Spring Tabbouleh Salad

As the days get warmer there's just something welcoming about cooling off with a chilled salad. Whether it's a protein packed Spring Salmon Panzanella Salad or this fluffy dish alive with color and texture, it's the perfect easy side or light main dish.

Why You'll Love This Dish

• Meal Prep - This is one of those salads that gets even better as it refrigerates. Make this on the weekend and enjoy it for several days during the week.
• Easy Process - There is very little cooking actually required for this recipe. All you have to do is cook your couscous according to the package directions and blanch some of your vegetables. This is an elegant dish yet easy to prepare.
• Accessible Ingredients - This tabbouleh recipe combines seasonal ingredients like asparagus with pantry staples like couscous and olive oil. It's easy to shop for and budget friendly.
• Customizable - This tabbouleh salad is easy to adjust the amounts for to feed a crowd or make just a little. You can also dress it up even more by adding your favorite protein like grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.

What is Tabbouleh?

Tabbouleh is a traditional Levantine salad made out of fresh herbs like parsley and mint, bulger what, diced tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice. It's often served as part of a mezze along with hummus, babba ghanoush, and pita. This Spring Tabbouleh Salad replaces the bulger with couscous and brings seasonal vegetables to the mix.

Ingredients

Spring Tabbouleh Salad is a celebration of fresh ingredients and bright flavors. Packing texture in every bite, this crave worthy salad will be in rotation all season long.

• Couscous - This North African pasta is made from steamed granules of rolled semolina. It takes only minutes to make and provides a light and fluffy base for this salad. It also is a beautiful canvas for flavors like the bright burst of lemon and rich olive oil in this recipe.
• Sweet Peas - You can use either fresh peas or frozen peas. They add natural sweetness and a fun little burst of texture.
• Asparagus - The ultimate spring time vegetable. This gives delicate flavor to every bite.
• Red Onion - Adds a savory, pungent pop of flavor.
• Radishes - Adds a layer of spice and irresistible crunch.
• Feta - This salty and creamy cheese is a perfect companion to the fresh vegetables and hearty couscous.
• Dill - Bright, lemony, and aromatic, this perfumes the entire dish.
• Mint - A little sweet and deeply aromatic, mint wakes up all of the flavors.
• Lemon - Adds sunny brightness to this salad.
• Olive Oil - Adds richness and moisture to the salad while tying all of the ingredients together.
• Salt - Enhances all of the natural flavors of the ingredients.

How to Make Spring Tabbouleh Salad

This tabouleh salad is as effortless as it's delicious. It takes only a few minutes to bring together. The hardest part is not eating it all directly from the bowl!

Time needed: 30 minutes.

Whether you're looking for the perfect side to serve at your next barbecue or something a little different to serve alongside your baked salmon, this is it. It's a great light lunch or beautiful and vibrant side.

1. Mise en PlaceChop all of your vegetables. Cook your couscous according to the package directions.
2. BlanchBring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add your peas and asparagus and allow them to cook for five minutes or until bright green. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and lock in their color. Drain them well. You can also steam the vegetables if desired.

AssembleAdd the couscous to a large bowl along with the vegetables and herbs. Zest the lemon over the bowl and then squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the olive oil and then gently toss to fully coat and combine.

Finishing TouchCrumble in the feta and gently toss one more time to combine. You can serve this warm or refrigerate it until ready to eat.

Variations for Spring Tabbouleh Salad

This salad can easily be made dairy free by omitting the feta in the recipe. Because feta brings saltiness as well as flavor, you may need to adjust your salt slightly to compensate.

Have fun customizing this salad with your favorite vegetables or even adding protein like grilled chicken. Tomatoes and cucumbers would both be delicious in this.

Storage

This salad is perfect for meal prep and the leftovers are even better the second time around. Keep the bowl tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or the salad stored in an airtight container. It needs to be refrigerated until ready to serve. This salad will keep for up to three days refrigerated.

Top Tip for Spring Tabbouleh Salad

Red onions can have an assertive bite but deliver both bold flavor and color. To soften their flavor without muting it, allow them to soak in cold water for thirty minutes. This helps remove their sulfur and neutralize their bite while retaining their natural flavor. Simply drain them well before adding them to your salad.