Tabouleh (Middle Eastern Parsley Salad)
Tabouleh is a traditional Levantine salad that is widely popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, made primarily with finely chopped fresh parsley, tomatoes, onions, and bulgur wheat, all dressed in a simple mixture of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh parsley preferably flat-leaf
- 2 medium tomatoes about 1 cup when finely diced
- 2 medium cucumber about 1 cup when finely diced
- 2 tbsp fine bulgur wheat #1 washed and drained
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice about ½ lemon or more as needed
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Dice the tomatoes and cucumber.
- Finely chop the onions.
- Wash the bulgur wheat few times and drain it. No soaking required.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the washed bulgur wheat, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, and onions.
- Pour the olive oil and squeeze half lemon over the salad.
- Toss everything together until well combined.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Toss again to ensure even distribution.
- Let the tabouleh sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- The bulgur should require no cooking. There is no need to cook fine #1 bulgur. It simply needs to be soaked in liquid to become tender.
- Use fresh, vibrant parsley, preferably flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, for the best flavor and texture. Wash it thoroughly and dry it well to avoid excess moisture in the salad.
- Choose ripe but firm tomatoes to avoid a watery salad. Plum or Roma tomatoes are good choices due to their lower water content.
- The ratio of parsley to bulgur is key. The parsley should dominate the dish, with the bulgur acting as a complement, not the main component.