Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh

Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh

Off to a BBQ today I wanted to make a delicious side dish to pair with all the meat and fish we would be eating.  It’s the first real weekend of sunshine that we’ve had here this year and I felt in the mood for a salad, something light and summery and fresh tasting.   I love the mix of flavours in a tabbouleh (the freshness of the mint and the lemon really appeals to me) but I can’t eat the Bulgar Wheat so I decided to switch it out for Cauliflower Rice, and Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh was born.  Traditionally an Arabic dish it is light, zesty and full of amazing fresh herbs.Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh by Emma Eats & Explores - Grainfree, Glutenfree, Dairyfree, Refined Sugarfree, Paleo, SCD, Raw, Whole30, Vegan Vegetarian, Low Carb

The rice is so easy to make for the Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh.  Chop the cauliflower into large chunks and then pulse it a few times in the food processor until it has the consistency of couscous.  I love my Kenwood KHH326WH MultiOne which is a 3-in-1 blender, food processor and mixer in one and does everything!  You can use cauliflower rice in so many dishes, it’s so versatile.  I’ve also used it in my Kimchi Fried Cauliflower Rice and my Lemon & Coriander Cauliflower Rice is perfect as a side dish to Curries and Stir-fries.  If you don’t have a food processor you can always just grate the cauliflower to get a similar result.

I then diced the red onion and tomatoes up as small as I could and added them to the bowl.  I zested and juiced the lemon and added that into the mix along with the crushed garlic cloves.  Then I finely chopped the mint and parsley and added that in, keeping some back to sprinkle on the top for serving.  I diced the cherry tomatoes and added them to the bowl along with half of the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper.  Stir everything together and serve for a classic tabbouleh.  This is in essence, what a tabbouleh is but I wanted to make something a bit bolder and brighter.  It just didn’t look special enough.Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh by Emma Eats & Explores - Grainfree, Glutenfree, Dairyfree, Refined Sugarfree, Paleo, SCD, Raw, Whole30, Vegan Vegetarian, Low Carb

 

Scouring the fridge and cupboards, I found pine nuts, pomegranates and feta.  I toasted the pine nuts in a dry frying pan on a low heat for a few minutes until they started to colour.  Then I de-seeded the pomegranate and I crumbled the feta and then added them on top of the tabbouleh.  A sprinkling of the remaining herbs, some black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and the Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh was ready to serve!

Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh by Emma Eats & Explores - Grainfree, Glutenfree, Dairyfree, Refined Sugarfree, Paleo, SCD, Raw, Whole30, Vegan Vegetarian, Low Carb

A pretty easy dish to make if you don’t mind all the chopping!  It was the perfect mix of a fresh and citric salad matched with the salty, creaminess of the feta, the sweetness from the pomegranate seeds and the crunch from the pine nuts.  And if you’re not a fan of my topping you could customise it with your own.  Maybe add some avocado or olives, or top it with some falafel to make a heartier dish.  There are so many things you could do with it.Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh by Emma Eats & Explores - Grainfree, Glutenfree, Dairyfree, Refined Sugarfree, Paleo, SCD, Raw, Whole30, Vegan Vegetarian, Low Carb

This recipe would feed 4 as a main dish or 8 as a side dish.

This post was featured on my Summer Salad Recipe Round-Up

Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh by Emma Eats & Explores - Grainfree, Glutenfree, Dairyfree, Refined Sugarfree, Paleo, SCD, Raw, Whole30, Vegan Vegetarian, Low Carb

Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh

A light, fresh summer salad full of veggies and herbs. Perfect on its own or as a side dish
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Dish, Salads & Sides
Cuisine Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Low Carb, Paleo, Pescatarian, Primal, Raw, Refined Sugar-Free, SCD, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head cauliflower riced/grated
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 lemon zested & juiced
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 20 cherry/grape tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 tbsps olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Optional Toppings

  • 2 tbsps pine nuts toasted
  • 1/2 pomegranate
  • 50g feta cheese

Instructions
 

  • Rice the head of cauliflower - you can do this by pulsing it in a food processor or using a grater.
  • Dice the red onion and tomatoes into small pieces and add to the cauliflower.
  • Zest and juice the lemon and add both parts to the bowl along with the crushed garlic cloves.
  • Finely chop the mint and parsley and add to the bowl reserving a small amount for sprinkling over the top at the end.
  • Dice the cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl along with 2tbsps of the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper.
  • Stir all ingredients together until evenly mixed.
  • Serve as it is, or top the tabbouleh with optional ingredients. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with the rest of the fresh herbs and some ground black pepper.

Optional Steps

  • Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan until they start to brown, dice the feta and de-seed the pomegranate.
  • Sprinkle over the Tabbouleh.

Allergy & Dietary Information for Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh

The Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh recipe without any additional toppings is Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free & Dairy-Free.  It’s also suitable for Paleo, SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet), Low Carb, Whole30, Vegan, Vegetarian & Raw Diets.

See my Products Page for Ingredients & Bakeware that I recommend.

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