Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad (Printable Version)

A refreshing mix of parsley, bulgur, tomatoes, cucumber with lemon-olive oil dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Place bulgur in a small bowl and pour boiling water over it. 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 finely chopped parsley, mint leaves, spring onions, diced tomatoes, and cucumber.
03 - Incorporate soaked and fluffed bulgur into the bowl with herbs and vegetables, mixing thoroughly.
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 evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes with zero cooking, perfect for those days when heat is the last thing your kitchen needs.
  • The herbaceous brightness hits different when you taste how parsley becomes the main character instead of a garnish.
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors do their thing while you handle other things.
02 -
  • Seeding the tomatoes is not optional—it's the difference between a crisp salad and one that becomes watery and sad after sitting for an hour.
  • Let the bulgur cool completely before mixing it with the dressing, otherwise it'll absorb everything and become dense instead of light and fluffy.
03 -
  • Make sure your knife is sharp when chopping the herbs—a dull knife bruises them and releases bitter compounds that muddy the clean flavor you're going for.
  • If your lemon is cold from the fridge, roll it gently on the counter before cutting it; it'll yield more juice and the juice will be fresher tasting.
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