Tabbouleh

A vibrant Lebanese parsley salad with bulgur wheat, juicy tomatoes, and a bright lemon-olive oil dressing. The herb-to-grain ratio is the secret -- parsley is the star, not a garnish.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup fine bulgur wheat
• 3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 3 large bunches)
• ½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
• 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, finely diced
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground allspice

Method

1. Place bulgur in a small bowl and cover with 1/3 cup boiling water. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender. Fluff with a fork and let cool completely.
2. While the bulgur soaks, finely chop the parsley and mint. The key is to chop by hand with a sharp knife -- a food processor will bruise the herbs.
3. Dice the tomatoes into small, uniform pieces. Thinly slice the green onions.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled bulgur, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and green onions.
5. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and allspice. Pour over the salad and toss gently to combine.
6. Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors meld.

Chef's note: Authentic tabbouleh is mostly parsley with just a small amount of bulgur. Drain the tomatoes briefly on a paper towel if they are very juicy to avoid a soggy salad. Leftovers keep for one day but are best eaten fresh.

Nutrition per serving

More Lebanese recipes

• Chicken Shawarma
• Falafel
• Fattoush