Honestly, I am getting hungry just thinking about this Tabbouleh salad again!
Tabbouleh is the Arabian dish that I like to make the most because it is so easy to prepare and tastes delicious. This salad is traditionally made of tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, chopped parsley, mint, and bulgur. Now, bulgur is a whole wheat grain that is partially pre-cooked, it is low in fat, but as a whole grain, it contains gluten.
Sometimes some friends tell me that they would like to make Tabbouleh, but they don’t prepare it because the bulgur can be very hard to find at the supermarkets. I normally don’t think it is that hard because I live in a big city where things are easily found. So if you have problems finding it, you can easily substitute bulgur for quinoa, couscous, or even brown rice. Another easy version of this recipe is this Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh Salad Recipe.
Depends on the type of bulgur wheat you have, there are many different ways to prepare it. I suggest you check the package for cooking instructions. For some types of bulgur, you just need to soak it by adding boiling water, stirring, covering, and letting sit for a few minutes. For others, you actually have to do a quick cooking which means bring water to a boil, add bulgur, boil for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, cover, and let stand for a few minutes as well. The brand that I always use only requires soaking the bulgur for five minutes. For seasoning, I just use olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. That’s it. Easy as can be. That is one advantage of making Tabbouleh for dinner. Fast, easy, and delicious.
Now, I would like to hear from you. What is your favorite recipe to make when you don’t have much time? Are you looking for more salad recipes? Try my Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Salad and Carrot Quinoa Salad. These are some of my favorite lunches or dinners, it’s so light and refreshing while being filling. Another light and refreshing recipe I’ve been loving lately is this Pineapple Mango Mint Smoothie.

Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1 cup pre-soaked bulgur
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes seeded and halved
- 1 cucumber peeled, seedless and fine dice
- ¾ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ tsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 finely minced scallions
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- How to prepare pre-soak Bulgur.
- Place ½ cup Bulgur in a heatproof bowl. Pour 1-cup boiling water and let stand for about 1 hour. After one hour you will have 1 cup pre-soaked bulgur.
For the Salad
- Combining in a salad bowl presoaked bulgur with the remaining ingredients, including olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
- Then toss well and adjust the seasoning if you think it is necessary.
Notes
- Cut everything into small bite-sized pieces so you get a bite of everything with each spoonful.
- Fresh herbs are ideal but you can swap for dried herbs if you do not have any available.
- To store: Store leftover tabbouleh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Simply microwave the leftovers to reheat them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve never made tabbouleh. Thanks for making it look so simple and giving those tips, so I know what to look for when buying bulgur. I had no idea there were different types. Looks absolutely delicious! Pinning.
Thank you so much, Cindy. You are so kind 😉 I hope you can give this a try! Have a wonderful weekend.
What a great summer side dish or light lunch! I like your idea to try making tabbouleh with quinoa. I might try that sometime! Your version looks wonderful. 🙂
Thank you Kristine! So happy you stopped by. Have a nice weekend!
Tabbouleh is my favourite- love how summery the dish is! Definitely going to try out your recipe! 🙂
happy you stopped by 😉
Fantastic quick recipe! I love tabbouleh made with quinoa because I cook for gluten-free celiac folks in my house. For quick dinners, I make a kale salad and top it with some vegetables and hummus, or I recently have been doing spiralized zucchini noodles and top that with some chickpeas and avocado. Quick, healthy, and delish!
Sound delicious. Thanks for stopping by 😉
My husband LOVES tabbouleh! This looks like a beautiful summer recipe!
My husband too 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
This tabbouleh looks so fresh and delicious! What a perfect light meal for summer!
Thanks a lot, Cate!
Such beautiful pictures, so fresh and summery! Tabbouleh is also one of my absolute favourites, but I usually make it with couscous. Will give bulgur a go next time.
I made sometimes with couscous also. It is so good. Happy you stopped by 😉
That’s one of our favorites on warm summer days.I also add some young onions to get more flavors : )
SO glad you enjoyed this recipe 😉