Tabbouleh: A Fresh Salad Feast
Which ancient salad, whose primary ingredient is parsley, has captured the taste buds of people around the world?
It’s tabbouleh.
This zesty, herb-packed dish is a celebration of fresh flavors, vibrant colors, and healthy eating.
It’s a superstar standout in the Middle Eastern culinary lineup.
And it’s time to add this ancient salad to your weekly rotation as well.
 
A Salad With History
Tabbouleh is a simple salad with a long history.
Its roots stretch back to the fertile lands of a region that includes modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
In ancient times families gathered fresh parsley, mint, tomatoes, and lemons, and wheat from their gardens to create this refreshing dish.
Tabbouleh is a reminder of a simpler time where cuisine was a product of what the land produced.
 
Tabbouleh’s Star Ingredient – Bulgur Wheat
Traditionally, tabbouleh features bulgur wheat, a staple ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.
It’s prized for its nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional benefits.
The word “bulgur” means bruised grain in Turkish. This refers to the three-step process of making bulgur wheat.
First the grains are boiled to partially cook them which helps to soften the wheat. The parboiled wheat is dried and then cracked into smaller pieces.
Why bother you may ask?
This process gives bulgur wheat its unique texture and quick-cooking properties that make it a convenient and nutritious ingredient in many dishes.
But don’t shy away from from this dish if you are gluten-sensitive, substitute quinoa, cauliflower rice, or even millet for the bulgur wheat.
 
Tips for Making Tabbouleh
1. Use fresh, high-quality parsley. Fresh ingredients are key to a creating a vibrant and tasty tabbouleh. Parsley should be a vibrant green free of wilting or yellowing. Traditionally, tabbouleh is made with flat-leaf parsley. However, I prefer curly parsley in my tabbouleh simply for its texture. It’s flavor is not as robust as flat-leaf parsley, but its fibrous leaves provide structure and it holds up well to the weight of the other ingredients.
2. Finely chop the herbs and vegetables. This creates a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. Use a sharp knife; a dull knife requires more effort to chop and it bruises the vegetables and herbs.
3. Let it rest before serving. Rest the salad to meld the flavors and give the bulgur wheat an opportunity to absorb the dressing and the juices from the tomatoes.
A simple, tangy, lemon dressing ties everything together in this fresh, vibrant salad.
Tabbouleh is the perfect companion to Kofta pita sandwiches, or grilled and roasted meats.
Pair your tabbouleh salad with Lebanese Kofta Meatballs. It’s a match made in heaven.
Kofta (Lebanese Meatballs)