Authentic Lebanese Tabouli
Prep Time 10 minutes | Total Time 30 minutes
This authentic Lebanese food recipe was handed down to me from my grandmother. Tabouli salad is a vegan powerhouse, packed with fresh parsley, ripe tomatoes, bulgur wheat, and zesty lemon juice, not only is this tabouleh recipe delicious, but it's also heart-healthy and rich in fiber, iron, and antioxidants. Perfect as a light meal, an appetizer, or a side dish, it brings a burst of nutrition and flavor to your table without sacrificing taste. Elevate your plant-based cooking with this easy-to-make, nutrient-dense tabouli salad!
Ingredients
3/4 cup medium grain bulgur wheat soaked in warm water * for gluten free recipe replace the bulgur with 1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of flat parsley
2-3 large tomatoes - Get the best tomatoes you can find- this will really make the dish!
1-2 bunches of scallions
2 Lemons
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1& 1/2 teaspoon fresh mint
Salt to taste
Instructions
Note- because the steps can be a bit tricky- I suggest you watch my YouTube tutorial on how to make this before you make your own.
Be sure to soak the bulgur wheat in warm water for about 20 minutes - chop your veggies while you wait.
Pick the leaves off of one bunch of flat parsley, then use a food processor on pulse or chop the parsley by hand into finely cut pieces.
Cut tomatoes into quarters or eights and remove the seeds. Then chop them into uniform and small pieces about 1/2 inch big.
Chop the scallions - cut off the very bottom (where the roots are) of the scallion then chop the scallions into small thin disks- you can use most of the scallion white and green parts- I do not use the very tops! You can also chop these in the food processor using the pulse function.
Squeeze two lemons to collect all the juice from both lemons and place it into a bowl.
Mix the lemon juice with the 2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil and add about 1/2 -3/4 teaspoon of salt to the mixture then mix well.
Drain the bulgur wheat in a fine strainer through or through cheesecloth to get rid of excess water- if you don’t have either just pick up handfuls of bulgur and squeeze out the excess water- this is how I do it and how grandma did it! If you are using quinoa - cook first and let it cool to room temperature!
Mix all the vegetables and bulgur (or quinoa for gluten free) together in a covered dish.
Pour the dressing - lemon juice/Olive Oil mixture over the entire salad and mix very well.
For best results, put the tabouli in the refrigerator and mix once ever hour for 2-3 hours, I suggest letting it sit for at least 3 hours before serving for the dressing to really absorb into the bulgur, however you can eat it right away, it just tastes better if it can sit.
Serve with lettuce or pita bread- look below for tips on how to enjoy Lebanese style!
Notes
Want to eat it the “authentic” way? Use your hands and scoop up bits of salad with lettuce leaves - Iceberg lettuce goes well with this. Think of it like a little lettuce wrap. You can also eat it Lebanese style with your hands and pita break. Not up for eating with your hands? That’s ok it tastes almost as good with fork!
You can also use food processor to chop the veggies but it is tricky- the tomatoes can become mushy- so be sure to pulse carefully if you try to use a food processor
Gluten free- no problem- use quinoa— just be sure you know how to cook quinoa properly so it isn’t bitter!
This is best when the produce is fresh! It is amazing in the summer and in fact that is the only time grandma would make it (except for holidays)
