Tabbouleh Salad (Middle Eastern herb salad)
Quick answer
Tabbouleh salad is a Middle Eastern herb salad where finely chopped parsley and mint are the main ingredients and bulgur plays a supporting textural role.
What makes this special
- Tabbouleh Salad prioritizes fresh parsley and mint over bulgur for a traditional Lebanese ratio.
- Herbs must outnumber bulgur to achieve the correct Lebanese green ratio
- Seeding tomatoes keeps the dressing from diluting
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Place 80 g bulgur in a roomy bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover it.
- 2 Drain the bulgur well, pressing lightly with a spoon so excess water does not thin the dressing later.
- 3 Dry 60 g parsley and 15 g mint thoroughly before chopping, since wet herbs make the salad heavy.
Tabbouleh salad is a Middle Eastern herb salad where finely chopped parsley and mint are the main ingredients and bulgur plays a supporting textural role. The bulgur is soaked in boiling water until tender, then cooled to develop a nutty chew that anchors the bright greenery piled on top. Removing the seeds from the tomatoes before dicing prevents excess juice from diluting the lemon-olive oil dressing. The dressing itself is simple - lemon juice, olive oil, and salt - but its acidity lifts the grassy flavor of the herbs into something sharp and clean. Resting the assembled salad in the refrigerator for at least ten minutes allows the lemon to penetrate the bulgur, producing a consistent flavor in every bite.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Place 80 g bulgur in a roomy bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover it.
Let it soak for 8-10 minutes, until the grains look more translucent and feel tender but still slightly chewy.
- 2Step
Drain the bulgur well, pressing lightly with a spoon so excess water does not thin the dressing later.
Spread it out in the sieve or bowl and cool until no steam remains.
- 3Season
Dry 60 g parsley and 15 g mint thoroughly before chopping, since wet herbs make the salad heavy.
Chop with a sharp upright motion rather than crushing, then slice 30 g green onion thinly.
- 4Season
Halve 160 g tomato and remove the seeds and watery center so the salad stays bright, not soupy.
Dice the flesh into small pieces close to the size of the bulgur grains.
- 5Season
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 0.5 teaspoon salt first.
When the salt dissolves, add the cooled bulgur and toss so the grains absorb the seasoning evenly.
- 6Finish
Add the herbs, green onion, and tomato, then fold from the bottom upward so the herbs stay fluffy and green.
Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, taste for salt and lemon, and serve cold.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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