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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Lebanese Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)

    By Lily・Published:Aug 9, 2021・Updated: Jan 28, 2023・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    cropped-Tabouli.jpg

    Tabouli, tabbouleh, tabboule are all the same words describing the most popular Lebanese parsley salad. This tabouli recipe is made the traditional way with bulgar wheat, Italian parsley, fresh mint, tomatoes, onions, lemons, and lots of olive oil. This quinoa tabbouleh recipe is equally delicious if you are looking for a gluten-free version.

    authentic Lebanese tabouli in a glass bowl

    The best tabouli I've ever had has been from my Aunt Sonia and my father. Tabouli salad is an art, and it's very easy to get the ratios off. I hope this recipe post details all the tips and tricks for the best tabouli recipe. And if you'd like more amazing Lebanese recipes, check out 22 of the best Lebanese recipes.

    What I Love About This Recipe

    Tabouli is one of my favorite salads to have with grilled meats, like lamb kabobs, shish tawook, and beef shish kabobs. It's lemony, juicy, and textured. Parsley is an herb packed full of antioxidants and vitamins, so there are lots of health benefits of this parsley salad.

    This might sound odd, but I love that this recipe tastes different in every home. There are a lot of variations of tabbouleh, and each Lebanese family has their own recipe. Here is my family's authentic Lebanese tabbouleh recipe from the mountains of Lebanon (Dhour Shweir).

    Ingredient Notes

    Italian parsley bunches
    • Italian parsley: Fresh flat leafed parsley (Italian parsley) is the main ingredient in tabouli. Italian parsley looks a lot like cilantro, so be careful when choosing which one to buy at the grocery store. If you can't find flat parsley, curly parsley will also work in taste, but the texture will be different.
    • Green onions: My father prefers to make his tabouli with green onions or white onions.
    • Ripe tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes on the vine or Roma tomatoes are great to use for tabouli. Use juicy tomatoes that are ripe and ready to eat.
    • Fine Bulgar Wheat #1: There are different sizes of bulgar wheat. It's important to get the fine bulgur wheat #1 size grain. The fine bulgar wheat softens quickly when you add water to it. Bulgur wheat is also known as cracked wheat, and it's used in baked kibbeh.
    • Fresh mint (optional): Fresh mint is optional but really adds a lot to the salad.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best tabbouleh.
    • Lemons: Use ripe lemons to make fresh lemon juice.
    ingredients needed to make bulgar wheat tabouli

    See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

    How To Make Tabouli Salad

    Add the dried fine bulgar wheat to a small bowl. Measure out cold water onto the bulgar wheat. Mix with your hands and set aside as the bulgar wheat softens.

    dry bulgar wheat in a bowl
    water added to the bulgar wheat in a bowl

    Hint: Don't wash the Italian parsley until it's chopped.

    Cut the bottom portion of the parsley bunch to remove most of the stems. Finely chop the bunches of parsley using a sharp knife, almost like shredding a head of cabbage.

    cutting the stems off the Italian parsley
    finely chopping the Italian parsley using a knife on a cutting board

    Add the chopped parsley to a strainer that fits inside a large bowl. Once the parsley is all chopped, fill the bowl and strainer with water. Drain. Repeat until the water runs clear. Keep the parsley in the strainer until the excess water has drained completely.

    Wash the fresh mint leaves (if using). Remove the leaves from the stem. Finely chop the mint leaves. Add to the chopped parsley leaves.

    Wash the green onion prior to chopping. Finely chop the green onions. Add the green onions to the washed and drained parsley.

    chopped Italian parsley in a strainer
    finely chopping the green onions

    Finely dice the tomatoes. Cut the tomato in half. Place the flat side down on the cutting board. Moving parallel to the cutting board, slice 2 to 3 layers about ¼" thick. Then, slice the tomato in ¼" strips longways. Finally, rotate the tomato and chop it into ¼" cubes. The tomato should be cut in 3 directions for the smallest diced size. Add the tomatoes to the chopped parsley and chopped green onions.

    how to slice the tomatoes
    adding the Roma tomatoes to the chopped green onions and parsley

    Add the soaked bulgar wheat to the chopped parsley, chopped green onions, and chopped tomatoes. Squeeze the lemons separating the seeds from the lemon juice.

    Hint: Lemons come in different sizes and juiciness. If you want a more accurate measurement, measure the lemon juice prior to adding it to the salad.

    adding the soaked bulgar wheat
    squeeze the lemon juice

    Add the lemon juice and olive oil dressing to the tabouli. Mix the tabouli really well.

    mixed tabouli in a bowl

    Tips and Tricks

    • The biggest tip for making killer tabouli is the ratios, especially the dressing ratio of the lemons, olive oil, and salt. The recipe card at the bottom of the post includes measured quantities to give you a starting point on the ratios. Important: Throughout the process of adding the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, continuously taste the salad and adjust. The ratios of the simple olive oil lemon dressing are key to authentic lebanese tabbouleh salad.
    • Traditional Lebanese tabbouleh uses lots of fresh parsley. Some recipes on the internet are made with diced cucumbers and high ratios of bulgur wheat, which is not really the authentic Lebanese version.
    Lebanese bulgar wheat tabouli

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Substitute curly leaf for flat leaf (Italian) parsley.
    • Use quinoa in lieu of bulgar wheat - If you are looking for a gluten-free alternative, try this quinoa tabbouleh recipe.
    • Use white onion in lieu of green onion.
    • Soak the bulgar wheat using the juice of the tomatoes or the lemon juice. Add the freshly chopped tomatoes on top of the dry bulgar wheat instead of adding water. Alternatively, add some of the lemon juice in lieu of the water.

    Equipment

    • Sharp chef's knife to finely cut the parsley, onions, and tomatoes.
    • Large cutting board
    • Fine mesh strainer and large bowl to wash the finely chopped parsley
    • Large bowl to serve the tabouli

    Storage

    Store the tabouli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The tabouli will change colors and sweat while being stored in the fridge. There will be a lot of juice in the container. This is normal.

    FAQs

    What do you eat with tabouli?

    Eat tabouli with pita bread, cabbage leaves, Romaine lettuce, or simply eaten as is. Serve with kabobs, grilled meats, or kibbeh.

    What's the difference between tabouli and tabbouleh?

    Nothing! It's just a different English spelling for an Arabic word. Tabouli, or tabbouleh, is a chopped parsley salad with tomatoes, onions, bulgar wheat, lemon juice, and olive oil.

    Is tabouli healthy?

    Yes! It's made with all-natural ingredients like fresh parsley, tomatoes, onions, lemons, olive oil, and bulgar wheat. The quantity of olive oil and bulgar wheat can be modified to suit specific dietary needs. Additionally, there are gluten-free options for tabouli by using quinoa in lieu of bulgar wheat.

    Authentic Lebanese Recipes

    • Fried Kibbeh Balls
    • Zaatar Manakeesh Flatbread
    • Kibbeh Nayeh Recipe (Lebanese Raw Kibbeh)
    • Cilantro Garlic Fried Potatoes (Batata Harra)
    • Authentic Lebanese Red Lentil Soup
    • Shish Barak Lebanese Dumplings in Yogurt
    • Easy Lebanese Fried Falafel
    • Eggplant Fatteh
    • Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)
    • Lebanese Kafta Kabobs
    • Kafta Bil Sanieh - Baked Kafta and Potatoes
    • Shish Tawook Lebanese Chicken Kabobs

    Delicious Mediterranean Salads

    • Persian Shirazi Salad
    • Quinoa Tabbouleh
    • Epic Fatoosh Salad With Pomegranate
    • Greek Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Join The Tribe

    Subscribe to The Matbakh Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest pages. We also have a saucy newsletter.

    bulgar wheat tabouli

    Lebanese Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)

    Author: Lily
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Lebanese
    Prep: 30 mins
    Total: 30 mins
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 6
    Lebanese tabouli salad, aka tabbouleh, is a popular parsley salad made with Italian parsley, tomatoes, onions, bulgar wheat, lemons, and olive oil.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 3 bunches of Italian parsley about 6 cups finely chopped
    • 3 bunches of green onions about 4 cups finely chopped
    • 8 to 10 Roma tomatoes about 5 cups finely chopped
    • ¾ cup dried fine bulgar wheat #1
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoon water for the bulgar wheat
    • 3 to 4 lemons about ½ cup of lemon juice
    • salt to taste
    • 1 bunch fresh mint about 1 cup chopped

    Instructions

    • Measure ¾ cup of fine bulgar wheat into a bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon of water on top of the bulgar wheat. Mix with a spoon to evenly coat the bulgar wheat and set aside.
    • Don't wash the parsley bunch until it's been chopped. Cut the stems off. Finely chop the parsley. Add the parsley to a fine mesh strainer. Once all of the parsley is chopped, place the fine mesh strainer in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water to wash the chopped parsley. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear. Keep the parsley in the mesh strainer until the water has drained. Move the parsley to a large bowl once it's finished draining.
    • If using fresh mint, wash the mint and remove the leaves. Finely chop the mint leaves. Add to the chopped parsley.
    • Wash the green onions. Finely chop the green onions. Add the chopped green onions to the chopped parsley.
    • Finely dice the tomatoes. Cut the tomato in half. Then slice ¼" layers parallel to the cutting board. Slice the tomato in ¼" strips, then turn the tomato to dice into ¼" cubes. Add the tomatoes to the chopped parsley and green onions.
    • Add the softened bulgar wheat to the chopped vegetables.
    • Squeeze the lemons. Measure out the lemon juice (should be about ½ cup of lemon juice). Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste. Mix the tabouli well. Adjust the salt and lemon for a balanced salad.

    Notes

    1. Substitute quinoa in lieu of bulgar wheat for a gluten-free tabouli salad.
    2. Use white onions instead of green onions. Substitute 3 cups of white onions for 4 cups of green onions.
    3. Add fresh mint if available.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cups | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 156mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 7g

    More Salads That Don't Suck

    • Apple Gorgonzola Spinach Salad
    • Middle Eastern Fried Eggplant Salad (Betinjan Meqli)
    • Dried Mint Shredded Cabbage Salad
    • Lentil Quinoa Chickpea Salad With Spinach

    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Stephanie

      January 31, 2023 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing the exact ratios. I've tried to make this salad before, and it didn't come out right. This time it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Lily

        January 31, 2023 at 2:58 pm

        Thank you so much for the comment. That's right, the ratios really matter!

        Reply
    2. Holley

      January 12, 2023 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      This salad is so fresh and flavorful! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Lily

        January 31, 2023 at 2:58 pm

        Thanks so much for the comment!

        Reply
    3. Tara

      January 11, 2023 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      Such a light and refreshing salad! It looks absolutely amazing with a wonderful combination of flavors.

      Reply
      • Lily

        January 31, 2023 at 2:59 pm

        Thanks Tara!

        Reply
    4. Kushigalu

      January 03, 2023 at 1:26 am

      5 stars
      Refreshing and delicious salad recipe. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Lily

        January 31, 2023 at 2:59 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
    5. Novellian

      August 23, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Hi Lili. Your Tabouléh recipe is perfection. It just can not be changed or improved !I am Lebanese and know what a Tabouléh should look and taste, and this one looks perfect and I’m sure it also tastes just as good as it looks.
      However, I was wondering if there can be a keto version of this Lebanese national dish? Is there any keto friendly substitution for bulghour?
      Love to hear from you on this challenging question.🤣

      Reply
      • Lily

        August 23, 2021 at 10:49 am

        Well first off thanks for the comment! Good question... I'm not a dietician or anything, but when I was following the keto diet, I subtracted the carb grams from the fiber grams to get net carb grams. For a 2.5 cup bowl of tabouli (even with bulgar wheat), the nutrition tracker has it at 7 net carbs. If you omit the bulgar wheat completely or reduce the quantity you can bring that down. I would eat tabouli with bulgar wheat (and with quinoa) even doing keto, because it doesn't feel like tabouli without a grain in it (that's just me). Also, I eat tabouli with lettuce leaves or cabbage leaves instead of eating it with pita bread if watching my carbs. Hope that helps!

        Reply
      • Anonymous

        October 20, 2021 at 1:22 pm

        Hi, also you can replace the bulghour with ground almond or almond flour (but not the fine grind one). I hope that will help too.
        It will not be exactly as the traditional one but if you don't wanna go with the bulghour that might help.

        Reply
    6. Sherry M.

      August 09, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Well explained instructions! Making this for the weekend grill out.

      Reply
      • Lily

        August 09, 2021 at 3:50 pm

        Enjoy

        Reply

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