Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh Salad is an easy, low-carb, gluten-free meal that can be prepared in advance making a great “on-the-go” lunch.
Many times it’s very difficult to follow a specific diet because it’s hard to give up many of the ingredients and foods we enjoy eating. I get it because it’s hard for me too. For example, sometimes I eat rice or pasta because I love them and I believe if I restrict myself from everything I love I won’t feel happy.
But I also believe in a balanced diet, which means if I eat more than I should, I choose to eat less at my next meal. Or if I eat a meal or snack that isn’t very good for my body, I choose to make the next choice better for me. This is something that I learned with my personal trainer and it’s definitely a game changer for me.
So, because this week I ate pasta (my mother-in-law made fresh pasta for dinner on Tuesday for my son’s birthday. So good!), birthday cake, and mashed potatoes, I decided to go lighter with my meals the rest of the week and for me “go lighter” means eating lots of salad, especially for dinner. That’s what I did. I made salads for dinner like this Tabbouleh Salad using cauliflower “rice” instead of bulgur.
Some of my favorite lightened-up recipes are my Easy Zucchini Cauliflower Rice, Spicy Chicken with Cauliflower Rice, and Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Rice Recipe.
Now, bulgur is a great ingredient too and I love it. In fact, I have another Tabbouleh Salad recipe here on my blog using bulgur, which is a whole wheat grain. However, if you are trying to eat less carbs and fewer calories in your meals, cauliflower “rice” is a better option for you than bulgur.
Cauliflower “rice” makes this salad lighter without sacrificing the flavor. I love regular fluffy rice but sometimes I just need something lighter. I whisked together some olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Then I poured over the salad and tossed everything very well. Mm… So good! Believe me, even if you don’t like cauliflower you will be very pleased with this salad.
Tips for this Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh Salad:
- Pulse the cauliflower into tiny grain-size pieces in the food processor. This way the small pieces of cauliflower will blend well with the rest of the salad ingredients.
- When you microwave the cauliflower “rice” start with only 3 minutes. Then taste it and if it is not tender enough for your taste, you should microwave one more minute.
- Last, scoop out the flesh of the tomatoes and the seeds of the cucumber. This prevents the salad from getting too watery. Also by doing that, the salad will last longer, making a very good option for your meal-prep lunch.
Hope you like it and enjoy!
Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower head cut off the florets
- 2 cups cucumber chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until it's a rice-like consistency.
- Place the cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3-4 minutes. The time will depend on the power of the microwave.
- Once cauliflower is cool enough to handle, transfer to a salad bowl.
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and mint in the salad bowl.
- In a mason jar, pour the olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add salt, pepper and whisk everything together. Continue to whisk while streaming in the olive oil. Taste to check the seasoning.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well and enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure everything is chopped into small pieces, so you get a bit of everything with every spoonful.
- You can use a food processor to rice the cauliflower for a speedier rice.
- You can buy cauliflower pre-riced to save time.
- To store: This cauliflower rice tabbouleh lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Mary says
I don’t have a microwave, can I parboil on stove
Olivia Ribas says
Yes you can.
Debbie says
So about how many cups of the cauliflower rice would you say you put in the salad? I’m planning to buy frozen cauliflower rice.
Olivia Ribas says
2 cups would be good!