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Tabouli salad is easy to make and absolutely delicious! From crisp cucumber, sweet tomatoes, briny olives and bright parsley, every bite offers something different. This classic Levantine dish (also spelled tabbouleh, tabouleh and taboulah) is a vegetarian Mediterranean salad loaded with flavor and texture. Traditional tabouli uses bulgur wheat as its base, making it hearty enough to serve as a main dish. I love to add salty, creamy feta to make my version even better.
Bulgur is a quick-cooking, versatile grain that is very forgiving. You can make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, and when you take it out the next day and fluff it with a fork, it will still be light and delicious. I use it as a base for a variety of salads or make it alone with a swirl of olive oil and a pinch of salt as a simple side dish.
“What a lovely recipe. Just perfect…Thank You for inspiring me to bring Tabouli back into my diet.”
Carol Cuevas
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Tabouli Salad
- Water: Sometimes I use chicken or vegetable broth instead for extra flavor in the bulgur. Either way works well.
- Dry Bulgur: Look for medium-grain bulgur wheat for the best texture in tabouli. Fine bulgur cooks faster but can become mushy.
- Salt: Omit if using broth since it already contains salt.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh is essential here – the bottled stuff doesn’t have the same brightness. Roll your lemon on the counter before juicing to get the most out of it.
- Olive Oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for this salad since it’s a prominent flavor. I like varieties with a peppery finish.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is a key flavor component. Use just one clove so it doesn’t overpower the herbs. Garlic powder doesn’t work here.
- Green Onions: These add a mild onion flavor that complements the herbs. Fresh chives make a good substitute if you prefer.
- Parsley: Flat leaf (Italian) parsley has more flavor than the curly variety. It should be very fresh and bright green with tender stems.
- Fresh Mint Leaves: This is important to the overall flavor of the salad. Don’t skip it or substitute dried mint. Look for a bunch with bright, unwilted leaves with no dark spots.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes hold their shape nicely in the salad. If using larger varieties like plum or Roma, remove the seeds to keep the salad from getting too watery.
- English Cucumber: I prefer these for their thin skin and fewer seeds. Persian cucumbers are an excellent alternative when you can find them. Regular cucumbers work too, but peel and seed them first.
- Feta Cheese: Traditional tabouli doesn’t include feta, but I love how it adds creaminess and salt. For my taste, sheep’s milk feta has the best flavor and texture.
- Greek Olives: These add briny depth to the salad. Kalamata olives work well too.
3 Recipe Tips
- Proper Bulgur Texture: Don’t overcook the bulgur – it should be tender but still have a slight chew. I find that letting it sit covered after adding boiling water works better than simmering it on the stove.
- Fresh Herbs Matter: For authentic tabouli flavor, use only fresh herbs, never dried. I chop mine by hand rather than using a food processor to avoid bruising or turning them to mush.
- Let Flavors Develop: The salad tastes even better after the bulgur has had time to absorb the lemon juice and olive oil. I like to make the bulgur portion a day ahead when possible.
Recipe Options
- Traditional vs. Hearty: Classic Tabouli is mainly parsley and bulgur with minimal add-ins. My version is more substantial with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and feta. For a more traditional approach, focus on the herbs and reduce or omit these extras.
- Vegan Option: For a vegan version, just skip the feta cheese. You might want to add a bit more salt to compensate for the missing salty cheese flavor.
- Gluten-Free Alternative: Swap the bulgur for quinoa in my Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad recipe. It has the same fresh flavors with a different base.
- Seasonal Changes: When tomatoes aren’t in season, sometimes I substitute diced roasted red peppers for a similar sweet-tangy element.
- Herb Variations: If mint isn’t your favorite, you can increase the parsley and add a smaller amount of fresh dill or basil instead.
How to Store
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors actually improve after a day as the bulgur absorbs more of the dressing. If you want to prep ahead for several days, I recommend keeping the dressed bulgur separate from the fresh vegetables and herbs, then combining them the day you plan to eat. This keeps the vegetables crisp and the herbs bright. Give the salad a quick stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
Tabouli salad works great for potlucks and casual dinners because you can leave it out without worrying about it wilting or spoiling quickly. Most people seem to enjoy it, even those who normally avoid parsley or bulgur. I often make a big batch on Sunday and eat it for lunches during the week – I actually think it tastes better the second day after the flavors have time to meld.
Serve With
For a feast, I love to serve this with Grilled Shrimp or Grilled Lamb Chops / Grilled Lamb Loin Chops (or Baked Lamb Chops in the fall and winter) and some of my other favorite Mediterranean recipes like this pita bread recipe served with Baba Ganoush, Tzatziki, and White Bean Hummus!
Tabouli Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water or chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry bulgur
- 1 teaspoon salt omit if you are using broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large English cucumber (or 2 medium Persian cucumbers) cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 ounces crumbled feta
- 1 cup Greek olives or kalamata olives, pitted and halved, (20 to 24)
Instructions
- Bring water to boil, add dry bulgur to boiling water or broth, stir. Turn heat off, leaving the pan in place; cover and let stand 25 minutes.
- Fluff bulgur with a fork and then allow to cool to room temperature.
- Once the bulgur is cool, add salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Stir to combine; cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- When you're ready to serve the salad, remove the bulgur mixture from the fridge and toss with a fork to lighten and separate. Add green onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and olives; stir gently to combine. Taste for seasoning – add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You should try adding a touch of cinnamon to this recipe. A dear friend from Lebanon made it this way for me and it was off the charts!
I’ll have to try that next time, David! Thanks so much.
What a lovely recipe. Just perfect.
I used to make Tabouli frequently until I moved to a rural area where Bulgar simply cannot be found. I forgot about it until I was looking for recipes using cucumber, of which, I grow more than I can eat. Then I found your recipe and was inspired.
I ordered bulgar online, then made your recipe. I love the addition of feta and kalamatas, and added some marinated garbanzos and some diced artichoke hearts. I may add chicken at a later date. Tabouli can be so diverse—-the sky is the limit.
One thing that hadn’t ever occurred to me was to use a flavorful broth to cook the bulgar. For me, that’s game-changing.
Thank You for inspiring me to bring Tabouli back into my diet.
Your comment made my day, Carol! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe and adding your own touches!