I love tabbouleh and have been making it for years. A chef once told me, “Tabbouleh is a parsley salad, not a bulgar wheat salad.” I think the reason most people (especially grocery store deli employees) make tabbouleh with more wheat than parsley is because chopping is time-consuming and labor-intensive whereas pouring boiling water over a bowl of bulgar wheat and letting it “cook” is incredibly easy.
But, there is no getting around the fact that a really great tabbouleh salad requires lots of chopping and lots of parsley. My tabbouleh recipe contains both parsley and cilantro, and it’s bright, tangy, and fresh!Three things really make this tabbouleh salad a stand-out: the cilantro, fresh lemon zest, and plenty of salt.
Tabbouleh makes a great side for barbecued meats and holds well in the refrigerator so it’s a great weekday work lunch, too.
Not eating gluten? Try Substituting quinoa or brown rice in place of the bulgar wheat for an equally delicious gluten-free version.
Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium bulgar wheat
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/3 cup chopped mint
- 4 scallions, thinly chopped
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- zest from two lemons
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- pinch of freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the bulgar in a medium bowl. Cover and set aside until the water is absorbed.
- Stir together all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the bulgar and mix thoroughly.
- Let the flavors mingle for about 30 minutes before serving.
