Chef notes
Originating in Lebanon and Syria, tabbouleh is one of the most popular dishes across the Middle East. Although it can be eaten on its own, it is often found on mezze platters, alongside other salads and nibbles. This recipe is a simple, bright salad made with fresh vegetables, tons of herbs and bulgur wheat, a nutty and earthy whole grain.
We’re putting our own spin on this flavorful salad by swapping the bulgur for cauliflower rice. Bulgur has a good amount of fiber, but by using cauliflower, we’re adding even more. Use containers of pre-made cauliflower rice from the freezer or produce aisle of the grocery store if you want to cut down on time and effort while making this tabbouleh. You can also make your own cauliflower rice — simply break the cauliflower down into florets (you can use the stem too, but discard the leaves) and pulse the pieces in the bowl of a food processor until they look like small grains of rice. We like to steam the cauliflower rice for a few minutes, just until it’s crisp-tender and begins to soften. Raw cauliflower isn’t too pleasant to eat, but we still want a little bit of that chewy bite that you’d get from using bulgur wheat.
As for flavor, this dish is the best way to make use of one of our favorite summer ingredients — fresh tomatoes. They are a classic ingredient in traditional tabbouleh, so we had to include them here as well. We add capers, which, while a little unusual, add a bright, briny flavor to the salad. Our serving method also strays from tradition — fill the hollows left by the pits of avocados with the tabbouleh to make a scoopable salad. You could also plate this salad like you would any other and scatter diced or sliced avocado over the top. Whichever way you decide to serve it, make sure to make the salad at least a few hours ahead of time. The flavors will have a chance to meld and the whole salad will taste even better the next day.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen cauliflower rice
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1½ cups finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 3 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 large shallots, peeled and diced
- 1 large ripe avocado, diced
- 4 tablespoons capers
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
1.Cook the cauliflower rice according to package instructions.
2.In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Set aside.
3.In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine. Add the olive oil and lemon juice, toss and season to taste with salt and pepper.
