Tabouli (Tabbouleh)
Tabouli is a simple, fresh salad with parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, and bulgur in a lemon dressing.
Servings: 10 servings (as a side)
Cost: $11.34
Equipment
- Wide-mouth Mason Jar or other sealable container
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fine bulgur wheat see note 1
- Salt and pepper
- 1-1/2 cups diced English cucumber see note 2
- 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 packed cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 packed cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 bunches, see note 3
- 3/4 cup finely chopped green onions 1 bunch
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Bring 1-1/4 cups water to a boil. Add bulgur to a large glass bowl, sprinkle with salt, and pour the boiling water over. Stir, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 15–25 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove plastic wrap, fluff with a fork, and let cool to room temperature. For faster cooling, place in the fridge. Bulgur can be made ahead for easy prep later.
- Zest and juice lemon to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 1-1/2 tablespoons juice. Add to a wide-mouth jar with all other dressing ingredients. Season to taste (I add 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Shake vigorously to combine and place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Add completely cooled bulgur, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, parsley, and green onions to a large bowl. Toss gently. Add dressing and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. This salad gets tastier after it's had some time to chill!
Video
Notes
Note 1: Fine bulgur is best for texture and quick preparation. If using a coarser variety, follow package directions for cooking, as the steaming method doesn't work.
Note 2: Regular cucumbers are too watery and lack flavor. Use English or Persian cucumbers (also called mini/salad cucumbers). Remove seeds and dice finely.
Note 3: Hand-chopping herbs is best—food processors make them uneven, watery, and cause faster browning. Use flat-leaf Italian parsley for better flavor over curly parsley, which is mainly for garnish.
Storage: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Green onion flavor gets stronger over time. Stir before serving and add seasoning or lemon if needed. Tabouli doesn’t freeze well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg