts, coarsely chopped
• Baby romaine lettuce leaves to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Place riced cauliflower in a large bowl along with chopped herbs and toss gently to combine.
2. In a separate small bowl whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and spices.  Pour
   dressing over cauliflower and herbs and gently toss together.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and pile onto serving dish.  Top with chopped walnuts and serve with small
   lettuce leaves on the side to scoop.

Notes

How to chop herbs:

To chop herbs without bruising them, dry the herbs well before you
start, make sure your knife is very sharp, remove the stems, fold leaves into a
tight bundle and thinly slice through the bundle until you reach the end, then
turn the bundle and slice in the opposite direction until you have fine pieces.

How to seed tomatoes:

Quarter the tomatoes then run your fingers through
the inside ridges to remove the seeds. Removing the seeds will keep your tabbouleh from getting too soggy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 261Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 207mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

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.