So, the holidays are fast approaching. As much as I feel I should be eating all the yummy food that the season is offering right now, my mind tells me that I should incorporate more healthy stuff before the holidays. Yup basically eat from Christmas till new year before the new resolutions start, yet again. *Grins*
I am a huge fan of salads and I can literally “live on them”. Problem is, I am not that kinda person who would toss a couple of lettuce leaves with olive oil and call it a salad.
My salads need to have good flavors and texture. A perfect bowl of salad for me would be, some greens, mandarin oranges, roasted corn, dried cranberries, tomatoes, drizzled with an EVOO + lemon vinaigrette and topped with crumbled feta cheese and slices of avocados. Yup, simple is definitely not my middle name when it comes to salads.
So this Tabbouleh or Tabouli salad is perfect for me cause it consists of different textures. Yes, it is still fairly simple yet flavorful with the usage of several herbs.
So, what is a Tabbouleh Salad?
Tabbouleh Salad is a Middle Eastern Salad made with bulgur wheat, tomatoes and fresh herbs. So you basically mix bulgur wheat with finely chopped vegetables and herbs all tossed with lemon/lime juice and olive oil. It is so light and refreshing! And yah, for once the parsley is no longer just a decoration on the plate as it is an important ingredient in this salad.
I recommend using extra fine bulgur. Extra fine bulgur does not need too much time to soak before adding it to the salad. If you end up using coarse or extra coarse bulgur, then you might have to soak it for at least 40 minutes or so.
If you are trying to eat healthier but running out of options, this Tabbouleh recipe is definitely for you. It also makes a good meal prep. Use it in wraps or use it as a base for your proteins. The options are limitless. I added some garlic, cilantro, pomegranate seeds and cucumber to this Tabbouleh recipe which is not a norm. There are other recipes adding some spices to it too; like a pinch of cumin and coriander. Feel free to make it your own.
Although Tabbouleh makes a great side dish to kebabs and pitas, but hey I don’t see why you can’t pair this with some roasted chicken either. Who am I to judge? Especially when I had it with Tempura fish fillets, which was YUMZ!
- ½ cup extra fine bulgur wheat
- 2-3 firm roma tomatoes - finely chopped and strained
- 1 english cucumber - peeled, diced and strained
- a big bunch of parsley - stems removed, washed, dried and chopped
- a small bunch of fresh mint leaves - stems removed, washed, dried and chopped
- a small bunch of cilantro - wash, dried and chopped (optional)
- 4 green onions - wash, dried and chopped
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic, chopped
- 3-4 tbsp lime/lemon juice
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to season
- Rinse the bulgur wheat in a sieve until the water runs clear. Drain well, then transfer to a bowl.
- Pour about 1 cup of hot water and season with a fat pinch of salt and cover with cling film and leave to soak for 30 mins or so while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Do read the packaging for instructions on how long you should soak it as it differs according to sizes.
- Drain very well (squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water). Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix lemon/lime juice, salt, black pepper, garlic, and olive oil.
- Add the vegetables, herbs, and bulgur.
- Cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
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