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A traditional Middle Eastern Tabbouleh salad bursting with fresh parsley and mint, bulgur wheat, tomatoes, and cucumber, all dressed with a simple lemon juice and olive oil.
This easy Tabbouleh salad is bursting with colour and flavor. It’s so refreshing, I just love the mint and bright lemon essence that encompass this dish. I go crazy for Arabic flavors and ingredients to begin with, the citrus, olive oil, fresh veggies, and spices make my kitchen so aromatic!
Why Make This Tabbouleh
- Easy To Make
- Takes Only 15 Minutes
- Fresh & Flavorful
- Simple Ingredient List
Another reason I love this salad, it takes a mere 15 minutes to throw together! Fresh parsley and mint, combined with juicy roma tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers are dressed with a simple lemon and olive oil. Easy, impressive, bright and flavorful; this is a must try dish!
Ingredient Notes
- Bulgur Wheat – Bulgur wheat is what’s traditionally used. Substitute couscous if you can’t find it! See “FAQs & Expert Tips” for more info!
- Veggies – I used a combination of diced cucumber and roma tomatoes, seeded and diced. You can use your preference!
- Fresh Herbs – A combination of parsley and mint, finely chopped. These two ingredients are imperative for this salad, without them, it wouldn’t be tabbouleh!
- Green Onion – Sliced very thin.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed is my preference, use what you have on hand!
- Olive Oil – I chose to use an extra virgin for this! Substitute sunflower, safflower or avocado oil.
How To Make Tabbouleh
- Cook Bulgur: Bring water to boil, add the bulgur and cover. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the bulgur cool.
- Prep Ingredients: Meanwhile, chop up the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onion, and add them to a large salad bowl. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a separate small bowl.
- Toss & Serve: Add the bulgur to the salad bowl along with the prepared dressing. Toss everything well to combine, Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh is a traditional, Middle Eastern, vegetarian salad made up mostly of finely chopped parsley. Tomatoes, mint, onion and bulgur are added into the mix, and then seasoned with a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
What Is Bulgur?
Bulgur or bulgur wheat is a rice like grain. It is one of the easiest and most versatile grains to cook with! Dating back at least 4,000 years this whole grain is used in a multitude of Middle Eastern dishes. Some recipes for tabbouleh will replace the bulgur with couscous, but in my opinion, to keep this salad as traditional as possible, bulgur is a necessary ingredient!
Can I Make This In Advance?
Yes! You can prep this the night before and let all the flavors infuse together while it’s in the fridge.
How To Serve
Tabbouleh is a traditional vegetarian dish, but if you’re like me and need a little meat in your life, pair it with your favorite protein! Serve it as is or add some chicken to make a Chicken Shawarma Tabbouleh Salad for a meal!
Tips
- I chose to cook the bulgur in this recipe, but another option is to soak it in the lemon juice and olive oil! This will take much longer, but will allow it to absorb all that bright, zesty flavor.
- If you want a full Middle Eastern inspired meal, serve it as a side alongside Falafel, Chicken Shawarma, Chicken Gyros or some Grilled Harissa Sesame Chicken Thighs.
Leftovers
You can store leftover tabbouleh salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If your salad has an excessive amount of dressing or too much liquid, make sure to drain any excess before refrigerating it!
More Great Recipes To Try
Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgur wheat
- 1 english cucumber diced
- 1 cup roma tomatoes 2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 cups fresh parsley 2-3 bunches, chopped fine
- ⅓ cup fresh mint chopped fine
- ¼ cup green onion sliced very thin
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook Bulgur: Bring water to boil, add the bulgur and cover. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the bulgur cool.
- Prep Ingredients: Meanwhile, chop up the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onion, and add them to a large salad bowl. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a separate small bowl.
- Toss & Serve: Add the bulgur to the salad bowl along with the prepared dressing. Toss everything well to combine, Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Tips & Notes:
- I chose to cook the bulgur in this recipe, but another option is to soak it in the lemon juice and olive oil! This will take much longer, but will allow it to absorb all that bright, zesty flavor.
- If you want a full Middle Eastern inspired meal, serve it as a side alongside Falafel, Chicken Shawarma, Chicken Gyros or some Grilled Harissa Sesame Chicken Thighs.
- You can store leftover tabbouleh salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If your salad has an excessive amount of dressing or too much liquid, make sure to drain any excess before refrigerating it!
