Tabbouleh Recipe | Arla (2024)

Tabbouleh: perfect as a fresh side salad or meze dish

Tabbouleh is a truly versatile salad with fresh, green flavours that go well with a wide range of main dishes. With roots in Lebanese cuisine, tabbouleh is a given whenever it’s time to enjoy meze, small middle-eastern dishes and finger foods.

A must for the perfect meze

If you’re planning a meze spread for friends and family, don’t forget the tabbouleh. This herby Lebanese salad brings bright and fresh flavours to the table, with bulgur to help turn the small meze dishes and finger foods into a delicious meal.

How to make tabbouleh without bulgur

Looking for an alternative to bulgur grains in your tabbouleh? Try quinoa, as this grain will add texture to your salad. It’s also possible to simply leave out grains altogether. The remaining leaves and vegetables will have all the bright and fresh flavours, but without the texture of the grains.

Try these different variations

The easiest way to vary your tabbouleh is to play around with the amounts in the salad to match your preference or mood. For example, you can easily add more bulgur and vegetables. You can also adjust the flavours in the salad, by swapping the mint for basil or other herbs. Another way to boost your tabbouleh’s flavours is to make a vinaigrette with garlic and perhaps Dijon mustard to drizzle over the salad before serving.

Tabbouleh Recipe | Arla (2024)

FAQs

What are the main ingredients in tabouli? ›

Tabbouleh is basically parsley salad. There's technically no lettuce in it. It's a salad made up of parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat, and green onions – all finely chopped and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice!

What is a substitute for bulgur in tabbouleh? ›

While the classic tabbouleh recipe includes bulgur wheat, alternative versions can be made without it, using substitutes like quinoa, couscous, or even omitting the grain entirely. These variations allow for dietary restrictions or personal preferences while still maintaining the essence of the dish.

Is tabbouleh good for your gut? ›

It's great for your digestive health and skin. Some versions of tabbouleh tend to be heavier on the bulgar wheat, whereas traditionally the parsley is the main feature.

Is tabouli healthy to eat everyday? ›

Tabbouleh is a healthy, vegetarian food that has no cholesterol, is low in fat, and high in fiber, vitamins, and much more. Plus, it makes great use of the backyard gardener's abundance of parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers.

How long will tabouli last in the fridge? ›

Letting tabouli sit for a day in the refrigerator may even help the flavors mingle. Because of its ingredients, tabouli will last in the refrigerator for up to four days, so make sure you eat it before then.

How do you keep tabbouleh from getting soggy? ›

Pre-salting the tomatoes and parsley removes excess liquid through osmosis, preventing the salad from becoming soupy later. Tomato water is re-infused into the salad by using it to soak the bulgur, enhancing the flavor. Soaking the bulgur in heated tomato water ensures it will soften, regardless of its grind size.

Is quinoa and bulgur the same thing? ›

They each have moderate glycemic indexes, but quinoa has a slightly lower glycemic index. Bulgur has fewer calories per serving than quinoa does. The main nutritional difference between the two ingredients is that bulgur contains gluten, while quinoa does not.

Is couscous the same as bulgur? ›

While couscous is a tiny pasta, bulgur is an ancient form of pre-cooked wheat. To make it, the grains are par-cooked while still inside the chaff, then they are hulled and chipped into smaller pieces. This process drives the nutrients into the grain, rather than washing them away.

Is tabbouleh good for weight loss? ›

Looking for a fresh, easy meal to help boost your metabolism? This delicious tabbouleh is packed full of healthy vegetables and is ideal for an office lunch or lighter evening meal. We'll explain how to make it and show you how each ingredient can help you on your weight loss journey.

Is Tabouli good for kidneys? ›

Tabbouleh Salad is a popular Middle Eastern dish that combines bulgur, spring onions, fresh parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice. This kidney-friendly combination keeps well in the refrigerator, so make a batch to serve throughout the week.

Can you eat Tabouli by itself? ›

Tabouli is also good eating just on its own as a salad, and you can find it pre-made in many grocery stores and Middle Eastern specialty stores.

Why is my tabbouleh bitter? ›

By lightly salting the vegetables in a colander, you can extract some of the water and get more concentrated veggie flavours in the tabbouleh. Why is my tabbouleh bitter? The most likely sources of bitterness in a tabbouleh are parsley and olive oil. The parsley should be finely chopped to avoid bitter flavours.

Is tabouli good for high blood pressure? ›

Tabbouleh Salad Benefits:

Tomatoes, in turn, are rich in many vitamins, which contribute to reducing the acidity of the blood, and works to control the rate of blood pressure, thus contributing to maintaining a healthy heart and also contributing to the prevention of some types of cancer.

Does tabbouleh contain garlic? ›

Tabbouleh is dressed in a simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice. You won't find garlic in every tabbouleh recipe, but I think that one clove makes this recipe extra delicious.

Does tabbouleh contain cucumber? ›

Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a super fresh herb and bulgur salad, with parsley being the number one ingredient. It's dotted with diced cucumber and tomato, and dressed simply with olive oil and lemon juice. It's refreshing, light and packed with healthy ingredients.

Does tabbouleh contain onion? ›

Tabbouleh salad is made of curly parsley or flat-leaf parsley, fresh mint leaves, tomatoes, onion, and bulgur wheat.

What are the origins of tabbouleh What is the main grain in tabbouleh? ›

Tabbouleh is not just a dish; it's a culinary journey through history and geography. Originating in the Levant, this simple salad made from bulgur, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and onions, dressed in olive oil and lemon juice, has traversed the world, adapting and evolving while maintaining its core identity.

What is bulgur made of? ›

Bulgur consists of parboiled whole or crushed partially debranned wheat grains, and is used as a substitute for rice, e.g., in pilaf, an eastern European dish consisting of wheat, meat, oil and herbs cooked together.

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