Cauliflower Tabbouleh
The Lebanese parsley salad with riced cauliflower in place of bulgur: heaps of parsley and mint, juicy tomato and cucumber, and a bright lemon and olive oil dressing.
Nutrition per serving
¾ cup- Net carbs
- 4.8g
- Calories
- 113kcal
- Protein
- 2.2g
- Fat
- 9.4g
- Total carbs
- 7.2 g
- Fiber
- 2.5 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
With feta & olives: Crumbled feta and Kalamata olives make it heartier — a satisfying vegetarian lunch on its own.
- Fold in the feta and olives after dressing the salad, and go easy on the salt.
Hemp heart tabbouleh: Nutty hemp hearts replace the cauliflower for a grain-like texture closer to bulgur, plus extra protein and fewer carbs.
- Skip the cauliflower prep and stir the hemp hearts straight in with the herbs and vegetables. Let the dressed salad rest 10 minutes so they soften slightly.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $8.03 for 6 servings ($1.34 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Rice the cauliflower finely, into grains about the size of bulgur. For a softer, more traditional texture, microwave it in a covered bowl for 2 minutes (or steam it for 2 minutes), then spread it out to cool completely. For more crunch, leave it raw.
-
Squeeze the cauliflower in a clean towel to remove excess moisture.
-
Wash and thoroughly dry the parsley and mint, then chop them finely with a sharp knife — a dull blade bruises the herbs.
-
In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber and green onions.
-
Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and allspice, if using. Pour over the salad, toss well and let it sit 10 minutes. Taste and add more lemon or salt — tabbouleh should taste bright and lemony.
Tips for success
-
Real Lebanese tabbouleh is a parsley salad with just a little grain, which makes it naturally suited to keto — be generous with the herbs. - Seed the tomatoes if they are very juicy, and dress the salad close to serving so it stays fresh and green.
- Serve with lamb kofta, chicken souvlaki or a gyro bowl, with cauliflower hummus on the side.
Nice to have, not needed
- A salad spinner dries the herbs quickly so they chop cleanly — patting them dry in a towel works too.
Storage & meal prep
- Keeps 2 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold or at room temperature
Prep tip: For a longer-keeping prep, chop the herbs, cauliflower and cucumber ahead, and add the tomatoes and dressing on the day you eat it.
Refrigerate up to 2 days once dressed; it gets juicier as it sits. The chopped herbs, cauliflower and cucumber keep 3–4 days undressed — add the tomatoes and dressing on the day.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosWith feta & olives
FlavorCrumbled feta and Kalamata olives make it heartier — a satisfying vegetarian lunch on its own.
- + 4 oz feta
- + ⅓ cup Kalamata olives
5.8 g net · 172 kcal · 4.9 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$1.89 per serving (+1 g net carbs vs the original)
Hemp heart tabbouleh
SwapNutty hemp hearts replace the cauliflower for a grain-like texture closer to bulgur, plus extra protein and fewer carbs.
- riced cauliflower → hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)
3.8 g net · 174 kcal · 5.3 g protein · 16 g fat · ≈$1.43 per serving (−1 g net carbs vs the original)
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