Terrifically Simple Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh salad is simple to prepare, even if spelling it isn’t *wink*.

I am so obsessed with Middle Eastern Food because it is perfect for summer, lounging outside communally enjoying the warmer weather. I’m making this salad as part of a dinner spread of felafel, pita, and hummus with veggies.

For those of you who haven’t tried Tabbouleh, it is a salad made with fresh parsley and mint, a bit of cracked wheat (bulghur) and a bit of tomato and onion. If you don’t have bulghur, no worries, couscous is a good stand in. Dressing this salad is as simple as some lemon zest and juice, a bit of salt and olive oil and that’s it!

It’s also great packed up for lunch with a can of tuna or some chicken. It needs a minimum 1 hour lead time in the fridge but keeps well for 2-3 days if you want to make a big batch for the week ahead.

Terrifically Simple Tabbouleh Salad

1/2 a bunch parsley, well rinsed and dried with paper towel, minced*

1/2 cup of fresh mint, well rinsed and dried with paper towel, minced*

Juice of two lemons

Zest of one lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup bulghur

1/2 cup boiling water

Salt to taste

1 roma tomato, diced (or use cherry tomatoes, halved)

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

To make the bulghur, combine cracked wheat with boiling water in the medium sized bowl intended for the salad. Let stand for about 10 minutes. The bulghur will not be completely soft yet, but it will continue to soften in the fridge as it absorbs the lemon juice and olive oil dressing.

Add lemon zest and juice and mix well.

*Mince the parsley and mint. To me this is the most laborious task in making this salad, but a trick I have learned is to bundle up the parsley like a bouquet and snip with with a clean pair of kitchen scissors, rather than chasing the parsley around the cutting board with a knife. The same logic stands for the mint.

Add the minced herbs, chopped tomato, onion and a pinch of salt. Drizzle the olive oil over top and mix well.

Cover tightly and put in the fridge for at least an hour and bring up to room temperature to serve.

This salad is a great way to use up the mint and parsley growing in your garden. Perfect!

Hungry Homebody