Tart Cherry Tabbouleh Recipe

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 recipes here). As their name suggests, they bring a pop of tart flavor to so many dishes, and I love the challenge of creatively working them into various types of recipes. They also have some great health benefits – they’re known to help with muscle soreness after a workout and studies have shown that they can help with sleep since they’re a natural source of melatonin. Give these superfruits a try if you haven’t already! I find mine in the bulk bins at Whole Foods, some of you have also mentioned that they can be found at Costco.

Tabbouleh is traditionally made with bulgur, but I used millet here because it’s gluten-free and the texture is pretty similar. I’ve included cooking methods for both in the notes of the recipe.

Traditional Tabbouleh Recipe Ingredients

I mix the unconventional millet and cherries with classic tabbouleh components: tons of herbs, diced cucumber, red onion, and scallions. I season it simply with lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and a touch of white wine vinegar – toss it all in one bowl and serve!

As I type this, I’m trying to hold myself back from finishing the leftovers in the fridge – this salad is especially good on the 2nd day when the flavors have had the chance to mesh together.

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!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Tart Cherry Tabbouleh

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

This unconventional tabbouleh recipe uses millet instead of bulgur and tart cherries in place of tomato. They add a wonderful sweet/tart pop of flavor to this delicious make-ahead friendly picnic salad.

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 6 as a side

Ingredients

for the millet:

1 cup uncooked millet (or bulgur*), rinsed
2 cups water
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
2 small garlic cloves, minced

for the salad:

½ cup Montmorency dried tart cherries
⅓ 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

Instructions

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.

Notes

*Note: If using bulgur: Bring 1¼ cups water to a boil, add the bulger, turn off the heat, cover and set aside for 25 to 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the garlic, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool.