Brazilian Tabule, Brazilian-Lebanese Parsley and Cauliflower Salad

📍 Where this dish comes from: Maranhão · Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
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Tabule, the Brazilian spelling of tabbouleh, came with Lebanese and Syrian immigrants and is now sold in bakeries, salad bars and snack shops across Brazil. It is a bright, lemony tangle of parsley, mint, tomato and cucumber. Finely riced cauliflower takes the place of bulgur wheat.

Per serving: 111 calories · 4 g net carbs · 2 g protein · 10 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Brazilian Tabule, Brazilian-Lebanese Parsley and Cauliflower Salad

Tabule, the Brazilian spelling of tabbouleh, came with Lebanese and Syrian immigrants and is now sold in bakeries, salad bars and snack shops across Brazil. It is a bright, lemony tangle of parsley, mint, tomato and cucumber. Finely riced cauliflower takes the place of bulgur wheat.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 111kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups finely riced raw cauliflower
• 2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 large tomato seeded and finely diced
• 1 small cucumber seeded and finely diced
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

• Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it is the size of fine couscous. Spread it on a towel and press out any moisture.
• In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, parsley, mint, tomato, cucumber and scallions.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Let stand for 10 minutes so the cauliflower absorbs the dressing, then taste and add more lemon or salt if needed.

Notes

Raw cauliflower works best here because it stays crisp, like soaked bulgur. Dry the parsley thoroughly after washing; wet herbs make the salad soggy. This salad is best on the day it is made.

Chef's Tip: Chop the parsley with a sharp knife instead of a food processor. A processor bruises the leaves and turns them dark.

Keto Swap: Bulgur wheat, called trigo para quibe in Brazil, is swapped for finely riced raw cauliflower, which has a similar fine texture and very few net carbs.

Success Tip: Serve it with grilled kafta or chicken skewers, or scoop it up with crisp lettuce leaves like many Lebanese families do.

Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 111kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 2.2g

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About This Dish

Large numbers of immigrants from Lebanon and Syria settled in Brazil from the late 1800s onward, and Brazil now has one of the largest Lebanese-descended communities in the world. Their food became part of everyday Brazilian eating: esfiha, kibe and tabule are sold in bakeries, snack bars and supermarkets nationwide. The Portuguese spelling, tabule, follows the way the word sounds to Brazilian ears. In Brazilian versions, the proportion of bulgur is sometimes higher than in Lebanon, where parsley is the true star. Kibe, made with bulgur and ground beef, is so common that Brazilians call bulgur trigo para quibe, wheat for kibe.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 9: Salads (Lençóis Maranhenses National Park). See all Brazilian recipes