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Bulgur Tabbouleh Salad with Mint and Parsley

Tabbouleh salad is a North African & Levantine recipe that combines bulgur wheat with lots of fresh parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber & onion.

Portrait shallow depth of field image of a herby tabbouleh salad served in a white bowl

Bulgur Tabbouli Wheat Salad

I love bulgur wheat as a side dish. I use it all of the time interchangeably with buttered couscous to pair with tagine recipes like my Moroccan lamb tagine.

This tabbouleh or tabbouli salad is the next step on from that.

It is a traditional salad from the Arabic region that is also popular and a great compliment to North African flavours.

My version uses the soak method to cook the bulgur wheat.

It also features all of the classic flavours, parsley, mint, cucumber, tomato, onion, lemon and olive oil.

Portrait over head image of a herby tabbouleh salad served in a white bowl

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of bulgur wheat should I use?

Most bulgur wheat in the UK is not sold by its grind size, but there are 4 “sizes” of bulgur wheat with 1 being the finest and 4 being the coarsest.

Most bulgur in the UK is around either a 2 or a 3 in terms of size and as a result that is what this recipe has been developed with.

Can I use different vegetables?

Absolutely, yes!

Go to town, make this your own use everything from peppers to chickpeas and broad beans to carrots.

Just be sure to chop everything quite finely.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, this will comfortably sit in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

I quite often make up a large portion and we graze on it for lunch with some added protein as the week goes on.

Portrait overhead image of harissa glazed roast pork chops served on a grey plate with tabbouleh salad

Serving Suggestions

The great thing about a tabbouleh salad is how diverse it is.

Traditionally this would have been served as part of a mezze spread, essentially an ancient pick and mix. But I find that it is a perfect side dish to a host of different dishes.

It is equally delicious served with my Moroccan Harissa meatballs (pictured below) as it is served with my zaatar chicken legs and harissa pork chops (pictured above).

But it is not just a side to a slab of meat! You can serve this with pan-fried halloumi cheese and it would be fantastic sat aside this Persian herb frittata.

I’ve even served it with my lamb kabsa recipe and it was delicious.

You could even toss some feta cheese through it and stick it in a lunch box. However, you should take care to scale back the salt and lemon juice if you do this.

Close-up harissa beef meatballs drizzled with pomegranate molasses served with bulgur wheat.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Kettle to boil the water for the bulgur wheat.
  • 2 medium-large mixing bowls.
  • Cling film.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring jug, cups and spoons.
  • Stirring and serving spoons.
Square image of a herby tabbouleh salad served in a white bowl
Yield: 2 Servings

Bulgur Wheat Tabbouleh (Tabbouli) Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Tabbouleh is a classic bulgur wheat salad from North Africa featuring lots of fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion.

Ingredients

  • 175g (¾ Cup) Bulgur Wheat
  • 175g (¾ Cup) Boiling Water
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 50g (2 Cups) Parsley
  • 10g (⅓ Cup) Mint
  • 150g (1 Medium-Large) Tomato
  • 50g (⅓ Cup) Red Onion
  • 50g (⅓ Cup) Cucumber
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

  1. Place the bulgur wheat in a bowl.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half of the salt, stir then pour over the boiling water and cover with cling film and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Chop the mint & parsley as finely as you can and place in a bowl.
  4. Deseed the tomatoes and cut into a 3-4mm (⅛-¼") dice and add to the bowl.
  5. Remove the seeds from the cucumber, cut the flesh into a 3-4mm (⅛-¼") dice and add it to the bowl.
  6. Cut the onion into a 2-3mm (⅛")) dice and add to the bowl.
  7. Pour over the remaining oil, add the remaining salt and the lemon juice.
  8. Allow to sit until the bulgur wheat has finished soaking.
  9. Combine the bulgur with the herb mix and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

2

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 310Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1194mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

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