This authentic tabbouleh recipe is a refreshing Lebanese salad made with bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, and lots of fresh herbs.
Salads sans lettuce are a gift to salad lovers. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good leafy green, but because I eat so many salads on the regular, switching things up and going lettuce-less keeps my salad game strong. This tabbouleh is a personal fave, with so much freshness I could eat it just about every day. Tabbouleh is a classic Lebanese salad made with bulgur (a grain), fresh tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, and a lemony dressing and typically eaten as a mezze (appetizer) usually alongside creamy hummus or baba ganoush, and falafel. Like my quinoa and kale protein power salad and my healthy quinoa salad, protein-fueled tabbouleh is substantial enough to eat as a meal, yet versatile enough to have as a side. A dream of a salad, right here.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love It
- This tabbouleh salad recipe is easy to make, with minimal ingredients and there’s no cooking involved
- It’s a light, fresh, and healthy side option to any main protein and a great potluck or picnic-friendly dish
- Tabbouleh is vegetarian but the bulgur gives it a healthy dose of protein for more heft and heartiness
What is Tabbouleh Made Of?
- Bulgur wheat—use a fine bulgur because it quickly absorbs liquid, meaning it doesn’t require cooking. I found it at my local Mediterranean grocery store, or you can find fine-ground bulgur wheat online here (also known as cracked wheat). Use medium-grain for a more substantial bite, or regular bulgur that will require cooking before adding to this salad. Medium bulgur will also work in tabbouleh but will take longer to soften and likely need a bit more water and lemon juice.
- Lemon juice—for acidity and freshness
- Roma tomatoes—I prefer Roma tomatoes in this tabbouleh recipe, but you could use Campari, heirloom, or cherry tomatoes if you wanted
- English cucumber—you want a firmer, less watery cucumber for this salad, so it has a better texture
- Scallions—for color and savory flavor
- Fresh curly parsley—In most of my cooking, I use flat-leaf parsley, but not in tabbouleh. Curly parsley gives this salad its super fresh and purifying bite, and it needs a lot to make tabbouleh so satisfying.
- Fresh mint—adds a nice balance and freshness to the zesty lemon accents
- Extra virgin olive oil—use a bright, fruity olive oil if you can
- Kosher salt—always, for flavor
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Tabbouleh
- Mix water and lemon juice with fine bulgur to soften it without cooking. When you soak fine bulgur wheat in a few tablespoons of water mixed with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt, it doesn’t need cooking. Let the bulgur sit and plump in the salted liquid for 20-30 minutes, where the flavors infuse as it rests.
- Seed and finely chop the Roma tomatoes and cucumber. Roma tomatoes are a sturdy tomato variety without a lot of watery pulp or seeds, making them good ingredients in tabbouleh so it doesn’t get soggy. English cucumbers have good flavor and also have fewer seeds to remove.
- Finely chop the fresh mint leaves and parsley, and don’t skimp on either! The fresh herbs add color and an herbaceous flavor that makes this salad.
- Toss with more lemon juice and green onion then let it rest. Give the salad at least an hour to rest and absorb the flavors before serving, or longer if you have time.
Recipe Variations
- For even more protein, add chickpeas
- Crumbled feta cheese would be a tasty addition
- Swap the bulgur for quinoa
- Add more chopped vegetables, such as red bell pepper or even romaine lettuce leaves
- A drizzle of tahini would also be delish
Storage Tips
Tabbouleh will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I find the second day is sometimes even better tasting than the first.
What do You Eat Tabbouleh With
- THE BEST Greek Chicken Marinade
- Baba Ganoush
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Grilled Turkey Kofta Skewers with Yogurt Sauce
- Greek Salad with Avocado
- Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs
- Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
How to Make THE BEST Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried fine bulgur
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice , divided, from 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Roma tomatoes , seeded and chopped, about 1 cup
- ½ English cucumber , seeded and chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 green onions , chopped, about ⅓ cup
- 1 cup finely chopped curly parsley
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the bulgur with the water, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until moistened then let the bulgur rest for about 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining lemon juice and kosher salt with olive oil.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, parsley, and mint to the bulgur. Drizzle with the dressing and stir well to combine. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Taste for seasoning before serving and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
Nutrition
More Healthy Salads You’ll Love
- Mediterranean Kale Salad
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad
- Outrageous Herbaceous Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Cucumber Basil and Watermelon Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Rate & Comment