Ola my friend! The salad of the week is Tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is an extremely popular Middle Eastern and Mediterranean salad that consists mainly of bulgur, parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The signature characteristic of this dish is that the veggies are finely chopped or minced. It is served cold and is a staple in Middle Eastern culture. There are several variations depending on the country you are in or are from. Read ‘All About Tabbouleh, History, Benefits, and Variations’ here to learn more. My tabbouleh recipe is closest to the Syrian version.
The Main Ingredients
Tabbouleh is perfectly refreshing to help you stay cool in the hot summer months. The fresh herbs and vegetables will have you feeling light and energized. Here are the stars of the show:
- Parsley: this is an incredible herb that is used to add flavor and garnish many dishes. It has a bright and lively flavor that make you want to smile and socialize.
- Bulgur: this is cracked wheat berries. Recipes typically call for the bulgur to be cooked. The bulgur in this tabbouleh recipe is airy and tender adding the perfect weight to the salad.
- Mint: The mint is a powerful fragrant herb used in many drinks and dishes. It has a cooling effect that can be so soothing.
Side note: I said what I said about parsley because eating this salad had me “scratching my head” so to speak because I wasn’t sure if it was the salad or something else. That is until I did some research on parsley. I promise I felt like my teeth were whiter after eating a bowl. You will see some amazing health benefits I highlighted later in this post.
Making Tabbouleh for the First Time
I have eaten tabbouleh countless times but I never made it. Taste wise, tabbouleh is consistent wherever you go for the most part. In my experience, I prefer tabbouleh from Middle Eastern markets or restaurants (the ones with good ratings and reviews). It tastes fresh and homemade which is usually the case. A cook usually come into the market early in the morning daily and prepare the dishes fresh. I tend to avoid tabbouleh sold at major food chains.
My first time making Tabbouleh was an absolute pleasure. I chose to finely chop or mince the ingredients by hand which can take some time especially if you are making more than three servings. I was slightly nervous about preparing the bulgur but that was the easiest thing to do. The bulgur was so fluffy and ready to be added to the salad. Falling in love was the only thing I didn’t anticipate happening.
When all of the ingredients were combined and seeing all of the colors just complimenting each other so well made me so happy. I honestly believe the colors and the aroma had me dreamy. The citrus fueled aroma was fresh, crisp and cheerful but at the same time warm.
Tabbouleh Recipe Gallery
Top 5 Reasons You Will Love Tabbouleh
- Delicious: this is the biggest reason you will fall in love with this salad. It is simple and yet so full of flavor. The blend of flavors from the herbs and the lemon is so satisfying.
- Healthy (It’s vegan!): this salad has fresh and all natural ingredients that have super powers that won’t wait. You will fill the difference in your energy after eating this salad. Your body has a way of letting you know how much it approves of what you are eating. It is a beautiful experience when you know you have made your body so proud of you. It is vegan and vegetarian friendly.
- Less ingredients: this salad is so powerful but only has 4-5 ingredients outside of the dressing. You cannot beat this perk for all the benefits you get.
- Quick and easy: because of the low number of ingredients, tabbouleh is quick and easy to make. The salad preparation is simply chop and combine. Even preparing the bulgur is easy and super fast – add boiling water to a bowl of bulgur and let sit.
- Affordable: for all of my budget friends out there, this salad which makes about 6-10 servings will cost you less than $10. That is not a bad deal at all!
Health Benefits
Here are my favorites for parsley:
- a wealthy source of Vitamin K which helps with bone strength and blood clotting.
- excellent diabetes regulator thanks to the flavonoid myricetin which lowers glucose levels and decreases insulin blockage.
- an exceptional cancer fighter thanks to antioxidants like luteolin, lycopene and more. These shield your cells from extreme harm.
- supports healthy menstruation while alleviating cramps (Ok!)
- a natural and effective diuretic which means it helps flush your bladder and urinary tract, detox your kidneys and release water weight gain.
- Helps with tooth health and is a natural breath freshener thanks to it’s antibacterial qualities. (So not a natural teeth whitener as I thought but I’m not convinced haha)
- … and so much more including health benefits for the brain, skin, and hair!
Read more details here and here.
Cost Break Down
| Item | Qty | Price |
| Fresh Parsley | 4 bunches | $2.72 @ $.88/bunch |
| Organic Mint | 1 small bunch | $1.98 |
| Cucumber | 2 medium | $.90 @ $.45/each |
| Roma Tomatoes | 6 small | $1.23 @ $.98/lb |
| White Onion | 1 medium | $.61 @ $.98/lb |
| Bulgur | 1 cup of 2lb bag | ≈ $.44 of $2.99 |
| Lemon | 2 small | $0.96 @ $.48/each |
| Total | – | $8.84 |
Until Next Time
Well, what do you think? You know some of the best times to eat tabbouleh is when it’s super hot outside or after a long holiday of eating greasy and fatty foods or even when you just need to flush your body and shed some water weight. This salad is a game changer in anyone’s detox regimen. Would you try eating or making this salad? Please drop a comment below or email me. I would love to hear your feedback and/or stories. If you need another detox salad idea then check out this powerful mango kale salad.
Well, I will take my leave for now. I look forward to our time together again soon. Be inspired to have an appetite to Live and Live well.
Adaeze
You Will Love This Copycat Tabbouleh Recipe
Equipment
- a small pot to boil water
- a large bowl to mix the salad
- a small container for the dressing
- Measuring cups and spoons
- a mixing utensil.
Ingredients
Tabbouleh Salad
- ▢ Fresh Parsley – 4 small bunches
- ▢ Organic Mint – 1 small bunch
- ▢ Cucumber – 2 medium
- ▢ Roma Tomatoes – 6 small
- ▢ White Onion – 1 medium
- ▢ Bulgur – 1 cup
- ▢ Boiling Water – 3 cups
Tabbouleh Dressing
- ▢ Lemon – 2 small
- ▢ Olive Oil – ⅓ cup
- ▢ Pink Himalayan Salt – 1 tsp (or sprinkle to taste)
- ▢ Black Pepper – ½ tsp (or sprinkle to taste)
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients and equipment.
Bulgur Prep
- Rinse bulgur and set aside.
- Add water to small pot, place on high heat until the water starts to boil.
- Remove boiling water from heat and add the bulgur to the pot.
- Allow the bulgur to sit for 15-30 minutes or until the water is visibly absorbed.
Tabbouleh Prep
- Rinse all vegetables well.
- Finely chop the parsley, mint, cucumber, tomatoes, and white onion and add to the bowl
- Next add the bulgur to the bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing across the top of the salad and mix the salad well.
Tabbouleh Dressing Prep
- Squeeze lemon juice into a small container
- Add the olive oil and seasonings to the container and stir or shake well.
Notes
- Note for Raw Vegans: you can rehydrate bulgar by soaking it warm water if you don’t want to boil the bulgar.
- You can substitute bulgur for quinoa if you prefer.
- I used coarse bulgur in this recipe. A good rule of thumb is to check for the water to be absorbed. The bulgur should be fluffy in texture and tender to taste.
- Be sure to drain the bulgur of any excess water that was not absorbed as needed before adding the salad.
- Finely chopping your herbs and leafy greens may take you a while so to save time, you can use a food processor.
- There are many ways to juice a lemon i.e. using a fruit squeezer, a juicer, microwaving it and squeezing by hand, and more.
- You can skip the salad container and add the dressing directly to your salad.
- Note that olive oil spreads well so a little go a long way. However, if you want to add a little more than you can. The goal is for the dressing to coat the salad gracefully and not drown the ingredients making it a cold soup.
- This salad can last 3-5 days from my experience.
- Please try to use the freshest and firmest vegetables for your salads. Save the mushy ones for your soups and stews.
- This recipe may take less than 25 minutes depending on your prep and chopping skill, speed, and accuracy (or if you use the processor of course).
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