Tabbouleh is one of the Middle East’s most popular dishes. It’s a refreshing and vibrant salad featuring fresh parsley, mint, tomato, and bulgur wheat. This is the traditional Lebanese tabbouleh salad recipe without any twists or extras. It’s vegan, healthy, fresh, and delicious!
Because I grew up in Jordan I have always loved Middle Eastern food. And even though I no longer live there, I continue to cook many of these traditional dishes for my family.
You may have enjoyed this tasty fresh herb salad at a Lebanese restaurant before! This is the recipe you need if you’re looking to recreate Lebanese Tabbouleh at home.
We eat tabbouleh salad at least once a week and the whole family loves it. The flavors are bright and fresh, with herbs and lemon juice, and this salad goes with everything!
Tabbouleh is especially good with grilled meats, at BBQs, or as part of a mezze along with other Middle Eastern appetizers like fresh pita, baba ganoush, and falafel.
Authentic Tabbouleh Salad
The recipe for Tabbouleh Salad that I’m sharing with you today is the real deal, exactly how it’s made in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
You’ll find many recipes for Tabbouleh (or Tabouli salad) online, but so many of them are not quite right. Other bloggers have tried, but missed the mark when it comes to authenticity.
This is the tabbouleh recipe that my parents made, and their parents before them. It’s perfect as is, without any changes or updates!
This authentic tabbouleh recipe has been here on Little Sunny Kitchen since 2019! If you’re returning to view the recipe, please note that I’ve updated the photos, but the recipe is unchanged.
Tabbouleh Ingredients
Below are the traditional tabbouleh ingredients, and don’t let anyone tell you anything other than this!
- Fresh parsley leaves – Parsley is the main ingredient in traditional tabbouleh, so be sure that you have a big bunch! Flat leaf parsley is ideal, but curly parley can also be used in a pinch.
- Fresh mint leaves – The second fresh herb in this salad, mint is an ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes.
- Fine Bulgur Wheat – Be sure to buy instant bulgur, or bulgur labeled as “fine” rather than the whole grain or coarse ground type that needs cooking.
- Tomato – Use a tomato that isn’t too ripe, and will hold its shape when diced. Roma tomatoes are ideal for tabbouleh salad.
- Yellow onion – Dice a yellow onion or a sweet onion finely, but green onion is sometimes added as well.
- For the dressing, you will need fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and ground black pepper.
Some people add a little bit of diced cucumber to tabbouleh. It’s optional, but can add a lovely sweetness and a bit of crunch.
Looking for more Middle Eastern salad recipes? Check out my recipes for Fattoush Salad with crispy pita croutons, and Shirazi Salad with crunchy cucumbers.
What Is Bulgur Wheat?
In Arabic bulgur wheat is called “burghul”. It’s a whole wheat grain that has been cracked and partially pre-cooked. Bulgur comes in various grind sizes, and for tabbouli, you should use fine-grain bulgur.
Fine grain bulgur does not need to be boiled or cooked, but instead is prepared by soaking it in water or lemon juice.
Larger styles of bulgur require cooking, and are closer to the size and texture of rice and are not typically used in tabbouleh salad.
How to Make Authentic Tabbouleh Salad
- Rinse the instant bulgur wheat, then let it soak in the lemon juice for at least 5-10 minutes. The wheat will double in size, so be sure to use a big enough bowl!
- Chop the parsley and mint leaves finely. I usually remove most of the stems especially if they’re hard, and work with the leaves. Don’t skip the mint leaves, as they add a lot of flavor and give that lovely freshness to your salad.
- Finely dice the tomato and the onion. Feel free to add any juice from your tomatoes to the bulgur to add more flavor.
- Mix the soaked bulgur with chopped parsley, mint, onion, and tomato in a large bowl. Then add olive oil and salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if needed. You may need more olive oil or lemon juice if the salad is too dry.
Recipe Tips
- Choose the freshest ingredients. There are only a few ingredients in a tabbouleh salad, so make sure that everything is super fresh (and organic if possible) for the best flavor.
- Wash the herbs and vegetables well before chopping them. I like to use a salad spinner to do this part! Then I dry everything well with paper towels.
- Everything needs to be chopped very small for this salad. Since there’s no cooking involved in this tabbouleh salad recipe, the chopping is really the hardest part. Avoid the urge to use your food processor, as it can chop the herbs up too much and your salad might turn out bitter.
- Using a sharp knife and a cutting board to chop the herbs is ideal, because it gives you control over the size of everything. You want the salad to be light and fluffy.
- In place of bulgur, try tabbouleh with quinoa, lentils, or couscous.
What to Serve With Tabbouleh
Try tabbouleh salad as a side dish for cookouts, or pair it with your favorite protein for a light lunch or dinner.
To keep this meal vegetarian, tabbouli is tasty with Baba Ganoush, Cauliflower Steaks, Lebanese Batata Harra, Fried Halloumi, and fresh pita flatbread.
Otherwise, try it with Shish Tawook, Grilled Kafta, Meat Stuffed Pitas, grilled T-Bone Steaks or Shrimp Kabobs.
Tabbouleh is also a part of the Arabic Mezze, which means appetizer, but is so much more than that!
What is Middle Eastern Mezze?
Arabs LOVE their mezze! If you visit Jordan or Lebanon, go to a Lebanese restaurant and they will start bringing small plates of mezze (appetizers) to your table before the main dish is served. Many of the mezze dishes are vegetarian and vegan, and there’s always something to suit everyone.
Sometimes you can make an entire meal of mezza too, and continue to snack on these delicious plates all evening.
Popular Middle Eastern Mezza includes this tabbouleh salad and other dishes like Baba Ganoush, Classic Hummus, Batata Harra, Fattet Hummus, Galayet Bandora, Fatayer Sabanekh, Muhammara, Falafel, Labneh, and Fattoush Salad.
Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe
Wondering if you can make tabbouleh gluten free with quinoa or other grains? As long as your tabbouleh salad is made with LOTS of fresh parsley and mint, the grain can be changed.
Quinoa tabbouleh is a modern variation on this recipe that I make sometimes too. I use white quinoa to make this as it’s the closest in taste and color to bulgur, it’s slightly sweet and has a fairly similar texture. One bonus in using quinoa for this salad is that it adds extra plant-based protein. It’s also gluten-free!
You can also make couscous tabbouleh, or try tabbouleh with lentils for a different gluten-free option.
Whatever alternative grain you use, just be sure to cook it first, according to the package instructions. No need to soak the grain in lemon juice, just add the lemon to the dressing ingredients.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe for tabbouleh is the classic, basic salad that is served all over the Middle East. It’s going to be the same, whether you’re at a Lebanese restaurant, or traveling in Jordan, Dubai, or Egypt.
Once mixed, the salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, it will become slightly soggy over time as the lemon juice and tomatoes release moisture so it’s always best to enjoy tabbouleh on the same day if possible.
Now, go make a big bowl of this classic, authentic, traditional Tabbouleh Salad! Everyone is going to love how fresh and delicious it is.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Tabbouleh
Equipment
- salad spinner
- Large Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Large Salad Bowl
- Citrus juicer
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (50 grams) fine bulgur wheat
- ½ cup (120 ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 bunches fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 1-2 medium tomatoes chopped. Use firm tomatoes.
- ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the bulgur wheat and soak it in lemon juice as you chop the vegetables. It will plump up and double in size, so make sure you’re using a bowl that is big enough. This takes 15-20 minutes.
- Chop the herbs and vegetables small.
- In a large bowl, combine the soaked bulgur wheat, chopped parsley, mint, onion, and tomato. Mix well.
- To the salad, add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss until well combined.
- At this point, taste the salad and check if you need more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt. The salad should not be dry.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- When ready to serve, give the tabbouleh a good stir and serve in bowls, or over lettuce leaves (usually romaine is used).
Notes:
- Wash the herbs and vegetables well before chopping them. I like to use a salad spinner to do this part! Then I dry everything well with paper towels.
- Everything needs to be chopped very small for this salad. Since there’s no cooking involved in this recipe, the chopping is really the hardest part. Avoid the urge to use your food processor, as it can chop the herbs up too much.
- Using a sharp knife and a cutting board to chop the herbs is ideal, because it gives you control over the size of everything. You want the salad to be light and fluffy.
- In place of bulgur, try tabbouleh with the same amount of cooked quinoa, lentils, or couscous.
- You can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. However, it is best enjoyed the same day that you make it. The salad will get soggy with time as the tomatoes and onions release their juices.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
This recipe was first shared on the blog in January 2019, then was updated with new images and helpful tips in May 2023. The recipe remained the same.
Jane R says
This is my favorite! I can’t believe I have never made it at home before but this recipe is so easy!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so happy to hear this is a new favorite, Jane! Thank you!
Sharina says
I love the authentic flavor present in this tabbouleh salad. It is bursting with flavors that are enjoyable!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you, Sharina! I’m so glad you enjoy this salad!
Cassie says
If I am using quinoa, do I soak it first in lemon before cooking, or would that not do any good?
Diana says
I would cook the quinoa first and then add the lemon juice. Enjoy!
Charlotte says
Just like Situ made it.
Fond memories return.
Wonderful.
Thank you.
Elena says
Perfect! Exactly what I hoped for, easy to prep with food processor. Neat trick with the lemon juice and bulgur!