This easy Tabbouleh Salad is made in the traditional style with bulgur wheat, lots of fresh herbs, and summer veggies marinated in a simple dressing. It's an essential part of Middle Eastern cuisine, commonly served as a mezze with Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and fresh Pita Bread. Make a batch of this vegetarian salad for your next party or to meal prep all week long!
This traditional parsley salad comes from the mountains of Lebanon and Syria, where it's been served for centuries, if not longer. Today, there are countless versions and variations of this Middle Eastern salad across the region. Although the basic recipe may change, one constant stays the same. Tabouli must contain lots of fresh parsley and usually some sort of grain, a few fresh veggies, and a simple dressing. It's the absolute perfect salad when you're craving something light and refreshing, and tastes like heaven nestled into a pita with Chicken Shawarma or Falafel!
Why You'll Love This Tabbouleh Salad
- Perfect side dish or appetizer. Traditional tabbouleh is often served as a side dish, appetizer, or even as a topping for shawarmas. One batch of tabouli salad feeds a crowd, and you can easily double (or triple) it for big parties.
- Must-have for Middle Eastern meals. This herb salad is eaten throughout the Middle East and even parts of the Mediterranean. It's usually served as a mezze, a tapas-style meal of small plates. Pair it with your favorite Middle Eastern dishes, like baba ganoush, hummus, olives, dolmas, meats, and cheeses, and make a meal of it!
- Incredibly fresh flavor. Parsley is the main ingredient in authentic tabbouleh, and it gives every bite such a fresh and vibrant flavor. The herby, lemony flavor is the perfect palate cleanser between grilled meats or savory dips, and it's my go-to during the hot summer months!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Tabbouleh Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- fine bulgur - the trickiest part of this recipe may be finding bulgur wheat. Look for it near the rice and couscous at your local grocery store. You may need to search online or visit a Middle Eastern grocery store.
- veggies - keep it simple with diced English cucumber, firm Roma tomatoes, and green onions.
- fresh herbs - tabbouleh is known for having lots of parsley, but I also like to add fresh mint. Feel free to use either curly or flat leaf parsley; whichever you prefer.
- extra virgin olive oil - for the simple dressing.
- fresh lemon juice - adds the perfect pop of freshness.
- fresh garlic - for a savory bite.
- salt
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, 2 large bowls, a cutting board and a very sharp knife, a kettle or pot, and a medium bowl.
How to Make the Best Tabbouleh Salad
- Soak. In a medium to large mixing bowl, add bulgur and slowly pour in boiling water. The boiling water should cover the bulgar about 1 inch. Let it soak for 20-30 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender.
- Season. In another mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Mix well until smooth. Stir in cooked bulgur and set aside for another 10 minutes to infuse all the flavor.
- Combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine parsley, mint, cucumber, tomato, and green onions. Add the bulgur mixture and toss well.
- Serve. Serve immediately. You can chill the tabouli salad in the fridge and serve as is or as a topping in a shawarma with chicken or falafel.
Recipe Variations
- Make a quinoa tabbouleh salad. Although this is not traditional, it is a nice wheat-free and gluten-free option and a great way to add some extra protein to your diet.
- Add chickpeas. This is especially handy for meal prep! Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas to stir into the tabbouleh for extra plant-based protein and fiber.
- Make a Mediterranean version. For a Greek or Turkish-style salad, serve your tabbouleh with feta cheese, kalamata olives, and roasted red peppers.
How to Serve
This Tabbouleh Salad is delicious served on its own as a light lunch, or paired with some of my main course meals including:
- Chicken Shawarma
- Falafel
- Greek Salmon
- Air Fryer Lamb Chops
- Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
- The Best Ribeye Steak
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don't overcook the bulgur. Bulgur wheat is soaked in hot, boiling water until tender, not cooked on the stove. Just let it cook until tender to ensure the best texture and drain off any excess water.
- Use a food processor. This is entirely optional, but if you find it tedious to chop the fresh herbs into teeny tiny pieces, feel free to blitz them up in the food processor.
- Let it chill. Fresh tabbouleh tastes even better the next day after the ingredients have marinated together. This makes it great for meal prep, too!
- Find the right bulgur wheat. If you've never purchased this ingredient before, look for fine bulgur, not coarse bulgur. Fine bulgur comes in smaller pieces, similar to couscous, and it has the perfect texture for this tabbouleh or tabouli salad recipe.
Storing Instructions
Seal the leftover tabbouleh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
FAQ
Bulgur wheat looks and feels similar to couscous or quinoa and is an essential component of authentic tabbouleh. Bulgur wheat is made from individual wheat berries that are partially cooked, then dried and cracked into small pieces. This precooking process speeds up the cooking time dramatically, allowing you to prepare the cracked wheat by soaking it in boiling water for just 20-30 minutes. It's a great shelf-stable grain to add to fresh salads all summer long.
This tabbouleh recipe is best served fresh, as the fresh parsley and vegetables will soften and break apart after thawing.
Once assembled, the tabbouleh will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Salad Recipes
- 40 Best Salad Recipes
- Israeli Couscous Salad
- Persian Shirazi Salad with Cucumber and Tomato
- Buckwheat Salad
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
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Recipe
Tabbouleh Salad
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy Tabbouleh Salad is made in the traditional style with bulgur wheat, lots of fresh herbs, and summer veggies marinated in a simple dressing. It's an essential part of Middle Eastern cuisine, commonly served as a mezze with Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and fresh Pita Bread. Make a batch of this vegetarian salad for your next party or to meal prep all week long!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup fine bulgur, uncooked
- boiling water
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 bunches fresh parsley (curly), finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 medium English cucumber, finely diced
- 2 roma tomatoes (firm), diced
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium to large mixing bowl, add bulgur and slowly pour in boiling water. The boiling water should cover the bulgar about 1 inch. Let it soak for 20-30 mins until all the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender.
- In another mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Mix well until smooth. Stir in cooked bulgur and set aside for another 10 minutes to infuse all the flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine parsley, mint, cucumber, tomato, and green onions. Add the bulgur mixture and toss well.
- Serve immediately. You can chill the tabouli salad in the fridge and serve as is or as a topping in a shawarma.
Notes
How to store: Seal the leftover tabbouleh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Category: Salad
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: Lebanese
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