Traditional Tabbouleh

Recipe Below...

I was first introduced to tabbouleh at the Lebanese food stand located within a Philadelphia area farmers' market. I would buy the crisp, lemony-fresh salad by the quart and snack on it all week.

The predominant ingredient in the farmers market version was crisp, refreshing parsley. The salad was light on olive oil, and the bulgur wheat remained in the background, providing a contrast to the more plentiful herbs and vegetables.

In contrast, many versions I've since tried are heavy with bulgur and olive oil, slickly coating your lips with a thick layer of the stuff after just a few bites. As I set about researching this post, I learned that lighter versions, featuring parsley as the star ingredient, are more representative of the traditional dish. 

The tabbouleh recipe I've developed is simple and traditional. It has enough bulgur to add texture and depth of flavor, but still allows the herbs and vegetables to shine. 

Notes:

• A high-fiber whole grain, bulgur is available in a variety of sizes. Fine and medium grind are best when making tabbouleh.

• A rich source of Vitamins K, C, and A, parsley also contains folate and iron. Be sure to use the more flavorful flat-leaf parsley, rather than the curly variety.

• Dry your parsley and mint well, and drain your bulgur after cooking. Wet herbs and excess liquid from the bulgur can result in a soggy tabbouleh.

The Recipe:

1 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 1/2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried well
1 cup finely chopped mint leaves, washed and dried well
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon diced shallots
3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes

Place the bulgur into a large bowl with the boiling water, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cover and allow to soak for 45 minutes, until the liquid is completely absorbed and the bulgur is soft. Place in a fine-mesh sieve or colander, pressing gently to drain the excess liquid. Fluff with a fork.

Add the parsley, mint, cucumber, shallots, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1 tablespoon of the lemon, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper (pepper is optional, according to taste).

Mix well and refrigerate. As the tabbouleh sits, the flavors will marry and improve.

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Comments

[Carolyn]

Hi Genevieve, I've never been a big fan of taboulleh - all that parsley. But, yours looks really yummy and you know - I like all things Lebanese ;)

[Fran]

Really like your recipe. Taboulleh is a favorite of mine--have never used shallots in mine but will try it next time. Love the amounts of parsley and mint.