Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad (Print Version)

A refreshing Middle Eastern dish with parsley, bulgur, tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon-olive oil dressing.

# Components:

→ Grains

01 - 1/2 cup fine bulgur wheat
02 - 3/4 cup boiling water

→ Herbs & Greens

03 - 2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 2 cups packed)
04 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
05 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced

→ Vegetables

06 - 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
07 - 1/2 medium cucumber, diced

→ Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Place bulgur in a small bowl and pour over boiling water. Cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water and fluff with a fork.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped parsley, mint, spring onions, tomatoes, and cucumber.
03 - Add the soaked and fluffed bulgur to the bowl with the vegetables and herbs.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes flat, which means dinner can happen on a random Tuesday without planning.
  • The freshness hits different—each bite tastes like someone just brought the herbs in from the garden.
  • It's naturally vegan, so you can serve it to anyone without second-guessing ingredients.
02 -
  • Seed your tomatoes or you'll end up with a soggy salad by the time you actually eat it—this is the lesson that took me three tries to learn.
  • The bulgur needs to be completely cool before you mix it in, otherwise it'll wilt the herbs and release too much moisture into everything.
03 -
  • If you're chopping herbs by hand and your knife is dull, the parsley will bruise and turn dark—sharpen your knife first and you'll notice the difference immediately.
  • Keep the tomatoes separate until the very last moment; they release liquid that will make everything soggy if they sit mixed too long before you add the dressing.
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