Tabbouleh/Tabouli, a tangy, fresh and crunchy Middle Eastern salad with bulgur/cracked wheat and lots and lots of greens like parsley, mint and cilantro in a lovely light sprinkling of olive oil and lime or lemon juice! Enjoy it as a side dish or as a light snack/lunch to satiate your hunger pangs!
I can have salads any time and if they have lots of greens like lettuce, spinach leaves and even parsley like in this tabbouleh, you can find me digging into a large bowl along with my main dish or even as a snack with a good book in my hand!
Tabbouleh or tabouli is a Middle Eastern salad and there has always been a tussle whether it originated from Lebanon or Israel. Whatever be the origin, I love it!
My first taste of this delicious and crunchy salad was at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I loved the freshness and crunch of the curly parsley and I was fascinated by the sprinkling of bulgur in it.
Once home, I lost no time in digging out the recipe from various cookbooks to come up with my version. Cracked wheat is always in my pantry. I have used it to make a spicy pongal (a south Indian lentil-cracked wheat risotto) and a scrumptious traditional Indian sweet dessert called Khichdi with chana dal.
This recipe needed only soaking of the cracked wheat or bulgur. While it is soaking, chop up all the other salad ingredients; parsley, mint leaves, tomatoes and onions. For added color and crunch, I grated some fresh carrots and mixed it in.
Parsley could either be flat leaf parsley or curly parsley. I love the crunch and slight tang of the curly parsley, so I have used only that in this salad. You can use either.
Finely chop all the ingredients and mix it in with soaked and drained cracked wheat or dalia along with finely chopped tomatoes, onion, mint, or even some cucumber or carrots.
Drizzle some olive oil or any cooking or salad oil for that matter but do not omit the lime or lemon juice; that gives this salad the amazing slight sour flavor which adds to the crunch and texture of the parsley. For that Indian in me, I sprinkled some roasted cumin powder; gives it a lovely spicy hue.
Once mixed, chill it for a while for flavors to blend through and serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish with any meal! For a no-carb, low calorie meal, savor them in lettuce leaves!
So, if you love to try new dishes and adore salads, then you must try this easy and fresh Mediterranean healthy vegan salad soon, either with curly or fresh flat leaf parsley, and enjoy it as a salad or appetizer.
Happy Cooking!
Love to enjoy salads everyday? Then check out these other healthy ones:
Three Bean Salad with Walnuts and Pomegranate
Mung Bean Sprouts, Mango and Corn Salad
Step-by-step method to make Tabbouleh:
Soak dalia in at least twice the amount of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain, squeeze the water out well and keep aside.
Wash parsley and mint leaves well in plenty of water, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Finely chop parsley and mint leaves.
Transfer the chopped greens along with chopped tomatoes, onions and carrots to a large mixing bowl.
Add the soaked and drained dalia to this mixture.
Sprinkle salt to taste, pepper powder, cumin powder, olive oil and lime juice.
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow all the flavors to infuse well.
Serve as a side dish with any meal or enjoy with chips, pita breads, in lettuce cups for a no-carb meal or even in sandwiches for a healthy snack!
Enjoy!
Stored in airtight containers, it stays well in the refrigerator for a couple of days; a perfect side dish salad for a party or get together!
A tangy, fresh and crunchy Middle Eastern salad with bulgur or cracked wheat and lots and lots of greens like parsley, mint and cilantro in a lovely light sprinkling of olive oil and lime or lemon juice!
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgur/cracked wheat/dalia
- 2 cups finely chopped parsley (curly or flat leaf)
- ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
- 1 large carrot peeled and grated
- 2 to 3 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- Finely chopped cucumbers
- Finely chopped green onions
- Finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
Instructions
- Soak dalia in at least twice the amount of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Drain, squeeze the water out well and keep aside.
- Wash parsley and mint leaves well in plenty of water, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- Finely chop parsley and mint leaves.
- Transfer the chopped greens along with chopped tomatoes, onions and carrots to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the soaked and drained dalia to this mixture.
- Sprinkle salt to taste, pepper powder, cumin powder, olive oil and lime juice.
- Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow all the flavors to infuse well.
- Serve as a side dish with any meal or enjoy with chips, pita breads, in lettuce cups for a no-carb meal or even in sandwiches for a healthy snack!
- Enjoy!
- Stored in airtight containers, it stays well in the refrigerator for a couple of days; a perfect side dish salad for a party or get together!
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Very healthy recipe and perfect for as a light refreshing meal in summer. The clicks are beautiful esp, the parsley one!
Salad with cracked wheat sounds great... am sure it tastes awesome
oh wow, i can have this all day long. The herb laden one.
Tabbouleh is my fav middle eastern salad. So refreshing, filling and tasty.
A perfect salad for summer...So refreshing, easy to make and fuss free!!...You have explained it so well with a stepwise pictorial guide..Yummy share 🙂
One of the most flavourful salads ever!
Once the warmer weather reaches in my part of the world, salads are always on my mind and this middle eastern Tabbouleh is my favourite, healthy, tasty and fuss free recipe!
Healthy and yummy salad! I use make this for summer parties. This time I planned this along with some fruit salad too:)
I love greens and the bunch of parsley looks so appealing.. Love this salad. Healthy and refreshing !
I absolutely love Tabbouleh and make with Dalia too. Last month I was fortunate to have a friend carry some Bulgur for me. In summer, isn't this the perfect meal?
Love this flavourful and healthy salad..
The very idea of adding this refreshing salad to the menu awakes my dormant appetite in summers. And then it looks so pretty on the table too! Love your step by step beautiful pictures!
I am loving that big bunch of curled parsley. I adore greens and this certainly looks super fresh. Love this salad, since its summers, I would practically live on this for sure. Its filling, full of veggies and healthy too. A glass of Buttermilk on the side and my lunch is sorted. Great share.
What a healthy share. Loved it. Salad looks so flavourful and tempting. And perfect for this hot weather. I will try it soon.
Can smell the flavor of this fabulous Tabbouleh, wish i get a bowl of this catchy dish rite from you. Inviting dish.
I tasted this delicious and crunchy salad in Australia and yours look similar to it. I loved the most in salad is freshness and crunchiness. Such a delicious share
Salads are something I am craving for in this hot sultry weather, and this recipe is perfect for my dinner tonite, thanks for the lovely share.
I can eat healthy meals like this every day! Thank you for sharing!