This easy Tabbouleh Salad recipe is a light and fresh salad made with bulgur wheat, parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a few simple seasonings an is easy to make! Enjoy it for lunch or as a side dish to grilled proteins or any main meal.
Easy Chopped Tabbouleh Salad is a classic recipe that is great for dinner parties, picnics, and Sunday dinners. The recipe is one of over a dozen tasty recipes from the newest book in The Food From Our Ancestors Cookbook Series by Liz Della Croce of The Lemon Bowl.
The easy tabbouleh salad comes together in little time. I usually have all of these ingredients on hand, making it a great last-minute option for Sunday dinner. The fresh herbs, cucumber, bulgur, and tomatoes combine with a light and fresh lemon olive oil dressing. I love prepping this salad to serve with roasted or grilled chicken for Sunday dinner. Leftovers taste great throughout the week making it a great meal prep option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It uses simple and fresh ingredients.
- You can pair it with any main dish or protein, or use it as a healthy side.
- It’s high in fiber and nutrient-dense.
- It can be eaten at room temperature or cold making it the perfect on-the-go meal.
Tabbouleh Ingredients
- Fine Bulgur Wheat – This grain is traditionally used in tabbouleh salad and has a chewy texture and is hearty and satisfying.
- Fresh Parsley – Adds a bright fresh garden taste and pop of green color.
- Roma Tomatoes – Adds color and acidity along with natural sweetness.
- Seedless Cucumbers – Gives this salad bulk and crunch along with a fresh garden taste.
- Scallions – Adds a light onion flavor to the dish that’s not overpowering.
- Mint – Adds a pop of freshness that is a classic flavor in this salad.
- Olive Oil & Lemon Juice – These two ingredients make up somewhat of a vinaigrette that helps coat the salad and bring all the flavors together.
- Salt & Pepper – Balances and enhances all the flavors in the dish.
How To Make Tabbouleh Salad
Step 1. Cook the bulgur. Place the bulgur wheat in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Top with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
Step 2. Prepare the chopped ingredients. In a large bowl, combine parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, and mint.
Step 3. Assemble the salad. Flake apart bulgur with a fork and toss together with vegetables. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips
- Use a food processor to finely chop the parsley, if desired. Pulse on high for 60 seconds or until parsley is finely minced.
- Make sure your bulgur is of the extra fine variety. This will help the water absorb quickly so the grains become nice and tender.
- English cucumbers are best for this recipe because they tend to be more firm and release less water which helps keep the salad nice and crunchy.
- For the same reason, a slightly underripe Roma tomato is recommended for this recipe.
- This easy tabbouleh salad tastes best when all of the flavors have had a chance to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Variations
- Add a spicy kick by adding some cayenne pepper or red chili flake to the mix.
- Give it a different citrus twist by using lime juice instead of lemon juice.
- Sweeten it up by adding a handful of dried cranberries or raisins.
- Can’t find bulgur? Try using quinoa or farro as a replacement and cook according to the package instructions.
- For more fresh herb flavor, add a handful of fresh garden basil to the mix.
FAQs
Yes! This dish is packed with fresh vegetables and herbs making it nutrient-dense and full of fiber.
You can follow this recipe to make a great homemade tabbouleh salad by mixing cooked bulgur with finely chopped vegetables and herbs and tossing them together until combined.
Bulgur is a grain while tabouli is the salad that is traditionally made with the bulgur grain.
You can eat this salad with just about anything, but traditionally, it is served with pita or wrapped in lettuce leaves as a meal or side.
How To Serve Tabbouleh Salad
- Serve it alongside a Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich for lunch.
- Goes great with Grilled Lobster Tail.
- Pairs well with a side of Easy Oven Roasted Beets.
- Add to a plate and top with Lemon Garlic Shrimp.
Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fine bulgur wheat
- 2 bunches parsley, finely chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup seedless cucumbers, diced (optional)
- 6 scallions, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place bulgur wheat in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Top with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- In a large bowl, combine parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions and mint.
- Flake apart bulgur with a fork and toss together with vegetables.
- Drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Use a food processor to finely chop the parsley, if desired. Pulse on high for 60 seconds or until parsley is finely minced.
Nutrition
Recipe reprinted with permission from Liz Della Croce, Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner.
The fresh herbs paired with the brightness of the lemon is amazing in this. So fresh and light. We love it!
Just tried this recipe and my family loved it. Thank you so much!