Tabouleh

Posted on 30. Nov, 2008 by Bethany in Entertaining, Inhouse Ads, Nibbles, Recipes, Starters, gluten free, middle eastern, veggie

Tabouleh is one of my favorite salads. My Teta (Lebanese for Nana) was renown for making the most delicious Tabouleh (So, is every other Lebanese grandmother ! Living abroad over the last 6 years, I have noticed the western versions use a larger burghul to parsley ratio and in some cases, and therefore are more of a couscous salad as such. Although Teta’s recipe does call for only a minute amount of burghul, many of us in the family have chosen to neglect it all together, in order to curtail the bloating side effects. Frankly, I also love parsley and don’t care much for the burghul. In any case, If you wish to add some, a handful, soaked in water for 1-2 hours will be more than sufficient. It’s to be sprinkled like salt. Tabouleh is delicious served alone or as part of a meal; try it with Beer Butt Chicken, Garlic Sauce and Hummus.

Here’s what you’ll need (serves 4 as a side):

2 large bunches of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

4 spring onions, finely diced

4 plum tomatoes, finely diced

10 fresh leaves of mint, finely chopped

1.5 lemon juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon to taste

Salt and pepper

Mixing:

Salt the chopped tomatoes, pepper the chopped onions, add the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and mix all together. Add more Salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Get some lettuce and dive in baby….

P.S- the best part is the dressing… it’s quite common when at home and amongst friends and family to sip the juice from the plate… go on give it a shot… I won’t judge

Tags: burghul, detox, healthy, Parsley, Salad, vegetarian

17 Responses to “Tabouleh”

Manggy

01. Dec, 2008

Thank you for sharing this family favorite! It looks so vibrant and healthy I didn’t know burghul had that effect though :/
Kristina

01. Dec, 2008

Thanks for this delicious post !!

I myself make tabuleh and like it very much

Yummy ………
khunying

01. Dec, 2008

I have to add this to my site. Look so healthy and delicious:). We love your recipes.
Alexander (el Aleman) v. Gimbut

01. Dec, 2008

Shukran Bethany,
How wonderfully simple. I have found that local versions use too much bulgur (usually durum wheat/cracked). I like it with less for texture and flavor reasons and the bloating issue that I never thought about before may have been an instinctive thing… So maybe forget about it altogether. Also – would someone help me out with “Israeli Couscous” version served around here? That’s like bulgur on steroids – eh?
I love couscous as served in Morocco and Tunesia and have always been fond of tabouleh – but I do not u’stand this large-format grain used in that recipe – not even visually.
I am NOT trying to be controversial or political here, and it is not the nomenclature, but I cringe every time I see this offshoot.
Alexander (el Aleman) v. Gimbut

01. Dec, 2008

Quick addendum – sorry:
I give the receipe a 5/5 rating. I did/do not see rating option on my IE8.0 browser – elas technology?
Also want to add that I have never been too shy to sip the juice! Fabulous!!!
mochachocolata rita

02. Dec, 2008

wow, wouldn’t this be perfect for summer? too bad it is soooo darn hard to find parsley here. can i replace it with corriander? oppps
Shaheen

02. Dec, 2008

Beth, I love raw salads and yours looks delicious. But for me tabbouleh is synonymous with cracked wheat. I like the tiny white specs it gives. But coming from you, I know this is a source I can trust!
DirtyKitchenSecret

03. Dec, 2008

Manggy- Yes it does unfortunately, but it’s still healthy for ya. However, I imagine Quinoa could fill in, without the gluten
Khunying- Thank you so much for your support
Alexander- Tekram you seem to know some arabic? Thank you for the rating, I am very flattered
Rita- Sorry to hear you can’t get parsley! not sure bout coriander, never tried it. It would be kind of like a salsa i would imagine… just heavier on the coriander. It’s quite strong, coriander though, might be too overpowering. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out.
Shaheen- Let me know what you think once you try it this way
Global Patriot

04. Dec, 2008

Wonderful recipe, different than I’m used to seeing in the States, but much lighter, more refreshing and healthier. Thanks!
Jescel

05. Dec, 2008

My hubs and I love this salad. We eat this sometimes with pita and hummus – pretty healthy but real good stuff. Though we’re used to the western version with the bulgur in.. what can you say, we don’t know any better.. )
Hélène

11. Dec, 2008

Thanks for the add on Foodbuzz. I love your blog & lebanese cuisine. I’ll come back for more great recipes.
Peppercorn Press

11. Dec, 2008

This is so interesting. I am totally use to the “more” bulghur version and eating as a side salad with a fork. Your all-veggie version, eating as a “bundle” sounds wonderful. Sounds so fresh and good!
zenchef

15. Dec, 2008

So this is how it’s done!
Thanks for sharing your family secrets. It looks delicious.
Melissa

29. Dec, 2008

Ummm…This looks super yummy.
aksana

01. Feb, 2009

haha thank u for clearin it up i saw some comments over other sites like they added chicken to the wheat and stuff like this and i was totally shocked cuz it got far from bein a lebanese recipe:) (im lebanese)
jO:C

26. Nov, 2009

The parsley I have planted in my new garden is so fresh and desireable that we have decided to add Tabouleh salad to our Thanksgiving menu to enjoy with family and friends, today. Thanks for your post, we are making the juicy dressing now. .. yum!
Elías De La Rosa

01. Mar, 2010

Hi to all! I luv the picture where she puts her hands into the bowl full of Tabbouleh! She looks very sexy! I’m from Colombia, but lots of Lebanese people live here… it’s really nice when one of those Leb granmas say ur one of her “favorite kids”…. I am one of those “unhappy children” (yeah, sure!)

Not only Tabbouleh, but Kibbeh (raw, baked and fried ones), shish barak, grape leaf filled with rice and minced beef, hummus and, of course, Baklava! Wow… that was heaven on earth!

And, of course, Lebanese women!