Eating Low-Carb? You *Must* Make Arash Hashemi’s Tabbouleh Salad

Culinary creator Arash Hashemi knows a thing or two about tabbouleh — and when he wanted to tailor the dish to his diet, he found the perfect option.

In his cookbook, Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good: 100+ Protein-Packed Mediterranean Favorites with a Low-Carb Twist, he explains that he’s had a lifelong relationship with fresh, healthy salad, but that he decided to improve on the experience: “Low-carb tabbouleh is my riff on the classic Mediterranean salad I grew up eating with my family.” His secret? Cauliflower.

“I added finely blended cauliflower into the mix to mimic the texture of bulgur wheat, which, by the way, you won’t even miss because the cauliflower soaks up all the good flavor,” Hashemi writes. If you’re unfamiliar with the refreshing experience of tabbouleh, Hashemi clarifies that “lemon juice, garlic, and scallions really helps brighten up each bite. It’s fresh, flavorful, and easy to whip up.”

If you haven’t eaten a ton of Mediterranean food, Hashemi also has key tips on how the serve the salad. “You can pair it with other shareables such as hummus, baba ghanoush, and matbucha for a family spread,” he writes. Or you can serve the tabbouleh alongside your favorite protein.

That said, if you eat it by itself, straight from the bowl with a spoon, you’ll experience just as much delight.

Low-Carb Tabbouleh

Prep time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 head cauliflower
• 3 to 4 Persian or mini cucumbers, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 4 to 5 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 bunches fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 handful of fresh mint leaves
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 8 to 9 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the cauliflower. Cut off the florets and process in a food processor until they are superfine riced (the size of couscous), but be careful not to overprocess. (I don’t recommend using pre-packaged cauliflower rice for this recipe.)
2. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, and mint. (Parsley is the star of the show here. Let it shine!)
3. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste and toss well. A good amount of salt is key.
4. This is best served immediately, as is or with your favorite grilled protein.

Excerpted from Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good copyright © 2025 by Arash Hashemi. Photography copyright by Ghazalle Badiozamani. Used by permission of Rodale Books an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.