Cauliflower Tabouli Salad

Spring is approaching, which means warmer weather and light, fresh recipes!

I love to make hydrating and refreshing salads in the spring and summer to complement the warm weather. Many veggie and herb ingredients also come back into season in the spring, which is all the more reason to utilize them. Often during the spring and summer I’ll prepare a salad medley for a meal that includes a few different simple & fresh side salads with a protein like grilled chicken or salmon. You’ve seen my corn & chickpea salad, but I also make a mean chopped greek salad and black bean and tomato salad :) The recipe I’m going to introduce to you today would make a great addition to any barbecue or spring/summer meal!

You’ve probably eaten regular tabouli salad, which is made with bulgar wheat. There are many variations to tabouli salad—you can make it using quinoa, farro, or no grains at all. My spin on tabbouleh salad is adding cauliflower instead of a grain for bulk. With cauliflower, you get the benefits of an extra veggie plus a bit of a crunch factor that regular tabouli lacks. Cauliflower is high in fiber, potassium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and even protein.

For this recipe I used riced cauliflower that can be purchased at your local supermarket. You can also buy a head of cauliflower and grate it to create the cauli rice effect.

What you’ll need:

1 bag cauliflower rice or 1 head cauliflower, grated

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Juice of 1 ½ lemons

1 tsp allspice

1 small container of pomegranate seeds (or seeds from one pomegranate)

2-3 tbsp EVOO

Salt & pepper

Steps:

1. Place cauli rice or grated cauliflower in a large bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the cauliflower and season with some salt. Stir and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.

2. Chop the parsley and the mint. Add to your serving bowl and toss with pomegranate seeds. When cauliflower is done marinating, add the cauliflower, olive oil, and allspice and stir to combine.

This recipe couldn’t be easier and is so tasty! Serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or protein of your choice on the side.

As always, there are ways to amplify the recipe:

1. Add chopped green onions for a stronger flavor.

2. Add pumpkin seeds for extra crunch, fiber, and omega-3s!

3. Add spinach to make it a more full salad (did this for lunch with the leftovers and it was great!)

4. Add pistachios or shaved almonds for some healthy fat and fiber.

Try this tabouli salad for spring and let me know how you like it!

By Jessica Kaplan