Easy Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
A fresh and light salad perfect for summer barbecues, made with bulgur wheat, Roma tomatoes, green onion, lots of parsley and mint. I love tabouli! It doesn’t last long in my house.
Tabouli is a Mediterranean salad made with bulgur wheat and fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, parsley, green onion and mint. With a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon or lime juice, and salt and pepper, this salad is so easy to make and goes so well with many other dishes. Or on its own. I can eat this all by itself for lunch, a snack, dinner, anytime really.
Ingredients
- Bulgur wheat– also called burghul on some packages. Use medium or fine bulgur for tabouli. Refer to the packaging of your bulgur for soaking/cooking instructions.
- Roma tomatoes-Roma tomatoes are the best because they are a firm tomato with the least amount of water.
- Green Onion– the mild flavor of green onions is perfect for tabouli.
- Parsley– flat leaf is the best, but I have also used curly when not able to find flat leaf.
- Mint– just a few mint leaves are needed for this dish.
- Olive Oil- the best olive oil you can find as it really imparts its flavor.
- Lemon or Lime Juice– lemon is traditional, but lime juice works really well with the flavors of everything else.
- Salt and Pepper– to taste.
Let’s Make This
Tabouli is an easy dish to make. You are just chopping up vegetables, adding water to the bulgur to soak (or cook if needed), add everything together, stir and enjoy.
The parsley and mint can be chopped up in the food processor. This is probably the best way as it is so much easier than trying to chop all of the parsley and mint by hand.
Throw everything into the bowl together, then combine. Pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop. I just love how simple and fresh this salad is!
Recipe Notes
Tabouli can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
No, tabouli does not freeze well because of the high water content of the tomatoes.
Make tabouli at least 30 minutes before you plan to serve it so the flavors have time to develop. For freshest results, do not make this salad more than one day ahead of time from when you will serve it.
Bulgur wheat, or burghul, is a cracked wheat whole grain that is parboiled. Bulgur does not need to be cooked, just soaked. The time depends on the coarseness of the bulgur.
For tabouli, you should use either the fine or medium grain bulgur.
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Tabouli Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry bulgur wheat
- 2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes (about 4-5 tomatoes)
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 2 bunches chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 tsp each salt and pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- If cooking tabouli, in a large pot, add tabouli and just enough water to cover the grains. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until water has been absorbed. Or, if using fine bulgur, soak in 1/2 cup water until fully absorbed, about 20 minutes. Please refer to cooking directions on the package of bulgur wheat you purchase.
- While bulgur is cooking/soaking, chop up the tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and mint. Juice the lime or lemon.
- Add the chopped vegetables, olive oil, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the bulgur to the same bowl once it is done.
- Mix everything until fully incorporated.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
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