Spinach Tabbouleh Salad with Watermelon Radish

With hearty beans and colorful veggies, this scrumptious spin on tabbouleh offers main-course treatment to the classic Middle Eastern side dish. The crown jewels of this dish are sliced watermelon radishes, which have a more subtle peppery flavor than their red and white cousins. Not only are they beautiful, but they also add delicious crunch to the bed of bulgur, baby spinach, and navy beans. Asparagus and carrots offer extra substance while a savory-sweet tahini dressing ties it all together. And of course, fresh parsley and lemon juice bring the zing you expect when biting into a forkful of fresh tabbouleh. Serve alongside baked pita wedges or roll everything into a whole wheat tortilla to create a salad wrap for an easy grab-and-go lunch.

Tip: To make ahead, store salad mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerate dressing in a separate container. Add dressing when ready to serve.

For more Middle Eastern-inspired salads, check out these tasty ideas:

By Nancy Macklin, RDN,

Ingredients

  • 2 rounds whole wheat pita bread, cut into wedges
  • 4½ cups cooked bulgur
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added navy beans, rinsed and drained (1½ cups)
  • 8 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup sliced watermelon radishes
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Lemon wedges

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. On a baking sheet arrange pita bread wedges in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
  • In a large bowl toss together the next seven ingredients (through radishes). In a small bowl whisk together the next five ingredients (through garlic) and ¼ cup water. Add to salad mixture and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with pita and lemon wedges.

Comments (1)

(5 from 3 votes)

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Liz

Great salad loved it. I will make it regularly. I wish they would put calories per serving in the recipe.

About the Author

Headshot of Nancy Macklin

About the Author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.
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