This fresh herb salad is one of the salads I order most when I go to a restaurant. Not only is it refreshing and light, but it also has a wonderful balance of flavors with the added bonus of being healthy.
I’ve tried many times to recreate this salad at home, and somehow it was always very close to the original—but never quite as delicious. Something about the overly “herby” flavor reminded me more of grass than freshness, with less of the fun texture I was looking for.
Yes, it’s simple, but the details really matter. Too much parsley and you’ll end up with tabbouleh with an overpowering herbal flavor. Too much cilantro and the salad will remind you of an Asian dish. And if you use roughly chopped green onions, you’ll find they overpower all the other flavors.
So after quite a few attempts, I found a formula that, in my opinion, works beautifully. It’s very important not to reduce the quantities—especially the almonds and pine nuts, which lighten the whole mix of herbs and add the crunch this salad needs.
