Red Cabbage & Blood Orange Tabbouleh Recipe
This vibrant Red Cabbage & Blood Orange Tabbouleh is a fresh and colorful twist on the traditional Middle Eastern salad. Combining nutty bulgur wheat soaked to perfect tenderness with the sweet-tart flavors of blood oranges, pomegranate, and cranberries, it offers a delightful balance of textures. Fresh herbs, crunchy walnuts, and a warmly spiced citrus dressing make this salad a refreshing, healthy, and visually stunning dish ideal for light lunches or as a side at gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (soaking time 15 minutes)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Grains & Fruits
- 200g bulgur wheat
- 50g dried cranberries
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 blood oranges, peeled, pith removed and cut into thin slices
- 1 blood orange, juiced
- 75g pomegranate seeds
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- ½ red cabbage, finely sliced
- Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
- Small handful of mint sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
Nuts & Spices
- 75g walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp caster sugar
Dressings & Oils
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 50ml olive oil
Instructions
- Soak Bulgur and Cranberries: Place the bulgur wheat and dried cranberries in a heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water until it covers by about 2cm. Cover the bowl and leave to soak for 15 minutes until the bulgur is tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Mix Vegetables and Zest: Add the lemon zest, finely sliced shallots, and finely sliced red cabbage to the soaked bulgur. Toss well to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, blood orange juice, pomegranate molasses, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, caster sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a smooth dressing.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the finely chopped parsley, chopped mint leaves, blood orange slices, most of the pomegranate seeds, and walnuts to the bulgur mixture. Pour over the dressing and toss everything together thoroughly to coat.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve the tabbouleh in a large bowl, garnished with the remaining pomegranate seeds and walnuts scattered on top for visual contrast and added crunch.
Notes
- For best flavor, use fresh blood oranges and pomegranate seeds in season or look for quality frozen options.
- This salad can be prepared a few hours ahead; refrigerate to allow flavors to develop fully.
- To make it gluten-free, substitute bulgur with quinoa or millet.
- Chop the herbs finely to release their fragrant oils.
- Adjust the sweetness of the dressing by modifying the amount of caster sugar or pomegranate molasses according to preference.
Keywords: tabbouleh, red cabbage salad, blood orange salad, bulgur wheat, pomegranate, Middle Eastern salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad
