This easy and healthy tabouli recipe is on rotation all throughout the year, but specially during the summer season. With fresh ingredients and lots of herbs, this salad is good food for the body and soul. And while tabouli dates back 4,000 years ago to the Levantine region, it is versatile enough to fit in to any modern day menu.
Although tabouli has grains in it, it is typically described as an herb salad rather than a grain salad. The bulgur is there to absorb the light and delicious lemon olive oil dressing. With fresh bold flavors and low calories, this is the perfect salad to help incorporate more fiber and nutrients into your diet.
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Ingredients in Tabouli Salad
- Parsley: Curly parsley adds fresh flavor and great texture to tabouli. In this dish, I do not recommend using flat-leaf parsley as it is traditionally made with curly parsley, which holds its texture better in this salad.
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Mint leaves add another layer of cooling freshness to this delicious tabouli salad recipe. I cut off the stems and only use the leaves.
- Cucumber: I use Persian Cucumbers as they have thin skin and a great crunch. Regular cucumbers or an English cucumber can be used as a substitute.
- Tomatoes: While I use very few tomatoes in my recipe, they are still an important component. Cherry tomatoes or chopped up Roma tomatoes are a great choice.
- Green Onions: I mostly use the white parts of the green onion (spring onions), as it adds a subtle sweetness and savory bite to this salad, without overpowering any of the other ingredients.
- Lemon Juice: Always use fresh lemon juice when available.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Always make sure that you like the flavor of the olive oil that you will be using.
- Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper: Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the seasoning again before serving.
- Bulgur Wheat: Either fine bulgur wheat, or coarse as I have used here. For a gluten free alternative, I substitute the bulgar wheat with finely chopped cauliflower or heart of palm. For quinoa tabbouleh, I use cooked and cooled quinoa as a replacement for the bulgur.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Tabouli
Step 1: Prepare the Bulgur - Bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and the rinsed bulgur, then cook uncovered for 3 minutes until most of the water has evaporated. Remove from heat, cover, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2. Prepare and Add the Lemon Dressing- Prepare the dressing by combining ¼ cup fresh lemon juice with ¼ cup good quality olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the cooked bulgur to a large glass bowl and add the lemon dressing. The bulgur will absorb all the flavors.
Step 3- Prepare Remaining Ingredients and Combine - Finely dice the cucumber and tomatoes, then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Thinly slice the green onions and add them, along with the cucumbers and tomatoes to the bowl. Wash and thoroughly dry the herbs. A salad spinner, like this one, is very useful here. With a sharp knife, finely chop the bunches of parsley, then add the mint and continue to coarsely chop them. Combine the fresh herbs and mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About Tabouli
No, traditional tabouli uses bulgur, which is wheat containing gluten. But it is quite easy to make a gluten free tabouli by substituting the bulgur with quinoa, heart of palm, cauliflower rice, or chick peas- all of which are gluten free.
Yes, tabouli actually tastes better if it is made a few hours ahead of time. I keep my tabouli in a tightly covered glass dish in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I personally think it tastes better the next day.
Yes, and no. If you are trying to make a traditional tabouli, it is best to stay with lots of fresh parsley and mint. However, if you want to make a twist to the traditional recipe, you can add other fresh herbs, like dill or tarragon.
While typically tabouli is served as a side salad, with a little feta cheese, some hummus, and fresh pita bread, it can serve as a light and healthy lunch.
While the choice is yours, I do not chop the herbs with a food processor, as it breaks down the structure of the parsley a little too much. If you are planning on keeping the tabouli in the refrigerator for a few days, hand chopping the herbs will keep it less soggy. However, my advice is always to do what works best for you.
The different spellings—tabbouleh, tabbouli, tabouleh, tabbuli, taboulah—come from how the original Arabic word is translated into English. Most of the Arabic-speaking countries spell this popular bulgur salad tabbouleh. Persian communities and most American cookbooks, on the other hand, often use the simplified version of it - tabouli.
Of course you can! Some people like more or less of an ingredient, so please feel free to adjust to your liking!
My Best Tip for Making Tabouli
I always add the olive oil lemon dressing directly to the bulgur while I am preparing the rest of the ingredients. The bulgur soaks up the dressing, ensuring that the fresh herbs in the tabouli salad never get soggy. And remember to always fully dry the herbs before chopping!
Did You Make the Recipe?
I would love to hear your feedback! Please leave a comment and star rating below. You can also pin my recipe on Pinterest or share your creation on Instagram by tagging me @mulberryblvd. Thank you! Tannaz
Healthy & Easy Tabouli Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgar rinsed
- 1 ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt for cooking wheat
- 3 bunches curly parsley large, also known as Italian parsley
- ½ bunch fresh mint
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice or juice of 3 lemons
- 8 green onions mostly white parts
- 1 large Persian cucumber
- 2-3 small tomatoes or 1 medium tomato
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and the rinsed bulgur. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes on medium high heat, or until the water has mostly evaporated. Then remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes while you are preparing the dressing.
- For the lemon dressing, squeeze 3 lemons, or the equivalent of ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice. Measure out ¼ cup good quality olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, (I use ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and then adjust).
- Transfer the cooked bulgur to a large bowl and add the lemon olive oil dressing. It will absorb the dressing while you go on to the next step.
- Finely dice the cucumber and tomatoes. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them. Thinly slice the green onions and add the cucumber, tomatoes and green onions to the bulgur.
- Wash and dry the herbs, making sure to dry as much as possible to avoid adding excess water to the salad. I use a salad spinner for this. Finely chop the parsley, then add the mint and coarsely chop that as well. Combine the fresh herbs with the bulgur and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy.
