Tabouli (Tabbouleh) Salad Recipe

If you've been looking for the perfect Tabouli salad recipe, look no further! My Tabbouleh salad has been described by my friends as "light," "refreshing," and "flavorful" and I couldn't agree more! It goes perfectly with sumac chicken and shish kabobs!

Although most Middle Eastern cultures enjoy this tasty salad, the credit for Tabouli goes to the Lebanese. They were the first to come up with this popular salad.

Assyrians do pronounce the name differently, however. We call it "Tabbouleh" instead of "Tabouli." That's where the differences begin and end.

🧐 Why This Recipe Works

• This tabouli salad recipe is simple to prepare and so delicious.
• It is a very healthy recipe and loaded with nutrition, so eat up!
• The salad can be prepared ahead of time. Just add the dressing and seasoning right before serving it!

🔖 Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions

• Bulgur: Bulgur comes in different grain sizes from 1 to 4. You'll need #1, which is the finest.
• Lettuce: I prefer to use Romaine lettuce but you can substitute another crisp lettuce or leave the lettuce out and add more parsley.
• Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are my favorite tomatoes to add in tabbouleh.
• Cucumbers: I prefer to use Persian cucumbers. If you have access to Armenian cucumbers they are an excellent option. If you can't get either, use an English cucumber.
• Onion: Green onions or scallions are usually added to tabbouleh.
• Herbs: You'll need Italian parsley and fresh mint leaves.
• Oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. If you have to, you can substitute avocado oil.
• Seasoning: All you need is salt and black pepper. A little cayenne pepper can be added for heat. Speaking of heat, you can add 1 spicy Chile such as a Serrano or a jalapeño pepper, although they are not traditionally added.

🥗 How to Make This Tabouli Salad Recipe

Step 1: Add bulgur to a medium-sized bowl. Pour warm water over the bulgur and soak for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Most of the water will get absorbed, but squeeze handfuls of bulgur over a strainer, to remove any additional moisture. Place the bulgur in the fridge until completely cooled.

Step 3: Meanwhile, chop/mince the vegetables and herbs then add to a medium-sized bowl. Once the bulgur has cooled off, mix in with the vegetables and herbs.

Step 4: Whisk the dressing ingredients, and pour over the salad.

Step 5: Gently mix the salad ingredients, and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Sometimes the salad needs a little extra lemon juice or salt right before serving it.

How to Make Gluten Free Tabbouleh

If you can't tolerate gluten, you can still enjoy this tasty salad. Just substitute quinoa for the bulgur. You'll want to cook the quinoa as directed on the package then cool completely before mixing it in with the other ingredients.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

• If you prefer the taste of traditional Tabouli, just leave out the Romaine lettuce and jalapeno. Instead, add a whole bunch of Italian parsley.
• Tabouli is best when eaten the same day, but if you have leftovers, a squirt of fresh lemon can do wonders.
• Bulgur comes in four grinds. Grind #1 is the finest, while #4 is the largest grind and is used to make (Bulgur Pilaf). The finest grind is used to make Tabouli.
• If you don't have fresh mint, dried mint can be substituted.
• Some add additional ingredients like Sumac Powder or Pomegranate Molasses to Tabouli.

🧆 Tabouli Salad Serving Suggestions

Tabbouleh is always served as part of "Mezza" or as an "appetizer." Other appetizers usually accompany tabouli. Here are a few examples:

• Assyrian Egg rolls
• Foul Medames (dilled fava beans)
• Falafel
• Arayes (meat-stuffed Pita Pockets)
• Pita Bread

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