This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Tabouli Salad, or Tabbouleh, is a healthy and delicious vegan salad made from bulgur wheat, minced herbs and vegetables, and a light homemade lemon vinaigrette.
Why this recipe works so well:
If you’ve ever eaten at any kind of Mediterranean restaurant, you’ve most likely had tabouli salad before. It seems like every time I order this recipe, it varies quite a bit from place to place.
- Full of nutrition – This Mediterranean salad is not only easy to make, it’s super tasty and colorful, plus everything about it is healthy. WIN!
- Balanced – This recipe is the perfect balance between grain and vegetable.
- Delicious Tabouli salad dressing – The dressing is so light that there’s just enough to hold it together and add the right amount of flavor without overpowering the salad.
- Meal prep made easy – This salad is also a great meal prep option. Just make a big batch on the weekend and it will take care of all your weekday lunches!
Ingredients needed:
Much like with any salad, you can vary the quantity and type of ingredients you use, but this is what I chose:
- Red Bulgur wheat – this whole grain is both terrifically nutrition and incredibly convenient. It is made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried and cracked. It has a slightly nutty flavor.
- Cucumber – I use an English cucumber that I cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before I chop it.
- Fresh parsley and mint – stems removed and leaves are minced
- Scallions, or green onions – I used both the white and green parts
- Tomatoes – I opted to use colorful grape tomatoes. They have a great texture and hold up well when quartered.
- Lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper
Nothing but healthy and wholesome ingredients!
How to make Tabbouleh salad:
Full ingredient list and detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Cook the bulgur wheat. To do this, you simply boil water and then pour it over the wheat and let it sit until all of the water has absorbed. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on your wheat. You’ll use a 1:1 ratio of wheat to water. You’ll want the wheat to be fully cooled when you combine it with the vegetables and herbs.
- Chop the vegetables and herbs. This salad tastes best when everything is minced super fine. I actually prefer to do all the chopping by hand, but you can cut the time down drastically if you pulse everything through a food processor.
- Mix everything except the olive oil together in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour. Then, you’ll add the olive oil just before serving. If you’re in a real hurry, you can skip the refrigeration step.
- Taste and season. I always give my tabbouleh a taste and add additional salt, lemon or olive oil, if needed.
Recipe tips for best results:
- Make ahead option: Because all of the herbs are chopped so fine and they’re soaking in lemon juice, they stay a nice vibrant green and continue to taste fresh, so Tabbouleh is a great make ahead recipe. This is one of the few salads that I like to make a big batch of and continue to eat throughout the week.
- Chopping: This salad really does taste best when the herbs and cucumber are minced and diced. I prefer to do this by hand but you can use a food processor to reduce time.
- Storage: Keep leftover salad in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Use within several days.
Other Mediterranean inspired recipes:
Pin this now to save it for later
Pin ItTabouli Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Red Bulgur
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup parsley stems removed, minced (about 1 bunch)
- 3/4 ounce mint leaves minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 large scallions minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes quartered
- 1 medium english cucumber seeds removed and diced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Remove boiling water from heat and add bulgur. Stir to combine and allow to sit for about an hour. When done, fluff with fork.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Toss to combine and chill for one hour.
- Immediately before serving, add olive oil and toss well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first seen on The Recipe Critic where I was a contributor.
This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
This is the best tabouli recipe I have made. The texture of the bulgur is perfect every time. No wringing out soggy grain in dish towels like other recipes. The flavor is wonderful. I’ve always made tabouli before without the mint, but adding it enhances the flavor and is more authentic.
This salad was fresh and bursting with so much flavor – we loved it!
This was really really good! I can’t wait to make it again.
So fresh and healthy. We love it.
Nothing like a homemade tobouleh salad. So easy to make and so flavorful, thanks for a great recipe!
I love this version, packed full of flavour and really delicious!
This looks really tasty and love all the ingredients you used here! Perfect for a nice weekend BBQ! Added to my list of must try! Thank you for this healthy salad recipe!
I love how you added the cucumber and tomatoes to this! Delicious!
This is surely a healthy salad. Love the ingredients to making this salad. I have to check it out this weekend.
This recipe sounds so good! I always wanted to try tabouli, but wasn’t sure if I liked all the ingredients! I definitely do in this version!!