Authentic Tabbouleh Salad with Bulgur
Traditional tabbouleh salad is a bright, zesty, and herb-forward salad that has graced tables across the Middle East for centuries. Made with bulgur macerated in fresh herbs and vegetable juices, it’s a perfect salad to go with grilled meat and vegetables or served as a meal on its own.
In my kitchen, tabbouleh is a favorite for spring and summer, served as a light meal, a side for grilled vegetables and meats, or an appetizer. Try it stuffed in tomatoes or scooped with lettuce leaves. I stay true to the traditional version where a mountain of finely chopped parsley dominates but add a few playful touches like fresh mint, cucumber, and scallions.
For complete menu planning, consider pairing this tabbouleh salad with other crowd-pleasers that balance flavor and texture. You could start with a creamy and tangy marinated goat cheese. For a protein option, the rich, buttery Chicken Kiev is a classic and family favorite that never disappoints. I like to serve crispy, golden Potato Croquettes alongside as a vegetarian option. Bring something hearty like peppers stuffed with carrot confit to the table for a satisfying side dish. And don’t forget to end on a sweet note! A slice of flaky, aromatic Armenian Gata will wrap things up beautifully. This mix of recipes creates a vibrant, unforgettable spread for any occasion.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Tabbouleh Recipe
There’s something incredibly refreshing and nourishing about a bowl of freshly chopped herbs and citrusy bulgur. It’s a naturally vegan, nutrient-rich salad that pairs beautifully with a variety of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, from homemade Egyptian falafel patties to Armenian red lentil koftas. This authentic tabbouleh recipe brings out the best of each ingredient, delivering bold flavors that are as vibrant as they are nourishing. Here’s what makes this dish stand out and why it will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen.
Grocery and Pantry List
Notes & Substitutions
Time Required
Special Tools to Use
How to Make Traditional Tabbouleh Salad
Step 1: Soak the Bulgur
Use fine or medium-fine bulgur. Soak it in just enough warm water or tomato juice for 10 minutes until tender but with a slight bite.
Step 2: Chopping the herbs and vegetables
Choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes. Dice them finely using a sharp knife or onion chopper for uniform size and texture.
Step 3: Mixing the Citrus Dressing
What ties tabbouleh salad together is its zesty citrus dressing. To make it, you’ll need fresh lemon juice. Combine the juice with high-quality extra virgin olive oil to create a balanced base. A pinch of salt, paprika, and a touch of cayenne pepper.
Step 4: Combining the Salad
In a large mixing bowl combine the bulgur and tomatoes together. Add the diced cucumber, chopped parsley, and scallions, and gently toss them together.
Pour the citrus dressing over and give it another mix to coat everything with the dressing. Adjust the seasoning if needed. You might want to give another taste-test after the salad rested and chilled, as the bulgur will have time to absorb all the juices and flavors.
Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving.
Give the salad a final taste. At this stage, I like to add the mint. Either hand tear the leaves or chiffonade them. To chiffonade, stack the leaves, roll them tightly, and then use a sharp knife to slice across the roll into thin ribbons.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
The best way to serve tabbouleh is on a bed of lettuce leaves or tender grape leaves. The leaves are not just a garnish, they are part of the eating experience. Use the leaves to scoop the salad or wrap it inside.
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bulgur?
Wheat was one of the first cultivated agricultural crops of the Fertile Crescent and in thousands of years of cultivation, people found various ways to process and use wheat, to make it more convenient and accessible. Bulgur is a wheat berry parboiled, sundried, and cracked. Bulgur wheat comes in different sizes from fine to super coarse and each size calls for different uses. Since it is already par-cooked it is very convenient to use for a quick meal. It is used for making pilafs, koftas, salads, soup and much more.
What is in traditional tabbouleh salad?
Even though the main ingredient in tabbouleh is bulgur, the star of traditional tabbouleh is parsley (fresh and finely chopped) which always dominates and balances out the nuttiness of the bulgur and the brightness of the tomatoes. This recipe variation is made with bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, lettuce, and scallions.
More Recipes to Try from Cafe Osharak
Loved this? Then I’ve got more for you! Try Smoky Mutabal, Stuffed Pepper with Carrots, or Chicken Kiev next for a new flavor adventure in your kitchen. I promise, they’re all winners!
Mutabal
Stuffed Peppers
Chicken Kiev
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Authentic Spring Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dry bulgur wheat
- 3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems chopped fine
- 2-3 tomatoes diced small
- 1-2 cucumbers diced
- 4 scallions sliced ¼ cup
- 1/4 cup lemon juice more to taste
- 6 mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl cover the bulgur with 1⁄2 cup of hot water and ½ teaspoon of salt, cover and set aside to hydrate.
- Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers and place in a large bowl.
- Chop the scallions and parsley as finely as you can and add to the bowl.
- Check the bulgur, it should be fluffed and doubled in volume. Add it to the rest of the ingredients. Toss all together and season with salt and spices. Add the lemon juice and give it a stir. Drizzle with the olive oil and lastly, chop the mint and add it to the salad.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for a couple of hours. The bulgur will absorb the additional juices from the vegetables and greens.
- If there is too much liquid in the salad you can drain it to prevent sogginess. Adjust the seasoning and add lemon juice to taste.
- Serve on a bed of whole leaf lettuce, with lavash or pita bread.
