Tabbouleh Recipe

Finally! I’ve figured out how to make the best tabbouleh. It’s just as good, if not better than, my favorite local Middle Eastern restaurant’s. If you try it, I think you’ll agree.

Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a super fresh herb and bulgur salad, with parsley being the number one ingredient. It’s dotted with diced cucumber and tomato, and dressed simply with olive oil and lemon juice. It’s refreshing, light and packed with healthy ingredients.

You’ll often find tabbouleh as a side dish on Mediterranean menus. It’s right at home with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, feta, olives… all of my favorite things.

I’ve attempted tabbouleh at home over the years, and I’m so pleased to share what I’ve learned with you today. Ready to make some great tabbouleh?

Bulgur is parboiled cracked wheat, so it’s a whole grain. Once prepared, it’s tender and fluffy. Bulgur is often confused with couscous, but they’re not the same (couscous is actually tiny pasta).

Authentic tabbouleh is made with super fine grain (#1) bulgur and it’s soaked rather than cooked, but I haven’t been able to find it at regular grocery stores. There are several other varieties of bulgurs, and you’ll probably find only one option at the store. So, cook (or soak) it according to the package directions.

Authentic tabbouli uses a ton of parsley. That’s why this salad is so green! I tried both flat-leaf and curly, and for once, curly is the way to go. Even when it’s chopped very small, curly parsley offers some extra volume that makes this tabbouleh so pleasant to eat.

Mint is standard and adds even more fresh flavor. That said, it can be expensive if you don’t grow it at home, so you can skip it if you’d rather.

Fresh cucumber and tomato add more texture and color, and build on the refreshing factor. Have I said refreshing enough yet?

Lebanese readers have informed me that cucumber is unusual in tabbouleh, which is news to me! You can skip it if you’d like, but it’s quite nice.

Tabbouleh is dressed in a simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice. You won’t find garlic in every tabbouleh recipe, but I think that one clove makes this recipe extra delicious.

Best Tabbouleh

Learn how to make delicious, authentic tabbouleh at home! This tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is even better than your favorite Lebanese restaurant’s. Recipe yields 6 servings (a little over 1 cup each).

Prep: 20min

Total: 35min

Yield: 6

Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 172 calories, Sugar 1.8 g, Sodium 399.1 mg, Fat 13 g, Saturated Fat 1.9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 14 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium)
• 1 cup diced tomato* (1 large)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 3 medium bunches curly parsley
• 1/3 cup (2/3 ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

Instruction:

1. Cook or soak the bulgur until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
3. To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this by hand, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process 1 bunch at a time (it should yield about 1 cup chopped), transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next.
4. Add the cooled bulgur, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isn’t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
5. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor.
6. If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli or tabouleh) is a Middle Eastern salad made from fresh herbs and bulgur wheat. We love this version for picnics and mezze platters. Make it up to 3 days in advance, and serve it chilled or at room temperature.

Prep: 20min

Total: 40min

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove (grated)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch cinnamon
• 3 cups finely chopped curly parsley (about 2 bunches)
• 1 cup diced English cucumber
• 1 cup cored and diced tomato
• ⅔ cup cooked bulgur wheat*
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 scallions (chopped)

Instruction:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, coriander, and cinnamon. Add the parsley, cucumber, tomato, bulgur, mint, and scallions and toss to combine.
2. Season to taste and chill until ready to serve.

Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad

This traditional Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad recipe is a healthy vegan Mediterranean appetizer made with bulgur, parsley, mint and chopped vegetables.

Prep: 40min

Total: 40min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 141 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Sodium 19 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra fine bulgur wheat
• 2 bunches parsley (about 2 cups chopped)
• 1-2 vine-ripe firm tomatoes
• 2 green onions (both green and white part)
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Instruction:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice until well combined. Then add the bulgur to the dressing and let it soak until it is soft and plumped, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by washing, drying thoroughly and finely chopping them. When preparing the tomatoes, it helps to use a colander to drain the excess juice, which you can use in another recipe at a later time.
3. Place the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Add the optional mint. Season with salt and pepper. Then pour the bulgur and dressing mixture over. Gently toss to combine.
4. Serve at room temperature or cold, with lettuce if desired.

My Mother's Lebanese Tabbouleh

This Lebanese tabbouleh salad recipe from my mother is the ideal simple summer salad to keep your menu light and fresh.

Prep: 30min

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fine bulgur (sometimes called #1)
• 2 bunches curly parsley
• 12 large mint leaves
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 5 scallions
• 3 medium tomatoes
• 2 lemons, juiced (about 6 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and pepper, plus more to taste

Instruction:

1. [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Put the bulgur in a bowl, cover it with an inch of just-boiled water, and let it sit at least 20 minutes. (It will double in size.)’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Wash and dry the parsley and mint. Remove the stems, finely chop the herbs together, and put them in a large mixing bowl. ‘}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Peel and deseed the cucumber half. Slice it lengthwise into thirds, then chop. Chop the scallions and tomatoes and add them to the cucumber, parsley, and mint.’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Drain any remaining water out of the bulgur and add it to the vegetables.’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the salad. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning and olive oil as needed.’}]

Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad | Great Ramadan Recipe!

FAQ

What’s tabbouleh made of?

What can I substitute for bulgur in tabbouleh?

Why is my tabouli bitter?

Is bulgur wheat the same as tabouli?