It’s zesty, it’s savoury, it’s even got a touch of acid. No, not that kind of acid… Meet your new favourite salad – tabbouleh! The salad that’s so easy to make, and yet not boring at all.
What comes to mind when I think of tabbouleh is the word FRESH. Originally from Lebanon and Syria, this salad is traditionally made of parsley, salt, diced tomatoes and onions, bulgur, and a dressing of lemon juice and olive oil.
Based on where this salad comes from, you can imagine the most amazing olive oil of all time! Once you’ve finished sampling all kinds of delicious olive oils, keep reading for the tabbouleh recipe.
Playing with variations, and other tasty tips
Some variations that I have found and played with are using crushed garlic for an extra punch of savoury flavour, or adding some fresh chopped mint leaves. I once also added a bell pepper and Lebanese cucumber for extra crunch. Because of the simplicity of this salad, there is a lot of room to play with the ingredients and still have it be considered a sort of tabbouleh. So don’t be scared to get creative, fellow Spoonie warrior!
Speaking of play and flexibility, in this post’s recipe I have exchanged the bulgur for roasted quinoa. Quinoa is gluten-free, it is a complete protein, and very filling. Without the grain you may not want to eat this salad alone as a meal – although it could work as an appetizer. I recommend pan-roasting the quinoa prior to cooking it lightly, so that it maintains it’s texture and grilled flavour.
Normally tabbouleh recipes call for Italian or “curly” parsley, but you can also use Canadian or “flat-leafed” parsley. The salad will taste the same, but the texture will differ. Either way, be sure to rinse your bunches of parsley THOROUGHLY. Parsley has a knack for hiding sand and grit, and so for the sake of your teeth, wash them greens! Next, either finely chop the parsley or pulse it a few times in a food processor.
If you find that raw onions are too pungent in a salad, I recommend thinly dicing them and then soaking them in a bowl of cold water. After about 15 minutes, rinse them and pat them dry – this should reduce at least some of the pungency. Or, you could grill the onions and then add them to the salad once cooled. Onion or garlic powders will not make a good substitute in this recipe. And for a real zinger experience, I recommend adding a clove of crushed garlic (use a garlic press).
My goodness is this a healthy salad, but for your own sake, be sure to brush your teeth afterwards! With all that parsley and onion, you may need to…
Gluten-free tabbouleh salad
Equipment
- food processor optional
- Garlic press optional
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Italian parsley possible to use Canadian flat parsley
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cup tomato diced or cubed
- 1/2 cup white onion diced
- salt, pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves optional
- 1 cup goat or sheep fetta optional, or omit
- 2 units Lebanese cucumber optional, cubed
Instructions
- Rinse the parsley thoroughly before finely chopping the bunches, or add to a food processor to pulse it a few times (until desired texture)
- Finely chop the white onion and add this to a bowl of cold water. Wait 10 minutes before rinsing again with cold water, then patting dry.
- Lightly toast the uncooked quinoa on a pan (until somewhat golden), then cook in a pot of water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cube or dice the tomatoes, and if desired, add some chopped Lebanese cucumber.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl
- Pour the olive oil and lemon juice into the salad bowl, then mix the salad ingredients all together. Let the salad sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the flavours can be expressed.
- Optional: Cube the goat or sheep feta, and finely chop the fresh mint leaves
This recipe post is part of a larger meal assembly that I created for a Mediterranean-styled dinner. If you’d like to check out the other delicious recipes, visit my post “Dinner Among Friends and Spices.”
Want a quick and easy dip to compliment the falafels? Try my vegan tzatziki dip!
Looking to change up your go-to snack items? Try my spicy red lentil falafels.
Are you hungry yet?
