A Grain-Rich Redo of Tabbouleh Salad
The term, tabbouleh, stems from the Arabic word for taabil, which can be loosely translated, to spice or season. This salad originated in the highlands of Syria and Lebanon, as herbs formed a cornerstone of the Arabic diet during the Middle Ages.* Many of the traditional tabbouleh recipes call for 2 bunches of parsley and less mint, which I find too much for my personal taste. So, I’ve tweaked the typical recipe of tabbouleh here, adding a higher ratio of bulgur to herbs in my version of a grain-rich salad. Let me know which way you prefer!
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried red bulgur, like Bob’s Red Mill, yields 5 cups cooked bulgur
- 2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
- ¾ cup scallions, white and green parts
- ¼ cup chopped, flat-leaf Italian parsley
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 3 T. + 1 t. extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ t. sea salt
Directions
- Step 1 Bring 3 ½ cups of water to a boil in a medium nonstick saucepan and add 2 cups of bulgur. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook until all the water has been absorbed and just before the bulgur begins to stick to the bottom of the pan—about 4-7 minutes. Next, remove from heat and cover for 30 minutes or until the bulgur is dry and fluffy. Note: this method still yields a little moisture in the bulgur. For a drier bulgur, you can cook for 10 minutes, but I find it sticks to the bottom of the saucepan. I still prefer the first method.
- Step 2 While the bulgur is cooking, finely chop the parsley and mint and add to a small mixing bowl. Next, chop off the white and green parts from a bunch of scallions and toss them into the mixing bowl with the herbs. Then, dice the tomatoes by first, cutting the tomatoes in half horizontally and taking a spoon to scoop out the seeds, squeezing out the juices. Now, dice the remainder of the fruit. Add to a separate, medium mixing bowl. Then, freshly squeeze ¼ cup of lemon juice and reserve in its own bowl.
- Step 3 Lastly, toss the cooked bulgur in a large mixing bowl and add the tomatoes, mint, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, scallions, and salt. Mix well and check to see if it needs additional seasoning. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
While the typical tabbouleh recipe calls for a higher proportion of parsley and mint to bulgur, here, I flip-flop the ratio out of personal taste. What results is a grain-rich salad that is still accentuated by mint and parsley. Tell me which way you prefer!
SOURCES:
*Hamze, Noura Abou. “A History of the Origin of Tabbouleh: Lebanon’s National Food,” Arab America, 28 July 2021. Last accessed 17 March 2021/.