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This traditional tabbouleh is made with parsley, mint, green onions, tomatoes, and bulgur, all tossed in an olive oil-lemon dressing. Quick, restaurant-quality vegan Lebanese salad!
Table of contents
What is tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh (aka tabouli or tabouleh) is a refreshing Levantine salad from Lebanon and Syria. It is a vibrant mix of fresh parsley, mint, tomatoes, green onions, and a hint of bulgur wheat, dressed in a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Parsley is the standout ingredient in an authentic tabbouleh, giving it a fragrant, herby flavor. The bulgur is soaked directly in the dressing, allowing it to absorb the flavors and become deliciously chewy.
This healthy Lebanese salad is packed with flavor and contains plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Perfect for pairing or enjoying on its own, and this version is the one I grew up with. I may be slightly biased, but I think it’s the best tabbouleh ever!
Recipe video tutorial
Ingredients
- Fresh Parsley: You need Italian/flat-leaf parsley and plenty of it (leaves and stems). Parsley is the star of the show, after all! If unavailable, curly parsley serves as a substitute.
- Mint: Though technically optional, fresh mint leaves are, in my view, an essential addition.
- Green Onions: Green onions/scallions add a wonderful subtle onion flavor without overpowering it. You could substitute red onion or sweet onion for a more robust flavor.
- Tomatoes: Use firm, fleshy tomatoes that are ripe.
- Bulgur Wheat: Bulgur wheat, sometimes called cracked wheat, comes in several sizes. I use the finest one, labeled extra fine, which only takes a few minutes to start soaking up the dressing liquid and softening.
- For The Dressing: Fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper (to taste).
- Lettuce: To serve, choose crisp and fresh lettuce leaves.
How to make tabbouleh
Step 1: Wash and Dry Your Veggies
First, rinse all your vegetables under cold water to remove dirt. If you have a salad spinner, use it to shake off excess water for the parsley, mint, and green onions. If not, gently pat them dry with a kitchen towel. It’s important to make sure these herbs are dry to avoid a soggy tabbouleh salad.
Step 2: Prep the Bulgur and Dressing
Mix the bulgur, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Leave it aside for a bit. This helps the bulgur soak up all the tasty dressing and get soft.
Step 3: Chop Your Veggies
Start by dicing the tomatoes into small, bite-sized pieces. Then, gather the parsley into a bundle and discard the thick stems. Chop the parsley finely. Next, finely chop the mint leaves, ensuring that they are cut in one direction to prevent bitterness. To beautifully chop the mint leaves, stack them neatly, then chop finely for uniform pieces.
Lastly, thinly slice the onions, almost resembling strings. Place all these freshly chopped ingredients into a large salad bowl. Remember, tabbouleh requires quite a bit of chopping, but don’t worry, you’ll master it in no time!
Step 4: Mix Everything
Pour the soaked bulgur mixture over the chopped vegetables in the bowl. Then gently mix everything with a spoon or your hands, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated with the dressing and the flavors are thoroughly combined throughout the salad.
How to serve tabbouleh
Tabbouleh, loved for its fresh taste, is a fantastic addition to any mezze spread and works as an appetizer or side dish for a wide variety of meals. One easy way to enjoy it is by using romaine lettuce leaves as scoops. This is a common way to serve it in Lebanon, often alongside hummus, chicken tawook, kofta, or kibbeh. Whether as a starter or a side dish, tabbouleh adds a burst of flavor to any meal.
More salads to try
If you try this tabouli recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 2.8 oz flat-leaf parsley 1 large bunch; or curly parsley as an alternative
- 10.8 oz tomatoes 1 large or 2 medium; firm and ripe
- 1.6 oz green onion 5 stalks; or scallions
- 0.2 oz fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup chopped
- 0.2 oz bulgur wheat 1.5 Tbsp
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 lemon or 5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3.8 oz lettuce 1 medium head; to serve with
Instructions
- Rinse all vegetables under cold water to remove any dirt.
- Use a salad spinner to dry the parsley, mint, and green onions, or gently pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Ensure the herbs are dry to prevent a soggy salad.
- In a small bowl, mix the bulgur wheat, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside to allow bulgur to absorb the dressing and soften.
- Dice tomatoes into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Remove the thick stems from the parsley and chop the rest finely. Finely chop the mint leaves, cutting in one direction to prevent bitterness. Thinly slice onions, resembling strings.
- Place all chopped ingredients into a large salad bowl. Pour the soaked bulgur mixture over chopped vegetables and gently mix to ensure even coating with dressing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
amazing salads. so delicious. thanks
Thank you for your comment, Patricia!
Hmm, I suppose it was supposed to be 1.5 tsp COOKED Bulgar? I added straight from the package eek
Hi Sue,
Burgur wheat should already be pre-cooked in the package. So then you can soak it directly with the rest of the dressing ingredients. I hope this helps.
i soak the wheat in water then squeeze the water out and rub it with spring onions I love this salad with falafels,baba ghannouj and or hummus also kebabs…..mmmmmmm….i have eaten lebanese food for 40 years and love it so much,so tasty and so healthy,keep up the good work,cheers john the kiwi
Thank you so much for your comment, John!
What is the quantity of the lemon? Is it 1.5 lemons? Or is it 1.5 tablespoons?
Hi Miriam, sorry about that, it’s 1 and half small lemons. This is meant to be lemony, but you can start with one and see if you like it that way! then add more to your liking.
Tabbouleh is one of my all-time favorite dishes, and of course I always rely on Alphafoodie for the best recipes.
Thank you so much for your comment, Justin. Glad you are enjoying the recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly but did not include the optional chili pepper. And it was a big hit! It was delicious, thanks for the great recipe!
Absolutely delicious. Used fresh parsley and tomatoes from the garden, my husband and I loved it. Thanks so much.
So happy you tried this, Rach. Thank you for your comment.
2- To achieve the right tabouli texture, you will need to chop the vegetables as finely as possible. Can one use a food processor to chop tabouli ingredients? You can use one to chop the parsley, if you like, but I would advice you to chop the tomatoes, green onions etc. using a sharp knife.
Thanks for your comment. I suggest chopping the tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint. You could also blitz the parsley and mint in a food processor if you prefer – just one or two pulses to chop them finely.
I hope this helps.