Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
Updated Feb 21, 2026
Fresh Cauliflower Tabbouleh made without bulgur using grated cauliflower, parsley, mint, and tomatoes in lemon olive oil dressing.
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Cauliflower Tabbouleh is soo good!
I make cauliflower tabbouleh when I want all the flavor of the classic but don’t feel like cooking anything. It’s one of those swaps that sounds trendy, but it actually works and still feels like tabbouleh on the plate. Instead of bulgur, I grate the cauliflower until it looks like fine crumbs and toss it with olive oil and lemon right away so it softens slightly. Then it’s the usual parsley, tomatoes, green onions, and mint. Cauliflower tabbouleh is fresh, simple, and comes together fast, which is usually why I end up making it.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Using a food processor is easiest, but you could also use a box grater to get the right texture of the cauliflower. You’ll need fresh cauliflower, not frozen.
- Olive Oil: This will be prominent, so use one you really love the flavor of! You could swap for another oil like avocado, but it won’t have as much flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh is best here. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, roll them on the counter first, applying pressure with the palm of your hand. If you really love the flavor of lemons, add the fresh zest of one lemon, too.
- Parsley: This is essential to tabbouleh! Curly parsley is traditional, but you can also use flat leaf. Just make sure either way, you properly rinse and dry the parsley to get rid of any dirt and debris.
- Tomatoes: Opt for firm tomatoes. I like to use the Roma variety in this cauliflower tabbouleh.
- Green Onions: I like to use just the green tops, you can save the white parts for another use like my homemade veggie stock.
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Fresh is key here; dried mint won’t provide the same pop of flavor.
How to Make Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad is based on the traditional Mediterranean salad recipe, but made with cauliflower rice instead of bulgur as a low carb alternative
Video
Ingredients
- ½ head cauliflower cut into florets
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup parsley chopped
- 1-2 firm tomatoes chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
Instructions
- Using a box grater or food processor, grate half a head of cauliflower to yield about 2 cups grated cauliflower. Place in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and add the olive oil and lemon juice on top. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients and place on top of the grated cauliflower. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve at room temperature or cold.
Notes
My Top Tip: I would highly recommend washing and drying the parsley a day or two days in advance of chopping it. This gives the parsley time to dry properly so that when you chop it, it doesn’t turn into a wet mess.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. The salad will last about 2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 151kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 178mg, Potassium: 366mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1559IU, Vitamin C: 62mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Variations
- For a Nutty Flavor: Add some toasted pine nuts or walnuts.
- Additional Veggies: Feel free to include diced cucumbers or bell peppers for extra freshness and crunch.
- Protein Boost: Introduce some crumbled feta cheese or chickpeas to make the dish even more filling. ½ cup of feta is a great place to start. For the chickpeas, add 1 cup of drained and rinsed chickpeas.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t cook the cauliflower. You want to use raw cauliflower before grating it to ensure that the texture looks grain-like, similar to couscous. If the taste of the cauliflower is too strong, you can steam or microwave the cauliflower, but make sure to do that after it’s been grated.
- Chop the ingredients finely. The iconic look for tabbouleh is finely chopped ingredients. So, in addition to making sure the cauliflower is finely grated, make sure the parsley, mint, green onions and tomatoes are also finely chopped. While it’s tempting to use the food processor to chop the parsley, it may make it wilt and ruin the appearance of the salad.
- Mix the salad immediately before serving. Like all salads, it’s best to toss the dressing right before you serve the salad. This is especially true for cauliflower tabbouleh because of the fine chopped parsley in this salad, which can become soggy if it soaks in the dressing for too long.
- Serving temperature. While this tabbouleh can be enjoyed both at room temperature and cold, letting it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld together, enhancing the overall taste.
Serving Ideas
- This makes a wonderful side dish for my Grilled Chicken Kabobs, Grilled Lemon Chicken, or Oven Baked Cod
- Or make it into a heartier salad by topping it with Grilled Shrimp or the Crispy Feta Croutons from this salad.
Comments
I made this and follow the recipe and it was so good! My husband, kids and I loved it! will have this regularly now. Thank you! ๐๐ฝ
Yay! That’s amazing! You’re so welcome.
I loved this cauliflower tabbouleh salad. I’ve never ever rated another recipe. Made as written, will try steaming the cauliflower next time, just to taste the difference.
Thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear!