Tabbouleh: The Parsley Salad That Is Greener Than You Think

Most tabbouleh sold in American delis has the recipe backward. It shows up as a pale mound of bulgur wheat flecked with a little green, heavy and gummy and missing the point entirely. Real Lebanese tabbouleh is the opposite: a vivid, almost entirely green salad of finely chopped parsley, with just enough bulgur to add a little chew. Get the proportions right and it tastes like summer, sharp with lemon and cool on the plate.

The work here is in the knife, not the stove. There is no cooking, but there is a lot of chopping, and doing it well is what separates a bright, fresh tabbouleh from a bruised, watery one.

Treat the Parsley With Respect

Parsley is the main ingredient, so buy more than feels reasonable, three big bunches for a bowl. Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than curly and chops more cleanly. Wash it thoroughly, because grit hides in the stems, then dry it completely. Wet parsley waters down the salad and steams itself into a sad clump, so a salad spinner or a good few minutes on a towel is worth the effort.

Chop it fine with a sharp knife rather than a food processor, which bruises the leaves and turns them to paste. It takes patience, but the texture of hand-chopped parsley is the whole character of the dish.

Ingredients

How to Make It

1. Put the bulgur in a bowl and cover with a little cold water. Let it sit for about 15 minutes until tender, then drain and squeeze out any excess water with your hands.
2. Wash the parsley well and dry it thoroughly, then chop it finely and add it to a large bowl.
3. Finely chop the mint and dice the tomatoes. Set the diced tomatoes in a sieve for a minute to drain off their extra juice before adding them.
4. Add the mint, drained tomatoes, sliced green onions, and softened bulgur to the parsley.
5. Pour over the lemon juice and olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
6. Let the salad rest for 15 to 30 minutes so the bulgur softens further and the flavors come together. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt before serving.

Serve It the Lebanese Way

Tabbouleh is part of a mezze spread, served alongside hummus, flatbread, and other small dishes rather than as a side heaped next to a main. Traditionally you scoop it with a leaf of romaine or cabbage instead of a fork, which is worth trying at least once. Dress it close to serving, since the acid slowly wilts the parsley if it sits dressed for hours. It keeps for a day in the fridge, though it is brightest the afternoon you make it, so make it the same day you plan to eat it.