Tabouli Salad

Tabouli Salad (a.k.a. Tabbouleh) is a fresh, bright, healthy Mediterranean salad packed with fresh herbs, bulgur, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a homemade olive oil and lemon dressing.

Tabouli Salad

Tabouli Salad is an amazingly simple dish that is absolutely jam packed with fresh, zesty flavor. It's easy to make with fresh ingredients and no cook time.

This Mediterranean classic has been gaining popularity worldwide for its delicious and nutritious ingredients. By using bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, onions, and a tangy dressing, this vegan salad is not only tasty, but also packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

While we use a lot of parsley for garnish here while photographing our recipes, everyone hates when they get stuck with a piece of fresh parsley in their test serving because it has a strong, bitter taste. I'll even go as far to say that I decided I pretty much hated it raw.

But tabouli salad has changed my mind.

Parsley was absolutely MADE for this dish. The flavors of the spices, olive oil, lemon, and parsley all meld perfectly together in a super flavorful and fresh salad. I could eat almost the whole recipe all by myself! It's surprisingly flavorful and unbelievably fresh! Tabouli Salad is super easy to make, keeps really well for meal prep, and makes a great side dish or main dish that the whole family will love!

What is Tabouli or Tabbouleh Salad?

Tabouli salad (a.k.a. tabbouleh) is an Eastern Mediterranean herb and bulgur salad, and is one of the most popular salads from the area. It is a healthy vegan salad, served cold, from the Syrian and Lebanese areas.

What is Tabouli Salad Made Of?

The primary ingredient in tabbouleh is parsley. And lots of it! There is also usually another grain or carb tossed in as a second main ingredient. Traditionally this is bulgur wheat, however some recipes use quinoa, couscous, or lentils. It is seasoned with fresh herbs and an olive oil and lemon dressing.

What Kind of Parsley Should I Use?

I prefer both the look and texture of curly parsley, but flat leaf Italian parsley can work in a pinch. The really important part is to chop the parsley very very finely, no matter which type you use.

Do You Need to Cook the Bulgur?

Nope! No cooking required for this recipe. This is because we are using the finest-grain bulgur, and soaking it in the dressing softens it without the need for cooking.

You can order fine grain bulgur from Amazon, if necessary.

If you cannot find fine (#1) bulgur, you will need to cook it before adding it to the salad, as it will be too coarse to soften in just the dressing.

Do Tabouli Salad Really Need All of Those Spices?

Yes and no. There are many recipes out there that skip the spices. And you can too!

However, the spices, called 7-spice, make it truly authentic. It's a very subtle flavor, using just a little bit of each, but it elevates the dish so much, it's hard to imagine why you'd want to go without. Give it a try for yourself!

How to Serve Tabouli Salad

Tabouli salad is served cold. You can serve it as is, or with pita bread or lettuce leaves to scoop up bites. It's delicious served next to hummus or baba ganoush.

You can also add a protein on top or on the side, such as chicken breast, shrimp, salmon, or barramundi.

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Olive oil - With olive oil being the main ingredient in the dressing, it's important to have a good-tasting, high-quality olive oil.
• Bulgur wheat - Bulgur is cracked wheat berries that are partially pre-cooked for easy preparation. It has the consistency of fine couscous. For this recipe, you want fine bulgur (#1) so that you don't need to pre-cook it.
• Beans or lentils - Beans or lentils can make this salad more filling and add protein. Make sure they are drained and rinsed first. Green lentils, black lentil, chickpeas, kidney beans, or cannellini beans are all great options!
• Pomegranate - Pomegranate seeds can be used in place of tomatoes and will add a touch of sweetness.
• Spices - You can omit the 7-spice (cinnamon mixture), but, as discussed above, it really elevates the dish so much that I highly recommend it.
• Feta - Sprinkle a little feta on top for some added creaminess.
• Chill - You can absolutely sneak a serving of this salad before you let it chill, but the chill time heightens the flavor and allows all of the ingredients to meld better.

More Fresh Salad Recipes You'll Love

• Buffalo Chicken Salad - Salad packed with fresh veggies and spicy chicken is fresh, healthy, and zesty.
• Creamy Cucumber Salad - fresh cucumbers in a creamy, tangy dressing with dill and sweet onions.
• Jicama Slaw - This unique salad slaw is slightly sweet with jicama, cabbage, and carrots, and tossed in a zesty, slightly spicy, dressing.
• Honey Mustard Chicken Salad - Healthy salad packed with greens, beans, and honey mustard-marinated chicken with a homemade tangy-sweet honey mustard dressing.
• Summer Slaw - Coleslaw kicked up a notch with fresh fresh summer veggies, like cherry tomatoes and cucumbers in a tangy, creamy coleslaw dressing.

Tabouli Salad Video