The heat and humidity have had me feeling wilted lately. After dropping two of my boys off at camp I scrutinized the counselors the way any nervous parent does — and concluded they were all perfectly lovely. Clearly, the problem is me.
Part of my drama is the weather, and part of it is my family history: a colorful cast of bold characters who never met an adventure they didn’t like. Add to that a stubborn love of good food and a strong aversion to turning on the stove when the temperature makes you feel like a roast, and you have my current dilemma.
So I turned to a simple solution: the rice cooker. Rice cookers do more than rice — they handle many grains beautifully without heating up the kitchen. In this recipe I used millet, a tiny, gluten-free grain with a pleasant nuttiness that cooks much like rice and shines in chilled salads like tabbouleh.
Tabbouleh is a refreshing Middle Eastern salad that’s perfect for hot weather: bright vegetables, briny olives, tangy feta, and fresh herbs dressed with lemon and olive oil. This version swaps traditional bulgur for millet, making it gluten-free while adding a lovely toasted note. It yields a large, make-ahead batch that keeps well in the refrigerator — ideal for picnics, pool days, or no-cook evenings.
Greek Millet Tabbouleh (Gluten-Free)
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dry millet
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil separated
- 1 seedless cucumber cut lengthwise into eighths and then into small wedges
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts roughly chopped
- 1 cup feta crumbles
- 3/4 cup black kalamata olives pitted and chopped (garlic-stuffed kalamatas add extra flavor)
- 1/2 of a sweet onion peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup packed fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
- The juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic peeled and finely minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- additional extra virgin olive oil for serving
Instructions
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Toast the millet: place it in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and stir or toss constantly until the grains begin to pop and turn a light golden brown, about 4–5 minutes.
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Transfer the toasted millet to a deep bowl and immediately pour cool water over it to cover, taking care as steam will rise. Swirl briefly, then drain the millet in a fine mesh strainer. Put the drained millet into the bowl of a rice cooker, add 1 1/3 cups water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook on the regular setting. If your rice cooker is a simple on/off model, just turn it on.
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If you don’t have a rice cooker, follow the same toasting and rinsing steps, then cook the millet on the stove following package directions but use the same millet-to-water ratio and the tablespoon of oil.
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When cooking is complete, fluff the millet with a wooden spoon or rice paddle. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the diced onion and minced garlic, and let it cool for about 10 minutes, fluffing occasionally to speed cooling.
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After it has cooled slightly, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, cucumbers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta, chopped kalamata olives, dill, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving; overnight chilling yields the best flavor. Before serving, toss gently and drizzle with a little extra olive oil if desired.
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if needed.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use the hashtag #foodiewithfamily so I can see your version!
If you’re in the market for a reliable rice cooker, I’ve had great results with a sturdy Sanyo model that has held up through heavy use in my kitchen for years. It makes cooking millet and other grains effortless without heating the house.