Tabouli Salad

This familiar fresh salad is chock full of the foods your body craves: simple, whole plants that form part of a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Double the recipe and make up a big batch so you’ll have an easy and healthy lunch option all week! Naturally plant-based, with a gluten-free option.

Tips on Making Tabouli Salad

Obviously I didn’t invent this traditional Middle Eastern Salad. But it’s a favorite of mine, and from experience eating it over the years, I also know there’s a multitude of ways to make it. Is there a right way and a wrong way? I don’t think so!

My opinion is, you’re the cook, you’re the one eating, so make it as you please. I’m just giving you some guidelines to start. Want to add more parsley and other veggies? Do it. Following a gluten-free diet? Then sub quinoa for the bulgur wheat. Prefer even more lemon? Load up! You could even add some red pepper flakes to give this salad an extra kick.

Tips For Cooking bulgur wheat

Bulgur wheat is a whole grain that’s loaded with fiber, protein, and a host of micronutrients. As with anything wheat, you’ll definitely want to make sure you purchase an organic and non-GMO version.

Bulgur is super easy to cook. To make 3 cups of cooked bulgur, start with 1.5 cups of dry bulgur. Place it in a bowl or pot with a tight fitting lid. Now add 4 cups of boiling hot water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the bowl, and cover. Let it sit for about an hour. Then drain. That’s it!

How to Serve Tabouleh Salad

Serve this over a bed of mixed greens. For a complete meal, toss in some beans such as chickpeas, add a generous scoop of hummus, or add serve with grilled chicken or salmon.

Ingredients

3 cups bulgur wheat, cooked (see instructions above)

2 large plum tomatoes, small diced

1 small cucumber, small diced

1 big bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 bunch fresh mint chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely diced (about 1/2cup)

3 cloves garlic, minced

3T lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

3T extra virgin olive oil

1/2t sea salt

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine the bulgur wheat through the 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in a large bowl and toss together. Taste and add extra sea salt and black pepper to your liking. You can also add more lemon juice and olive oil, if you prefer.