Low Carb Tempestina - Mediterranean tabbouleh with feta, tahini, and lemon cream
Low Carb Tempestine with Mediterranean Tabbouleh and Feta, Tahini, and Lemon Cream is a fresh, summery, and highly fragrant recipe, inspired by the great cold dishes of Mediterranean and North African tradition.
The idea is simple: use Low Carb Tempestine instead of couscous or bulgur, creating a cold dish with aromatic herbs, cucumber, grilled zucchini, olives, feta, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil. A light cream of feta, tahini, and lemon binds everything without making it heavy.
👉 For this recipe, you can use our Low Carb Tempestine, a small and versatile pasta format, also ideal for cold dishes.
Ingredients for 2 servings
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Low Carb Tempestine | 120 g |
| Cucumber | 80 g |
| Grilled zucchini | 80 g |
| Feta | 60 g total |
| Tahini | 12 g |
| Pitted black or Taggiasca olives | 30 g |
| Fresh parsley | 15 g |
| Fresh mint | 6-8 leaves, about 3 g |
| Lemon juice | 15 g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 20 g |
| Cold water | 15-20 g |
| Untreated lemon zest | about 1 g, optional |
| Salt | to taste |
| Black pepper | to taste |
| Ground cumin | a pinch, optional |
⏱ Preparation time
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking Low Carb Tempestine: 8 minutes
Cooling: 10 minutes
Final rest: 10 minutes
Total time: about 35 minutes
Servings: 2
How to prepare Low Carb Tempestine with Mediterranean tabbouleh
1. Cook and cool the TempestineBring plenty of salted water to a boil. Cook the Low Carb Tempestine for 8 minutes, stirring gently. Drain them and cool them immediately under cold running water to stop the cooking and keep them separate. Drain them very well: the less water remains, the more intense the dressing will be. Transfer them to a bowl and season with 5 g of extra virgin olive oil. 2. Prepare the feta, tahini, and lemon creamIn a small blender, blend 25 g of feta, 12 g of tahini, 10 g of lemon juice, 10 g of extra virgin olive oil, 15-20 g of cold water, and a little black pepper. You should obtain a fluid and smooth cream. It should coat the Tempestine, not weigh down the dish. Add a little cold water at a time if needed. 3. Prepare the vegetables and other ingredientsCut the cucumber into small cubes. Grill the zucchini and cut it into pieces (it should be dry). Finely chop the parsley and tear the mint. Slice the olives. Crumble the remaining 35 g of feta irregularly. |
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4. Combine Tempestine and creamAdd the feta, tahini, and lemon cream to the cold Tempestine. Mix gently so that the sauce coats them evenly. This step makes the dish more cohesive: the Tempestine remain light but not dry. 5. Finish and let restAdd cucumber, grilled zucchini, olives, crumbled feta, parsley, mint, the remaining lemon juice, the remaining 5 g of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of cumin (optional), and a very small amount of lemon zest. Mix gently. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve cold, but not frozen. |
💡 Chef's tips
Cool the Tempestine immediately after cooking and drain them very well: if excess water remains, the cream will become diluted. Don't overdo the feta and tahini cream: it should bind, not overpower. Use plenty of aromatic herbs: in traditional tabbouleh, herbs are not just a garnish, they are an important part of the dish. The zucchini should be grilled and dry. Don't overdo the lemon: it should add freshness, not mask the feta, tahini, olives, and herbs.
Why Tempestine instead of couscous
Traditional couscous is rich in carbohydrates. Low Carb Tempestine allows you to create a dish similar in shape and feel, but with a much more controlled carbohydrate content. They are small, distribute well in the dressing, lend themselves to being served cold, and absorb herbs, oil, lemon, and tahini cream well.
⚠️ Low carb caution
This recipe avoids couscous, bulgur, chickpeas, raisins, corn, carrots, and other ingredients richer in carbohydrates. It focuses on cucumber, grilled zucchini, olives, feta, aromatic herbs, lemon, tahini, and spices. If you want to add tomato, use a maximum of 40 g, cut into small cubes and well drained.
Nutritional values — Complete dish
Estimated values considering a final weight of the complete dish of approximately 550 g.
| Average nutritional values | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 137 kcal / 572 kJ |
| Fats | 8.3 g |
| of which saturated | 2.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.5 g |
| of which sugars | 1.1 g |
| Fibre | 13.9 g |
| Proteins | 5.9 g |
| Salt | 0.66 g |
Nutritional note
The nutritional values are an estimate calculated on the complete recipe (120 g dry Tempestine, 80 g cucumber, 80 g grilled zucchini, 60 g feta, 12 g tahini, 30 g olives, 15 g parsley, 3 g mint, 15 g lemon juice, 20 g oil, about 1 g salt) with a final weight of approximately 550 g. Values may vary based on the feta used, the type of olives, the density of the tahini, and the amount of water retained by the Tempestine.
Conclusion
This recipe uses Low Carb Tempestine as an alternative to couscous in a fresh, Mediterranean, and very fragrant dish. The feta, tahini, and lemon cream makes the dish more cohesive without making it heavy. The result is not just a simple pasta salad: it's a low carb reinterpretation of tabbouleh, with aromatic herbs, light vegetables, olives, feta, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil.
👉 Discover our Low Carb Tempestine and browse all recipes in the Low Carb Recipes section.
To learn more about cooking times, formats, and practical tips, read the guide: Low carb pasta: what it is, how to cook it, and how to choose the right one.