Finally! I’ve discovered the finest tabbouleh recipe. It’s on par with, if not better than, the food at my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant nearby. I think you’ll agree once you give it a try.
Parsley is the main component in tabbouleh, often called tabouli, which is a bulgur and herb salad. Cucumber and tomato dice are scattered throughout, and the only dressing is some olive oil and lemon juice. It is light, energizing, and loaded with nutritious nutrients.
Tabbouleh is a common side dish on Mediterranean restaurants. It pairs well with my favorite foods, including hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, feta, and olives.
Over the years, I’ve made tabbouleh at home, and I’m excited to share what I’ve discovered with you today. Ready to prepare some delicious tabbouleh?
Ingredients for tabbouleh Bulgur
Bulgur is a whole grain because it is made of parboiled cracked wheat. It is fluffy and delicate once prepared. Contrary to popular belief, couscous and bulgur are not the same (couscous is actually tiny pasta).
I haven’t been able to get authentic tabbouleh at conventional grocery stores, even though it’s made using bulgur made from the finest grain possible (#1) and is soaked rather than cooked. Bulgur comes in a number of different flavors, but the supermarket usually just has one. Cook (or soak) it in accordance with the instructions on the package.
new parsley
A lot of parsley is used in traditional tabbouli. This salad is extremely green because of that. I experimented with both curly and flat-leaf, and for once, curly is the better option. Curly parsley provides some extra volume to this tabbouleh, even when it is very finely chopped.
Standard and adding even more fresh flavor are fresh mint and green onion mint. However, if you don’t grow it yourself, it can be pricey, so you can omit it if you’d prefer.
My go-to mild onion is the green onion. In tabbouleh, it works wonders.
Tomato with cucumber
Fresh cucumber and tomato enhance the refreshing quality by adding more texture and color. Have I yet emphasized how refreshing is?
I was unaware that cucumber is rare in tabbouleh until I heard from Lebanese readers! It’s fairly nice, but you can skip it if you prefer.
Lemon Juice, Garlic, and Olive Oil
A straightforward dressing of olive oil and lemon juice is used on tabbouleh. Although not all tabbouleh recipes use garlic, I believe the addition of one clove makes this dish even more wonderful.
The Best Tabbouleh Recipe
1) Salt your cucumber and tomato, then squeeze out any extra juice.
Thankfully, this doesn’t require any further time. When tomatoes and cucumbers are exposed to salt, they release a lot of moisture, which will cause your tabbouleh to become way too watery if you do not drain it.
The tomato and cucumber should simply be mixed together in a bowl with some salt (you can find this recipe below), then leave aside while you chop the parsley. Before you combine the salad, drain the extra juice. Easy!
2) Use a lot of finely chopped parsley.
Three bunches of parsley are required for this dish, and the quickest method to chop that much parsley is in a food processor. It can be done manually, but it will take some time. The thin parsley stems aren’t necessary to remove because they provide a ton of flavor.
3) Add enough salt and lemon juice to season.
To achieve the desired level of flavor and zing in your tabbouleh, use sufficient amounts of lemon and salt.
Also read: Layered Panzanella
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups bulgur
- 1 cup cucumbers, diced (1 small-to-medium)
- 1 cup tomato, chopped (1 large)
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt, broken up
- three small bunches of curly parsley
- 2/3 cup (1/3 cup) fresh mint leaves, chopped (optional but suggested; add to the food processor with the parsley).
- 13 cup of green onions, finely sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup
- lemon juice, 3 to 4 teaspoons, to taste
- 1 medium clove of chopped or crushed garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
- Following the instructions on the package, cook or soak the bulgur until it is soft. Remove any extra water, then leave the area to cool.
In the meantime, combine the chopped cucumber and tomato with 12 tsp of the salt in a medium bowl. When you’re ready to mix the salad, stir the mixture again and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. - Cut the thick stems off the parsley before preparing it. Then, finely chop the remaining parsley stems. You may do this by hand, but a food processor fitted with the standard “S” blade makes it much simpler. Each bunch should produce about 1 cup of chopped parsley. Process one bunch at a time, transferring the chopped parsley to a big serving bowl before moving on to the next.
- To the parsley bowl, add the bulgur that has cooled, the green onion, and any fresh mint that has been chopped. To prevent your tabbouleh from becoming excessively watery, strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. To the bowl, add the squeezed cucumber and tomato.
- Combine the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, the garlic, and the last 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a small measuring cup or bowl. Add it to the salad and blend by stirring. Try it, and if it needs more zing or salt for a richer flavor, add another tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Allowing the salad to rest for 15 minutes before serving will allow the flavors to meld. If not, you may either serve it right away or refrigerate it for later. For up to 4 days, covered in the refrigerator, tabbouleh keeps well.
NOTES
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Bulgur is not gluten free (it’s cracked wheat). Substitute quinoa for an untraditional gluten-free option. You’ll use the same amount (½ cup) uncooked quinoa, or 1 ½ cups cooked leftover quinoa. Here’s how to cook quinoa.
*TOMATO NOTE: Use the most ripe and red tomatoes you can find! If you’re making this salad when tomatoes aren’t in season, cherry tomatoes might be your best bet.