Name: Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad (Vegan Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: ½ head cauliflower, in florets; ½ tsp turmeric; ¼ tsp cumin; 1 tbsp olive oil; Salt and pepper; 100g quinoa; 240g chickpeas (drained weight, from one tin); 100g cucumber, chopped small; 160g cherry or plum tomatoes, halved; 100g radishes, sliced; 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint and parsley or coriander; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; 80g vegan feta cheese, crumbled; 2 tbsp nuts/seeds/roasted beans; 2 tbsp homemade pink pickles; 2 tbsp tahini; 1 lemon, juiced (2 tbsp); 1-2 tbsp orange juice; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; ½ tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

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This is Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad is fresh, vibrant and packed with plant-based goodness. This meal is high in protein, fibre and is naturally gluten-free and great to meal prep.

I love creating ways to upgrade boring lunch or dinner salads and this one is packed with colour, flavour and texture and is ready in just over 30 minutes. It has a few of my favourite things: roasted vegetables, chickpeas, fresh veggies and the best tahini dressing. it’s a great recipe to meal prep for dinners or for lunchboxes and also is ideal for speedy midweek meals for the family. Enjoy this as a main or as a side, with some falafel or other salads, dips and spreads for a picnic mezze meal.

Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad in a bowl — Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

Why will I love this salad?

This tabouleh is delicious:

Fresh, vibrant and colourful
Creamy, tangy, crunch and spiced
Packed with fibre and protein
Loaded with plant diversity with different fruits and vegetables
Plant-based, dairy-free and egg-free
Naturally gluten-free and easily nut-free
Ready in just over 30 minutes
Great for meal prep and lunchboxes
Also great for midweek meals
Delicious for a main meal or side dish
Fusion of the best tabouleh salad and cumin spiced cauliflower
The whole family will love it

If you already love the sound of this tabouleh salad then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

Ingredients for a roasted cauliflower salad — Ingredients for Tabouleh

Tahini dressing and salad ingredients — Ingredients for Tabouleh

What ingredients do I need?

You can see the recipe with weights in the recipe card below, and also my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section.

For the roasted cauliflower:

Cauliflower: chop the cauliflower into florets to roast.
Spices: this recipe uses turmeric and cumin for the golden colour and lovely richness.
Olive oil: for roasting.

As for the tabouleh salad:

Quinoa: this is naturally gluten-free, whereas most tabouleh will use couscous (which is not GF). I use a white quinoa here, but I also like using tricolour ones, too.
Chickpeas: or you can use other beans like cannellini or butterbeans, but chickpeas are my favourite here.
Cucumber: for crunch and coolness.
Cherry tomatoes: these are juicy and delicious.
Radishes: for colour and crunch.
Fresh herbs: I use a mix of fresh mint and parsley or coriander for this recipe to keep it light and summery.
Spring onions: or use raw red onion, chopped small.
Vegan feta cheese: this is ideal for tangy creaminess on top. You can find this in most supermarkets in the dairy-free section.
Nuts and seeds: anything for crunch on top.
Homemade pink pickles: you can see my recipe here, or you can buy them in the shops.

A Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad with forks — Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

Close up of Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad — Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

The dressing is made with:

Tahini: the runny, smooth tahini is the best as it blends better and tends to have a better flavour.
Lemon juice: for tang and juiciness.
Orange juice: for freshness.
Extra virgin olive oil: the better the quality of olive oil, the better the taste which is important when using oils raw in dressings.
Dijon mustard: this adds so much flavour in a small amount.
Apple cider vinegar: for tang.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

This is naturally gluten-free, as the recipe uses quinoa. To make this nut-free, use seeds on top not nuts, and check that your vegan feta cheese does not contain nuts.

Tossed together Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad — Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

Small plate of Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad — Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

How do I make this?

This is ready in a few steps:

Chop the cauliflower and toss in the oil and spices: roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
Cook the quinoa: and allow to cool.
Chop up all of the veggies and herbs: to toss together.
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients: until combined and season with salt and pepper.
Plate up all of the ingredients, pour over the dressing: and toss together.
Serve with pickles, nuts and dairy-free feta on top: and enjoy.

How long will it last?

Once made, keep this salad in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days.

Half eaten bowl of tabouleh salad — Golden Cauliflower and Chickpea Tabouleh

What other recipes can I try?

For other lunch ideas: