Easy Tabbouleh Salad
Tabbouleh is a delicious and easy side dish the whole family can love. Packed with fresh herbs, cooked bulgur and a tangy vinaigrette, this side dish pairs beautifully with everything.
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad made with cooked bulgur or couscous, fresh parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon, and seasonings. Served as part of a mezze or as a side dish, this dish has become loved by many all over the world.
Different variations are found in Lebanon, Syria, Isreal, and Palestine, with small changes to the proportions of bulgur and parsley, and other additions. This is one of those dishes where everyone’s grandma has their own version.
No matter how you make it, this dish is flavorful, a great addition to meals, kid friendly, and a perfect prep-ahead dish for the week.
How to make tabbouleh
This recipe is very simple to make! Here is a brief overview of the recipe to give you an idea of how it works. For the full set of directions and measurements, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below!
- Place the uncooked bulgur in a medium sized saucepan with the water. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook until the bulgur is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
- Chop the parsley, cucumber, tomato, mint and green onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette dressing.
- When the bulgur is done, strain any excess water out.
- Place the cooked bulgur, chopped vegetables and herbs, and vinaigrette in a large mixing bowl and toss to coat.
- Cover with a lid and chill for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
How to serve
This dish is best when served chilled. It is also one of those recipes that gets better with age, so giving it at least 1 hour to chill is best, but it tastes even better the next day.
Serve this side dish salad with grilled za’atar chicken, a simple fish recipe like Air Fryer Tilapia, with Beef Kofta, Chicken Shawarma, or as part of a mezze meal.
Want to add more kid friendly Middle Eastern recipes to your family meal plan? Head over to our recipe archive to find all kinds of kid-approved recipes.
Storage Information
Store tabbouleh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve chilled.
How kids can help you cook
Tabbouleh is a great recipe for kids to learn how to help make.
- Kids aged 1 to 3 can help you wash and dry the fresh produce, measure ingredients for the dressing, and help pick the herb leaves off of stems.
- Kids aged 4 to 6 can help do everything above, plus help you chop the herbs, mix the dressing together, and mix the tabbouleh.
- Kids aged 7 to 10+ can help do everything above, plus help you chop the cucumber and tomato, and help cook the bulgur.
*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this post, please link to this post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thanks so much for supporting me! xoxo
Easy Tabbouleh Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup diced tomato
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the water and the bulgur.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then cover with a lid.
- Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the parsley, cucumber, tomato, green onions and mint.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and ground coriander.
- When the bulgur is cooked through, strain out any remaining water and place the bulgur in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chopped veggies and herbs, and the marinade the the bulgur and toss to coat.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
