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Refreshing Tabbouleh (Cracked Wheat Salad)

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Submitted by milly

Tabbouleh tosses bulgur wheat with masses of fresh parsley, mint, scallions, and ripe Roma tomato, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. A vegan Levantine cracked wheat salad that gets better after an overnight chill.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

0 min

READY

8 hrs

Tabbouleh is the Levantine salad that proves parsley was meant to be a vegetable, not a garnish. Half the bowl is finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and fresh mint, with bulgur wheat playing supporting role rather than starring grain. The herbs shock the salad with green brightness, while the bulgur and tomato deliver bite and juicy contrast.

Soaking the bulgur is the technical step that home cooks often rush. Boiling water poured over the grains for 10 to 15 minutes turns them tender without cooking, and squeezing them dry afterward keeps the salad from going waterlogged when dressed.

The overnight chill is non-negotiable. The flavors marry, the grains finish softening, and the tabbouleh tastes profoundly more complex than it does fresh from the bowl.

Pro Tips

  • Use flat-leaf Italian parsley, not curly. Italian parsley has cleaner flavor and softer leaves that absorb the dressing instead of fighting it.
  • Chop the herbs by hand with a sharp knife, not in a food processor. Processed herbs bruise and bleed, leaving green-tinted dressing instead of distinct leaves.
  • Peel and seed the tomato as the directions specify. Skins curl in the cold salad and the seeds release water that dilutes the dressing.
  • Salt the dressing right before adding to draw moisture into the bulgur, not the herbs. Salted parsley wilts and goes limp.

Variations

  • Stir in a half cup of diced cucumber for cool crunch and extra moisture.
  • Add a sprinkle of sumac or pomegranate seeds for a sweet-tart Levantine note.
  • Swap bulgur for cooked quinoa for a gluten-free version with similar texture.

Ingredients

1 237
½ 118
CUP ML WATER
boiling
2 2
EACH SCALLIONS, SPRING OR GREEN ONIONS
finely chopped *
½ 0.5
EACH GREEN BELL PEPPER
cored, seeded, diced *
½ 0.5
STALK STALK CELERY
diced *
¼ 59
CUP ML ITALIAN PARSLEY
finely chopped
¼ 59
CUP ML MINT LEAVES
chopped fresh *
1 1
EACH ITALIAN PLUM (ROMA) TOMATO
skinned, seeded, chopped *
1 15
TABLESPOON ML LEMON JUICE
1 15
TABLESPOON ML OLIVE OIL
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML SALT
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML BLACK PEPPER

Directions

Place bulghur in a small bowl; pour over the boiling water and let soak 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.

Place bulgur in a serving bowl and add scallions, green pepper, celery, parsley mint, and tomato. Toss to mix.

In a screw-top jar combine lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Shake to mix. Pour over bulghur mixture. Toss to mix. Chill overnight.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


anonymous

Had this last night, Was so delicious you can add any veggie's you want and also add a few garlic cloves! Yum

 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 50g (1.8 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 106 20% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 107mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars g
Protein 7g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 2% Iron 5%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
 

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