Finally! I’ve figured out how to make the best tabbouleh. It’s just as good, if not better than, my favorite local Middle Eastern restaurant’s. If you try it, I think you’ll agree.
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a super fresh herb and bulgur salad, with parsley being the number one ingredient. It’s dotted with diced cucumber and tomato, and dressed simply with olive oil and lemon juice. It’s refreshing, light and packed with healthy ingredients.
You’ll often find tabbouleh as a side dish on Mediterranean menus. It’s right at home with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, feta, olives… all of my favorite things.
I’ve attempted tabbouleh at home over the years, and I’m so pleased to share what I’ve learned with you today. Ready to make some great tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh Ingredients
Bulgur
Bulgur is parboiled cracked wheat, so it’s a whole grain. Once prepared, it’s tender and fluffy. Bulgur is often confused with couscous, but they’re not the same (couscous is actually tiny pasta).
Authentic tabbouleh is made with super fine grain (#1) bulgur and it’s soaked rather than cooked, but I haven’t been able to find it at regular grocery stores. There are several other varieties of bulgurs, and you’ll probably find only one option at the store. So, cook (or soak) it according to the package directions.
Fresh Parsley
Authentic tabbouli uses a ton of parsley. That’s why this salad is so green! I tried both flat-leaf and curly, and for once, curly is the way to go. Even when it’s chopped very small, curly parsley offers some extra volume that makes this tabbouleh so pleasant to eat.
Fresh Mint and Green Onion
Mint is standard and adds even more fresh flavor. That said, it can be expensive if you don’t grow it at home, so you can skip it if you’d rather.
Green onion is my mild onion of choice. It’s perfect in tabbouleh.
Cucumber and Tomato
Fresh cucumber and tomato add more texture and color, and build on the refreshing factor. Have I said refreshing enough yet?
Lebanese readers have informed me that cucumber is unusual in tabbouleh, which is news to me! You can skip it if you’d like, but it’s quite nice.
Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Garlic
Tabbouleh is dressed in a simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice. You won’t find garlic in every tabbouleh recipe, but I think that one clove makes this recipe extra delicious.
How to Make the Best Tabbouleh
1) Salt your tomato and cucumber, and drain off the excess juice.
Fortunately, this doesn’t take any extra time. Tomato and cucumber release a lot of moisture when they’re exposed to salt, and will make your tabbouleh way too watery if you do not drain it off.
Simply combine the tomato and cucumber in a bowl with some salt (you’ll find these instructions in the recipe below), and set it aside while you chop the parsley. Drain off the excess juice before you stir the salad together. Easy!
2) Use lots of parsley and chop it finely.
This recipe calls for three bunches of parsley, and the easiest way to chop that much parsley is in your food processor. You can do it by hand, but it will take a while. Don’t worry about removing the thin parsley stems—they offer a lot of great flavor.
3) Season sufficiently with lemon juice and salt.
Tabbouleh should be zingy and full of flavor, and you’ll need to use enough lemon and salt to get there.
Tabbouleh Serving Suggestions
Tabbouleh is typically served chilled or at room temperature. It’s a perfect side dish or salad to offer with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern meals. Here are a few suggestions:
- Dips and spreads: Creamy Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Tzatziki, Tahini Sauce
- Crispy Baked Falafel
- Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing
- Mujaddara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)
- Dukkah with bread and olive oil
Please let me know how your tabbouleh turns out in the comments! I hope you love it.
Best Tabbouleh
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Learn how to make delicious, authentic tabbouleh at home! This tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is even better than your favorite Lebanese restaurant’s. Recipe yields 6 servings (a little over 1 cup each).
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgur
- 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium)
- 1 cup diced tomato* (1 large)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 3 medium bunches curly parsley
- ⅓ cup (⅔ ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
Instructions
- Cook or soak the bulgur until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
- To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this by hand, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process 1 bunch at a time (it should yield about 1 cup chopped), transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next.
- Add the cooled bulgur, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isn’t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor.
- If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Bulgur is not gluten free (it’s cracked wheat). Substitute quinoa for an untraditional gluten-free option. You’ll use the same amount (½ cup) uncooked quinoa, or 1 ½ cups cooked leftover quinoa. Here’s how to cook quinoa.
*Tomato note: Use the most ripe and red tomatoes you can find! If you’re making this salad when tomatoes aren’t in season, cherry tomatoes might be your best bet.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
kohlene
Hi, I’ll start with I’m a big fan of yours and bought your book too. My first husband was Lebanese and an amazing cook. If you want to be really authentic (although I’m sure your version is completely delicious) I can make a few notes here.
No cucumber, never cook the bulgar wheat- let soak briefly in water then squeeze the water out. Pinch of cinnamon and flat leaf parsley. We never put garlic.
★★★
Kate
Thank you for your feedback! I try and keep the recipe as authentic as possible.
Kathy
I’ve never made Tabbouleh before. I’m thinking of making this with quinoa instead of bulgar…what do you think?
Asa
Ha, I came on here to say quinoa tabbouleh is dynamite. I make a version from the Zahav cookbook that’s quinoa, red onion, parsley, mint and optionally, peas. No garlic, and I always use flat-leaf parsley (still haven’t really found a use for curly parsley, in my opinion).
Kathy
Thanks!
Cathy
My mom makes it with quinoa and it’s fantastic!
Kate
That would be a good substitute.
Kathy
I made this using quinoa instead of bulgar. It was delicious! The mint really makes a difference. It makes it pop!
Thanks again for a real winner!
Hayley
I’m excited to try this more traditional tabbouleh recipe! I’ve never cooked with bulgur before, but your blog introduced me to farro, polenta and Israeli couscous (all of which I had never tried before and now love)!
Kate
Be sure to let me know what you think, Hayley!
Ellen Yazbeck
This recipe is right for authentic tabouli. I’ve made it just like this for years. I wash the bulgur in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear, and let sit until ready to put in the salad. Use #1 fine(if your market marks it that way) for best results.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Ellen!
Linda S.
Hi Kate!
I make tabbouleh once in a great while. My husband is originally from Lebanon (51 years ago!) and he grew up with this salad. My recipe is pretty much the same as yours (got it from Ina Garten), but I started making it with quinoa a few years ago instead of bulgar wheat. He LOVES it with quinoa much better. I do, too! I never cared for the bulgar wheat. I never cared for tabbouleh either when my mother-in-law or sister-in-law made it! :-) Same amount of quinoa but you have to cook it first, then cool it down before adding the rest of ingredients. I use an English cuke and remove the seeds, then chop it, and use grape or cherry tomatoes. So I don’t salt those either. They work well in my recipe without salting them first. Just a thought. :-) Thanks for posting! :-)
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Linda!
Nina
I am Lebanese and I love the addition of cucumber that I started doing myself. I also sub the bulgar for quinoa for a different texture, at times. Can’t wait to try it with the garlic! Love all your recipes and your cookbook is a favorite in our kitchen :)
Kate
I have a quinoa-ish version too! Great substitute for sure. Thanks for sharing, Nina!
Christine Iracheta
I am also Lebanese, have yet to put cucumber in but will give it a try.
We soak bulgar in water till it absorbs water then rinse and drain. We add The spice summac. You should be able to find at any middle eastern store. It is also used in fattoush salad.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Christine!
Danica
Can’t wait to make this! Question: is bulgur similar to farro?
Kate
It is from wheat, but it isn’t quite as dense or nutty as farro.
Danica
Thank you! I was thinking of substituting the farro for bulgur, but I think I’ll go with the bulgur. The recipe looks great.
lisa charbonneau
I make tabbouleh several times a week and I never cook the bulgur- add simmering water just enough to moisten the wheat-this way all the juices from the tomato, cucumber and dressing will be absorbed into the grain.
Some variations: add the zest of the lemon for extra zip, or a teaspoon of cumin for earthiness,or a can of chickpeas for a complete meal.
Thanks for the inspiration.
★★★★★
Kate
I appreciate you sharing your variations, Lisa! Thanks for your comment.
Christina R
I love all these suggestions and variations. Soaking the grain is easier and I think you should are right, it allows it to continue to soak up the tomatoe’s juice. In my heart (or stomach?) I am Lebanese
★★★★
Marcy youker
very refreshing!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you liked it! Thank you for your review, Marcy.
Denise
Summer is the only time to make this recipe when the tomatoes from the market are flavourful. I make this often and this time used this recipe but added 2 extra tomatoes . Had never added cucumber which is a great addition. I always add a small clove garlic too.
I’ve never cooked my bulgur but added all the ingredients including the lemon juice and olive oil and let it sit overnight which gives the bulgur time to absorb all the good juices. Works great.
D.
★★★★★
John
My mother & grandmother came from the city of Aley (Lebanon) and tabouli is something we ate on a weekly basis. There are many variations of the recipe, and my situ’s (grandmother) was well regarded in the Lebanese community we lived in.
Parsley,tomatoes,scallions,bulgar wheat or quinoa
Salt,pepper,cinnamon,allspice (sometimes a pinch of cayenne too)
Lemon juice and a good extra virgin olive oil
I’ll give your recipe a try & see how it tastes. I’m sure it will be as good as your other recipes!
kelly
Great recipe with amazing flavor. But….I followed all your instructions and forgot to add the bulgar (or quinoa in my case) as I didn’t see it in your directions? Tell me if I’m crazy and missed it or is it missing from the recipe instructions? Not a problem, I’ll just stir it in now :)
★★★★★
Kate
Oops, you are right! I just fixed it. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
Yas
Great recipe, thanks for sharing ! A few tips from a Lebanese: Instead of cooking the bulgur, try soaking it in water for a while, draining it then soaking it in the lemon juice about an hour before adding it to the Taboulé. That’s the traditional way.
Also we add “7 spices” to our tabbouli. Makes it so much more flavorful.
We usually do not add cucumbers and garlic but I’m interested to see how that would taste like so I’ll give it a try !
Ganicabs
Dude thanks for this your each and every dish is awesome but i don’t like tomato can is there any alternate for this.
★★★★★
how to
First off I want to say great blog! I had a
quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts prior to writing.
I’ve had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my ideas out there.
I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost simply just trying
to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints?
Appreciate it!
★★★★★
Melissa F
Could you substitute some of the parsley for curly kale?
Kate
Sure, but that wouldn’t be tabbouleh. :)
Da
Fantastic! I’ve not made tabbouleh for some time, since my gluten sensitivity had been diagnosed. But it’s a cinch with the quinoa – a big punch of protein and nutrients, so I should have been using it all along!
I added a generous handful of sultanas (raisins) to the final mix, in keeping with how my uncle had first taught me, but the rest? Spot on! Great tip in salting the cukes and tomatoes. It really makes a difference!
★★★★★
Ellen
Made this tabbouleh today. It’s amazing! I did add the mint, I have a ton growing in my yard! I will make this again and again. I’ll post on Insta.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! Thank you, Ellen.