Montreal's Tabbouleh Salad
Submitted by Janers
Authentic Lebanese tabbouleh with mountains of parsley, just a touch of bulgur, fresh mint, tomatoes, and lemon. Levantine herb salad in 20 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
0 minREADY
20 minAuthentic Lebanese-style tabbouleh the way it’s served in Montreal’s substantial Lebanese diaspora, where the parsley-to-bulgur ratio actually matches the original recipe rather than the Americanized grain-salad version. Two cups of finely chopped Italian parsley to one-third cup of bulgur. The bulgur is a textural accent, not the main event.
Fresh mint, diced tomatoes, scallions, and a sharp lemon-and-olive-oil dressing round out the ingredient list. The mint and parsley together carry the herbal weight, the lemon brightens everything, and the tomato adds sweetness and color. The whole thing comes together in twenty minutes once the bulgur softens.
The critical instruction is to serve it as soon as it’s mixed. Tomatoes release water when they sit in salt and acid, which thins the dressing and turns the salad soggy within an hour. Make it right before the table, not earlier.
Pro Tips
- Use flat-leaf Italian parsley, not curly. Curly parsley tastes grassy and chops poorly
- Chop the parsley by hand with a sharp knife. Food processors bruise the leaves and turn them into a wet paste
- Soak the bulgur just until softened, about 10 minutes. Over-soaked bulgur makes a mushy salad
- Dry the chopped parsley by rolling it in a clean tea towel before mixing. Wet parsley dilutes the dressing
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
In bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water over bulgur; let stand for 10 minutes or just until softened.
Drain well.
In bowl, combine bulgur, parsley, onions, mint and tomatoes.
Whisk together lemon juice, salt and pepper; gradually whisk in oil.
Toss gently with bulgur mixture.
Serve as soon as it is made, the tomatoes will release water if it stands.
Comments




Love this recipe. Throw some on my Mandys Express Salad