Asparagus Tabbouleh Salad
We make this one every single spring when asparagus season hits and we remember why we missed it so much. There's something about the combination of charred, tender asparagus with herby, lemony tabbouleh that just works so well together. The toasted sunflower seeds add this brilliant little crunch that ties everything together, and the whole thing is fresh and filling at the same time. It's ready in 20 minutes and honestly feels way more impressive than the effort involved. Make it tonight while the asparagus is good.
Before You Start
- Roasting tin
- Large mixing bowl
- Colander
- Whisk
- Large serving dish
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Ras El Hanout
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 250g bulgur wheat
- 50g sunflower seeds
- 75ml olive oil
- 75g pitted dates
- 2 large bunches of asparagus
- 2 lemons
- 1 red onion
- 1 small bunch of coriander
- 1 small bunch fresh mint
- 1 small bunch of parsley
- 1x 400g can of chickpeas
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 150g plant-based yoghurt
- 1 tbsp water
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
Cook the bulgur wheat
- Bring the pan of salted water to the boil
- Add the bulgur wheat and cook according to the packet instructions
For the asparagus
- Trim the asparagus and toss the stems into a roasting tin along with the sunflower seeds
- Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper
- Place under the hot grill to cook for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until softened but still firm
Build the tabbouleh
- Slice the lemons in half
- Squeeze the juice of 3 halves into a large mixing bowl
- Peel and finely chop the red onion and add to the bowl
- Add a big pinch of salt and the ras el hanout
- Squeeze the onion well with your hands so the lemon juice starts to pickle it
- Roughly chop the dates and add them to the bowl
- Pick the leaves from the herbs
- Reserve a few leaves for garnish and roughly chop the rest
- Add the chopped herbs to the bowl
Rinse the bulgur and make the dressing
- Tip the cooked bulgur wheat into a colander along with the chickpeas
- Rinse with cold water until the bulgur wheat is cool
- Put the dressing ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine
- Squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half
- Whisk again and season well
Assemble the salad
- Tip the drained bulgur wheat and chickpeas into a large dish along with the remaining olive oil
- Toss and season with salt and pepper
- Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed
- Top with the asparagus and sunflower seeds from the roasting tray
- Drizzle with the dressing and scatter with the pomegranate seeds and reserved herbs
Tips & Variations
- Get ahead with the bulgur: You can cook the bulgur wheat up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. It actually soaks up the dressing even better when it's had time to sit.
- Switch up the grain: We've made this with quinoa and couscous when we didn't have bulgur wheat in the cupboard and both work brilliantly. Couscous is the quickest if you're in a rush.
- Make it more of a main: This works really well as a side but if you want to bulk it up, throw in a tin of drained chickpeas or some crumbled feta-style vegan cheese. It turns it into a proper lunch.
Why This Works
The trick is getting the asparagus under a really hot grill so it chars slightly on the outside but stays firm in the middle. That little bit of smokiness is what lifts the whole salad and stops it feeling like just another grain bowl. Toasting the sunflower seeds alongside the asparagus is a small thing but it makes a big difference to the flavour.