This creative tabbouleh recipe uses dried tart cherries in place of tomatoes! They add a sweet/tart pop of flavor that's delicious with herbs & lemon.
If you’re the salad-bringer in your family or circle of friends – this one’s for you. It’s super easy and also really bright & flavorful. It goes great with whatever you’re grilling and packs up well for picnics. You can make it in advance which, in my opinion, is a key element to summer salad-ing.
My Tabbouleh Recipe Twist
This is not a traditional tabbouleh recipe because, as you see, I’m using dried tart cherries (which are also sometimes called sour cherries) in lieu of tomatoes. I just love the pop of sweet bright flavor they bring here – it contrasts so nicely with the earthy flavors of the herbs, and it balances so well with the tang of the lemon juice.
For this post, we’re working with the Cherry Marketing Institute. If you haven’t heard, I’m pretty obsessed with Montmorency tart cherries (see all previous recipesÂ
Traditional Tabbouleh Recipe Ingredients
If you love this tabbouleh recipe…
Try another of my favorite picnic salads like this watermelon salad, this couscous salad, this orzo salad, or this broccoli salad!
Tart Cherry Tabbouleh
- 1 cup uncooked millet (or bulgur*), rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup Montmorency dried tart cherries
- â…“ cup chopped scallions or red onion (or a combo)
- 1 English cucumber, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
- 2 cups chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Add the rinsed millet to a dry pot. Over medium heat, toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir, add water, olive oil and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Stir in the garlic, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked millet with the cherries, scallions, cucumber, parsley, and mint and toss.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar, salt and pepper and stir again. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding additional vinegar for more pop, or more salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
I used farro and felt it still lacked flavor so threw in some toasted pecans Added the crunch i flavor pop I was looking fot
Made this this evening for my boyfriend and I, we couldn’y find millet but we found bulgar easily enough. Made a minor adjustment and diced up chicken to put in it as this was a main meal for us.
Was amazing, would definitely make it again!
So yummy! I made this with bulgur and craisins (what I had on hand). Also cut the oil by 1/3 and put the raw garlic in with the dressing. The last part was an accident but this was super yummy!!! Thanks for the great idea. ? sweet and savory together.
Since fresh cherries are in season now, I will make this wonderful recipe with them…thank you
Love this salad – one of my go-to’s now.
Hi …
do you think i could use dried cranberry instead of cherries ?
love your fabulous recipes,
thanks
Nathalie
I love this! I’ve been making cherry dishes all summer but I like that the idea of utilizing dried cherries!
i do not have any millet, was wondering if couscous would be an okay substitution..?
Hi Sarah – yep, you could use couscous (just be sure to cook it differently than the instructions I’ve listed).
As usual, I love everything about this salad Jeanine. I’m about to head home after a long US visit so I’ll be making this soon. Love that you used millet instead and of course the dried cherries! Bought your book while I was here too. Can’t wait to dig into it. 🙂
This is such a delicious salad and I’m happy I have leftovers. It’s just what I needed after a long trip home and a long time away from home. I used fresh cherries instead of dried though because they looked so good at the farmer’s market this morning. And aside from the pre-rinse, what’s your trick to keeping the grains of millet separate and preventing them from clumping and getting sticky.
Hi Katie – I’m so glad you liked it! When I’m done cooking my millet, I spread it out on a large plate instead of letting it sit in the pot, and then I sort of break any clumps up with my hands. Thanks for pointing this out – I’ll include that tip in the recipe!
That’s such a good idea. Thanks for the tip!
Love the colours and the images. It makes it look so delicious:-)
I will try it next week when I have my family over. They will love it!
Thanks for sharing
Looks Really Delicious!!
Such a great idea – can’t wait to try it!
Love the addition of tart cherries to this tabbouleh! Sounds like the perfect picnic lunch.
I’d be tempted to use fresh cherries, since they’re in season.
Another plus for this salad: you don’t have to worry about it turning bad if not kept cold enough, like salads with mayo.
Yum! I am all about cherries right now!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/coconut-shrimp/
What a beautiful, simple meal. Those dried tart cherries sound absolutely divine and perfect for this dish. I haven’t cooked with millet in awhile, but I’ve enjoyed it in the past – I will need to try this soon!