Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh salad in a bowl with romaine lettuce hearts.

5 from 6 votes

Whether you spell it tabbouleh or tabouli, this Lebanese tabbouleh is a refreshing, herby salad. Made with a base of fresh parsley, mint, and bulgur, it's also more filling than many salad recipes.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Levantine, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $8

Ingredients

¼ cup Bulgur wheat - Fine or extra fine
¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp Lemon juice
2 cups Parsley - Finely minced (about 2 bunches, thick stems discarded)
¼ cup Mint - Finely minced (about ½ bunch, stems discarded)
2 Tomatoes - Finely diced
4 Green onions - Finely diced
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Romaine heart leaves for serving

Instructions

Soak. In a small bowl or measuring cup add the bulgur wheat and enough boiling water to cover it by an inch. Set aside for 30 minutes for the bulgur wheat to soak and plump.
Prep and toss. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced parsley, mint, diced tomatoes, scallions, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss lightly to combine.
Drain. Taste the bulgur. It should be soft. If not, repeat the soaking in boiling water step (or simply boil it in water on the stove in a small pot until tender - see the note below). Using a small colander, drain the bulgur wheat, squeeze as much water out as you can, and add it to the rest of the salad.
Mix and Serve. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve the tabbouleh immediately, or, ideally, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour so the flavors can blend. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves.

Notes

See the recipe post above for step-by-step photos.

Important: Cooking the bulgur wheat can be tricky because there are different grades available meaning some will plump up by soaking in hot water while others may need to be boiled in a pot on the stove. When in doubt, follow the cooking directions on the package to be safe.

A note on some of the key ingredients:

Bulgur: standard bulgur can be used for this recipe, cooked according to package instructions ideally. For a gluten-free substitution, use cooked and cooled quinoa. You can also try couscous.
Flat-leaf parsley: curly parsley can be used in a pinch, but I don't really recommend it. Flat leaf is best for texture and flavor.
Scallions: also called green onions or spring onions are ideal, but you can also use finely minced red or white onions.

Serve alongside Za'atar Chicken, Pulled Lamb, Chicken Shish Tawook, or Meat-Stuffed Pita Arayes for a delicious dinner.

Try some of my other Middle Eastern salads: Jerusalem Salad, Tahini Salad and Authentic Fattoush.

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