Tabbouleh Recipe (Tabouli Salad)

Fresh tabbouleh or tabouli salad with cherry tomatoes.

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Tabbouleh is a Lebanese parsley salad made with fresh herbs, bulgur wheat, tomatoes, onions, mint, olive oil and lemon dressing. It is light, refreshing and full of fresh herb flavors with mild chewiness from bulgur. Authentic tabbouleh uses much more parsley than bulgur, making it herb-forward rather than grain-heavy. This vegan salad pairs well with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean meals.

Prep Time35

Cook Time0

Total Time35

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 233kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For Preparing Bulgur

½ cup (65 grams) bulgur – fine or super fine
1 cup water – boiling hot

For Making Tabouli

3½ to 4 cups (100 grams) parsley – 100 grams
⅔ cup (100 grams) cherry tomatoes – halved
½ cup red onions – chopped or swap with scallions/spring onions
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup cucumber – chopped, optional
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt as required
½ teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper
¼ cup (5 grams) mint leaves – chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse the bulgur a few times. Place it in a bowl and pour boiling hot water over it.
Cover and soak until softened and slightly chewy. Drain very well and set aside.
Prepare the vegetables by chopping the onions, cucumber and tomatoes into small pieces.
Rinse and dry the parsley and mint thoroughly. Chop them finely without crushing the leaves.
Combine the soaked bulgur, chopped vegetables and herbs in a mixing bowl.
Add lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
Let the salad rest for 15 minutes at room temperature so the flavors blend well. You can also chill it in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Serve fresh with lemon wedges or garnish with mint sprigs, pomegranate arils or feta if preferred.

Notes

Use fine or super fine bulgur for a more traditional tabbouleh texture. Coarse bulgur can also be used, but it needs to be cooked in water like rice or pasta. Check the package instructions for cooking details.
Dry parsley and mint thoroughly before chopping.
Finely chop the herbs with a knife and avoid using a food processor or food chopper as they can bruise the herbs and make the salad watery.
Do not add too much bulgur.
Fresh lemon juice tastes best in this salad.
Cherry tomatoes make the salad less watery.
Flat parsley gives a deeper flavor, while curly parsley tastes lighter and milder. You can use either.
The salad tastes best fresh and lightly chilled.

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