Tabbouleh

Name: Tabbouleh
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 appetizer spread servings, 4 salad servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup fine bulgur wheat; 1 small garlic clove, minced (optional); Juice of 2 large lemons, to taste; 3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 3 large bunches); 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint; 1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, very finely chopped; 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped; Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 romaine lettuce heart, leaves separated, washed and dried

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated May 26, 2023

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(1,454)
Comments: Read comments

We think of tabbouleh as a bulgur salad with lots of parsley and mint. But real Lebanese tabbouleh is a lemony herb salad with a little bit of fine bulgur, an edible garden that you can scoop up with romaine lettuce heart leaves or simply eat with a fork. This will keep for a day in the refrigerator, though the bright green color will fade because of the lemon juice.

Featured in: A Focus on Fresh Herbs

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Ingredients

Yield:6 appetizer spread servings, 4 salad servings

¼cup fine bulgur wheat
1small garlic clove, minced (optional)
Juice of 2 large lemons, to taste
3cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 3 large bunches)
¼cup chopped fresh mint
½pound ripe tomatoes, very finely chopped
1bunch scallions, finely chopped
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
¼cup extra virgin olive oil
1romaine lettuce heart, leaves separated, washed and dried

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Place the bulgur in a bowl, and cover with water by ½ inch. Soak for 20 minutes, until slightly softened. Drain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, and press the bulgur against the strainer to squeeze out excess water. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the garlic, lemon juice, parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions and salt. Leave at room temperature or in the refrigerator for two to three hours, so that the bulgur can continue to absorb liquid and swell.
Step 2
Add the olive oil, toss together, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with lettuce leaves.

Tip

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,454 user ratings

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Comments

christine7 years ago

3 cups of parsley weighes 75 grams. I really wish NYTimes would make the effort to offer the weight of ingredients. Knowing the weight prevents waste and guessing, 3 cups is hard to figure out and bunches differ store to store coast to coast

mbj9137 years ago

Happy you featured this authentic recipe. My Lebanese family has always used curly parsley for tabbouleh. Its what creates the volume against the bulgur and tomato and it's texture is better suited to salads.

Marian V.6 years ago

Here's a suggestion for preparing the bulgur. Put the bulgur in the basket of the coffee maker with a clean filter. Pour a pot full of cold water in as though you were making coffee. Bulgur is ready to go in a few minutes without a lot of fuss. I learned that from my grandson who has worked in big catering kitchens.

Benjamin K2 weeks ago

Fantastic salad! Simple and delicious. If you don’t have time to let the bulgur wheat marinate, you can par cook it for 5-10 minutes. Wonderful to have something so simple and delicious.

Laurence1 month ago

Please note: no garlic in a Lebanese tabbouleh, salt and pepper and a pinch of cinnamon! I use vidalia oignon instead of scallions! Sahtein

Carol Bent1 month ago

I make tabbouleh as my Lebanese mother did, with one exception. Instead of water, I soak the wheat germ in the lemon juice - enough to fully plump the wheat germ once absorbed. Makes for amazing tabbouleh.

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