Tabouli Salad Recipe (Tabbouleh)
Tabouli (also spelled tabbouleh) is a traditional Lebanese salad recipe made with finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, and soaked bulgur wheat. Seasoned with fresh lemon juice and a little bit of olive oil, this quick and easy salad is healthy and so delicious! Perfect with grilled meats or your next mezze platter.
Servings: 6 as a side
Cost: $5
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine bulgur wheat uncooked
- 3 bunches fresh parsley tough stems removed (approximately 3-4 cups when chopped)
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves tough stems removed (approximately 1/2 cup when chopped)
- ½ cup green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes cored, seeded, and diced
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- salt + pepper to season
Instructions
- Soak the bulgur. Start by soaking the bulgar in 4 cups of boiling water (or chicken stock for more flavor). Allow the bulgur to soak for approximately 15-30 minutes, or until softened. Drain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing the bulgur gently with a paper towel to remove any remaining liquid. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the parsley and mint. Cut the thick stems from each bunch of parsley and mint. Using a sturdy chef's knife, finely chop the remaining smaller stems and leaves into small pieces. As this can be somewhat time-consuming, you may also chop your parsley and mint in a food processor, one bunch at a time. Take care, however, not to over-process as it will turn into a thick paste. Transfer each bunch of minced parsley and mint to a large salad bowl.
- Combine the salad ingredients. To the bowl filled with chopped mint and parsley, and the soaked and cooled bulgur, green onions, and chopped tomatoes.
- Prepare the "dressing". In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well to combine. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, as needed.
Notes
- You may use curly parsley or flat-leaf parsley (or a mix of both).
- In traditional Lebanese tabouli, there is typically much more parsley in the salad than bulger.
- Bulgur is not gluten-free. Easily make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the bulgur with 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa or 1 1/2 cups cauliflower rice.
- For best results, cover and refrigerate your salad for 30-60 minutes before serving. It allows the flavors to really marinate together.
- Keep leftovers stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2854IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg
