Traditional Lebanese Tabbouleh (or Tabouli Salad) is a fresh and delicious vegetarian salad made with finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, lemon juice, and soaked bulgur wheat. Healthy and refreshing, enjoy this tabbouleh recipe as a dip or side dish with a few of your other favorite Middle Eastern sides including hummus and baba ganoush.
Tabbouleh
Simple, fresh, and totally unpretentious – that is tabbouleh.
When I think of this bright green emerald-colored salad, I am transported back to a table filled with delicious food surrounded by friends and family.
No fancy tableware or expectations, tabbouleh is meant to be enjoyed as a collection with other delicious treats including soft pita bread, savory dips, and spice-covered meats.
What is Tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli, tabouleh, or tabbouli depending on who you ask), is an incredibly refreshing vegetarian salad made (primarily) of fresh herbs, tomato, green onion, soaked bulgur, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. Originating in the mountains between Lebanon and Syria in the Middle Ages, Tabbouleh is one of the most iconic dishes of the Middle East.
In countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, this tabouli salad is typically served as part of a meze. A meze is a selection of small dishes (including baba ghanoush, tzatziki, dolma, falafel, hummus, shish taouk, Muhammara, etc.) often served as part of a multi-course meal, or as small snacks.
Is tabbouleh gluten-free?
No. Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur which is not gluten-free. Bulgur is made of wheat and wheat contains gluten.
Fortunately, there are a couple of really great alternatives to bulgur if you’re sensitive to gluten or you’re planning to serve this to a large group and you’re unsure about their dietary restrictions.
Quinoa is the clear favorite and top choice among readers when it comes to bulgur substitutes. Take extra care, however, that your quinoa isn’t super water-logged or mushy. Cauliflower rice is another great alternative as it maintains texture, isn’t super flavorful, and can easily be riced to the same size as either bulgur or quinoa. Plus, it’s low in carbs, so bonus if you’re counting those.
Tabouli Salad Ingredients
To make tabbouleh, you will need the following ingredients:
- Bulgur – Bulgur comes from cracked whole-grain wheat kernels that are first parboiled then dried before packaging. As a result, bulgur cooks much faster than other varieties of whole wheat such as wheat berries (the raw version) or freekeh (my personal favorite).
- Parsley – Tabbouleh is all about the fresh parsley. In fact, it is the most important ingredient in this whole recipe. As such, buy the freshest you can find and buy lots of it. You’ll need approximately 3 cups of it after it’s been chopped. I have made this recipe with both flat and curly parsley and I prefer either curly parsley or a mix. Of course, use whatever is available to you.
- Mint – Fresh mint is also super important. While you won’t be adding as much mint as parsley, there is no substitute for fresh mint. Add more or less to suit your own personal tastes and preferences.
- Green Onions – Green onions are pretty mild and add amazing flavor. You could add finely minced red onion, but I haven’t tried this personally, so I can’t really tell you if I would recommend it or not.
- Tomato – Tomatoes, especially if you can get your hands on some super fresh, fragrant, and in-season ones, are an amazing addition. They add a nice contrast to this very herb-centered dish.
- Olive Oil – You really don’t need much olive oil (remember, tabbouleh is supposed to be light and fresh) however, given the minimal ingredients, I do recommend that you use one you actually think tastes good.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice only. No concentrates allowed.
- Salt and Pepper – You will need to add salt and pepper. No need to go crazy, but a teaspoon or so will help tie all the flavors together and help this salad shine.
Optional Variations
In general, tabbouleh is pretty straight-forward. Mix together a bunch of fresh parsley and mint with some soaked bulgur, add a little lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper (because trust me- you will need to add something), and eat.
Now, although I am all for tradition and keeping things simple, sometimes I like to shake things up a bit. Here are a few of my favorite optional add-ins.
- Pomegranates. Sweet little pomegranate gems either in place of the tomatoes or in addition to, add a fun twist.
- Garlic. Because garlic is life…and flavor. But, not too much. Maybe 1-2 cloves.
- Cucumber. Cucumber is a pretty popular addition. If you decided to add this crunchy veggie, I highly recommend dicing into pieces just as small, if not smaller than, the tomatoes.
- Lettuce. Ok, so this isn’t really a variation as it’s quite common to see tabouli served with lettuce.
- Feta Cheese. A tangy contrast to all the herb flavors.
How to make Tabouli Salad
To make this Tabbouleh Recipe, simply:
- Soak the bulgur. Start by soaking the bulger in 4 cups boiling water (or chicken stock for more flavor). There is no need to cover the soaking bulgur with a lid or maintain a simmer over low heat, just add the boiled water, give it a stir, and soak. Allow the bulgur to soak for approximately 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 chefs 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, 1-bunch at a time. Take care, however, not to over-process into a paste. Transfer each bunch of minced parsley and mint to a large salad bowl.
- Combine the salad ingredients. Transfer the soaked, drained, and cooled bulgur, to the mixing bowl filled with the chopped mint and parsley. Add the chopped green onions and tomatoes. Mix well.
- 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.
Tips and Tricks
- For best results, cover and refrigerate your salad for 30-60 minutes before serving. It allows the flavors to really marinate together.
- Traditional tabbouleh salad is typically made primarily of fresh herbs with little speckles of bulgur mixed in. As tabbouleh has become more and more westernized, the bulgur (or quinoa, couscous, or cauliflower rice) has started to become an equal player or sometimes even dominating ingredient in the dish. In this case, there is definitely more parsley than bulgur, but likely more bulgur than you would find in traditional tabouli salad.
- Feel free to use curly or flat-leaf parsley (or a mix of both).
- Bulgur is not gluten-free (I know, I’m repeating myself). Easily make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the bulgur with 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa or 1 1/2 cups cauliflower rice.
- Everything in this salad is meant to be fresh. Including the lemon juice.
How long will tabbouleh keep in the fridge?
This is a fantastic question; especially when you consider how much of the salad is actually made up of fresh herbs.
To store this tabouli salad in the refrigerator, I recommend draining as much of the liquid as possible before transferring to a dish with a tight-fitting lid. For best results, it is recommended that you enjoy leftover tabbouleh within 2 days or so.
More salad recipes,
- Easy Bean Salad Recipe
- Greek Tortellini Salad Recipe with Chicken
- Balsamic Tomato Basil Salad
- Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Shallot Vinaigrette
- Caprese Salad Recipe (Insalata Caprese)
- melon and mozzarella salad with prosciutto
If you try making this Tabbouleh Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Tabbouleh Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked bulgur
- 3 bunches fresh parsley - tough stems removed (approximately 3-4 cups when chopped)
- 1 bunch fresh mint - tough stems removed (approximately 1/2 cup when chopped)
- 1/2 cup green onions - thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes - cored, seeded, and chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice - plus more to taste
- salt + pepper - to season
Instructions
- Soak the bulgur. Start by soaking the bulger in 4 cups 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 chefs 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, 1-bunch at a time. Take care, however, not to over-process into a 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 or flat-leaf parsley (or a mix of both).
- In traditional Lebanese Tabbouleh, there is typically much more parsley when compared to 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.
