Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is the perfect side dish for pairing with any Middle Eastern meal, but also excellent for meal prep lunches! With lots of herbs, fresh vegetables, and bulgur, it’s packed with flavour.
Tabbouleh (sometimes also spelled tabouli) is a traditional Mediterranean dish made with chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, and bulgur wheat dressed in olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. The mint and parsley give tabbouleh a refreshing, herbaceous flavour, making it a fantastic accompaniment to dishes like beet falafel and vegan kofta, or as part of a meze platter with spicy roasted red pepper hummus.
Why You’ll Love This Tabbouleh Recipe
- Gets better and better. Some leftovers are a disappointment the next day, but tabbouleh tastes even better after a day or two because the flavours really meld during this time. This makes it great for meal prep!
- Packed with fresh ingredients. Tabbouleh is so fantastically fresh and flavourful—all those herbs make it taste like nothing else you’ve ever had!
- Easy to customise. While traditional tabbouleh recipes call for specific ingredients, there are plenty of ways to make it your own. I share some ideas later in this post!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Bulgur – You’ll need red bulgur; you’ll cook this with water, lemon juice, olive oil, and coriander.
- Fresh parsley – I like to use curly parsley to make tabbouleh.
- Fresh mint
- Scallions
- Garlic – Mince the garlic well or use a garlic press.
- Roma tomatoes – Roma tomatoes have less liquid and seeds than other varieties, so they’re ideal for this recipe.
- Persian cucumbers – You can use English cucumber instead or a garden cucumber with the seeds scooped out.
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice will give you the best flavour.
- Salt and pepper
What Is Bulgur?
Bulgur is a cracked wheat that is a commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It has a chewy texture and a slightly nutty, earthy flavour, which makes this tabbouleh recipe flavourful and satisfying.
How to Make Tabbouleh
- Cook the bulgur. Bring the bulgur, water, lemon juice, olive oil, and coriander to a boil in a saucepan. Turn the heat off and cover for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- Assemble the salad. Toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Season. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional oil.
Tips for Success
- Use fresh ingredients. You absolutely cannot substitute dried parsley or mint for fresh in tabbouleh! This is a recipe where fresh herbs are the star.
- Chop finely. The key to an authentic tabbouleh is finely chopped ingredients, especially the parsley and mint. This not only helps to distribute the flavours evenly but also improves the salad’s texture.
- Let it rest. If you have time, let the tabbouleh sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavours to come together.
Variations
- Quinoa tabbouleh. Substitute bulgur with cooked quinoa for a gluten-free option. Quinoa adds a slightly different texture but still complements the fresh herbs and vegetables.
- Freekeh tabbouleh. Freekeh is a grain from North Africa with a slightly smoky flavour. It’s fantastic in tabbouleh!
- Cauliflower tabbouleh. Swap the bulgur for raw cauliflower rice to make a grain-free version of tabbouleh.
- Chickpea tabbouleh. Add crispy chickpeas for texture and protein.
Serving Suggestions
- As a side dish. Pair this recipe with crispy homemade falafel or balsamic roasted vegetables for a well-rounded meal.
- In a pita. Stuff tabbouleh into a pita pocket with homemade hummus for an easy vegan lunch.
- For a meal bowl. Use tabbouleh as a base for or addition to a Middle Eastern meal bowl with lentils, baba ghanoush, and tahini dressing.
How to Store
Transfer tabbouleh to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing. Because of the fresh ingredients, this recipe should not be frozen.
More Vegan Salad Recipes
- Chickpea Panzanella Salad
- Vegan Cobb Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- The Best Kale Salad with Sesame Tahini Dressing
- Greek Cucumber Salad
Enjoy friends! If you make this tabbouleh recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Tabbouleh
Ingredients
For the bulgur
- ½ cup red bulgur, 91 grams
- 1 cup water, 237 ml
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup olive oil, 59 ml
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander, 1.8 grams
For the salad
- 3 cups finely chopped fresh parsley (I like the curly kind), 180 grams
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint, 13 grams
- 4 scallions, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 firm Roma tomatoes, diced small
- 2 Persian cucumbers, diced small
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if desired, 30 ml
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the bulgur, water, lemon juice, olive oil, and coriander in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat off and cover the saucepan. Let the mixture sit until the water has fully absorbed into the bulgur (about 30 minutes). Fluff with a fork.
- In a large salad bowl, toss together the bulgur, parsley, mint, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Taste the salad and season with salt and pepper, if desired. If you’d like to add more olive oil here, you can too. It’s a matter of personal preference.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
