Tabbouleh is the salad for summer, when parsley can be bought by the armful. In many American kitchens it is treated as a grain salad with some parsley scattered in, and most deli versions are built that way. The real thing runs the opposite direction: mostly parsley, with just a little bulgur.

Authentic tabbouleh is a parsley salad with a little bulgur in it, not the other way around. We are talking a small handful of fine bulgur against several packed cups of finely minced parsley, tomato, and mint, all pulled together with lemon and good olive oil. The parsley should be minced by hand with a sharp knife, not run through a food processor, which bruises it into mush and turns the whole salad gray and watery.

It is one of several bright summer salads on the site alongside Fattoush (recipe on the site) and our Salada de Feijão Frade (recipe on the site). Scooping it into romaine leaves like little boats is a traditional way to serve it, and a good way to get children to eat it.

Tabbouleh Recipe

What you need

Ingredients

1/4 cup fine bulgur (#1 grade)
4 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, stems removed (about 4 bunches)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
3 to 4 ripe tomatoes, finely diced and drained of excess liquid
4 to 5 scallions, finely minced, or 1 small onion, finely minced
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Romaine lettuce leaves, to serve

Cook along

Instructions

Soak the bulgur in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly and squeeze out any extra water.
Finely mince the parsley and mint by hand. This takes patience but it is worth it for the texture.
Dice the tomatoes finely and let them drain in a sieve for a few minutes to avoid a watery salad.
Combine the bulgur, parsley, mint, tomato, and scallions in a large bowl.
Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.
Serve in romaine lettuce leaves or alongside warm pita.