When the farmers market (or your own garden) is teeming with Parsley and MInt it is the perfect time to make this fresh and healthy salad.
TABBOULI
This delicious Middle Eastern salad is tangy and super healthy, especially if you use Quinoa instead of the customary bulgur wheat. I love to serve this with grilled lamb along with hummus, but it is a great side salad for grilled chicken or fish or just on it's own for lunch. A lovely Lebanese woman I knew in Argentina, Yolande, told me that adding Sumac to the onions while chopping the other ingredients makes a big difference, and I completely agree.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Bulgur Wheat
- 1 Cup Boiling Water
- ¼ Cup + 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¾ Cup fresh Lemon Juice 3-4 lemons
- 4 Cups Flat Leaf Parsley washed & chopped
- 2 Cups Fresh Mint washed & chopped
- ½ English Cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice (1 Cup)
- 18 Cherry Tomatoes quartered (or 1 Cup seeded, chopped plum tomato)
- 1 medium Red Onion finely chopped (1 cup)
- 1 tsp Sumac
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt and Black Pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Put the bulgur in a medium bowl with 2 TBSP olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice and the boiling water. Give a quick stir and cover the bowl with a plate. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the bulgur to absorb the liquid to cool.
- Place the chopped onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with the Sumac.
- Meanwhile, chop the parsley, mint, cucumber and tomatoes and place on top of the onions.
- Remove the cover from the Bulgur and toss with a fork. Add to the Parsley mixture and add ½ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup olive oil. Toss well to blend and season with salt and pepper. The longer it sits, the more the juices will release, so ignore the temptation to add more lemon juice or oil now.
- Allow to sit for at least ½ hour before. Toss again and taste, adding a bit more lemon juice and oil if needed.
Notes
KTINA’S TIPS
- This is also delicious with Quinoa instead of Bulgur wheat, and is a great Gluten Free Option. Prepare Quinoa according to package directions (it has to be cooked) and then prepare in the same way as the rest of the recipe.
- You may use a food processor to pulse the parsley & mint, but I prefer to hand chop with a large Chef’s knife to control the texture.
- Best enjoyed within 3 days as the lemon juice and acid from the tomatoes will begin to macerate the herbs.
- I like to use halved cherry tomatoes, as I find they have better flavor year round. In the summer a mixture of golden and red tomatoes create a beautifully colorful salad.
Recipe looks and sounds delicious. Unfortunately,since I seem the only one in the family to love tabbouli it is easier for me to buy it! I am also the only one in the family to not like hummus so it evens out!