Tabbouleh (تبولة in Arabic; also known as tabbouli, tabouli, tabouleh or taboulah) is a healthy vegetarian dish with a 4000 year history originating from the mountains of Lebanon.
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad of bulgur wheat combined with chopped parsley, tomatoes, onions, mint, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and spices.
Tabbouleh has a spicy and tangy taste. It is usually served with Mezze (a variety of appetizers served with a meal in parts of the Middle East). Tabbouleh has many healthy and nutritious benefits. A one cup (150 g) serving tabbouleh is a good source of the antioxidant vitamins A and C, flavonoids (parsley), dietary fiber (bulgur wheat) and contains mono a polyunsaturated fats (olive oil) which have been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels, boost your immune system, and may decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
While some people think of tabbouleh as a salad I think of it as satisfying and filing meal all on it’s own. It is one of the most popular dishes that people order when they're eating at a Lebanese restaurant.
Tabbouleh Salad Recipe (serves 4 to 6)
Prep time: Approximately 40 minutes
Ingredients:
¼ cup fine brown bulgur (also known as bourghal) wheat
4 stalks green onions (diced)
½ cup fresh finely diced mint
2 large bunches of parsley (chopped) (curly or Italian flat leaf)
8 fresh tomatoes (diced)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (to taste)
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
Directions:
Wash all vegetables and herbs. Parsley, mint and green onions should be washed thoroughly in water to remove any residual pesticides, dirt, and soil. Chop and dice the vegetables (parsley, mint, green onions, tomatoes) and put them in a large bowl.
Soak the fine brown bulgur in a small bowl of water until the water is absorbed then add the bulgur to the chopped vegetables and mix. Add (lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper) to the mixture. Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. Refrigerate before serving. You can refrigerate any left over tabbouleh for up to 2 days.
Tabbouleh is a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal. It can be served as a side salad, a healthy snack, an appetizer or even a main meal with pita bread. For a low carbohydrate option replace the pita bread with romaine lettuce, raw grape leaves, kale leaves, or Taiwanese cabbage.
Tip: Chopped parsley can be added to different recipes such as hummus or baba ghanoush dip (cooked eggplant mixed with tahini), grilled fish or chicken, soup and more.
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