Best Tabbouleh
Learn how to make delicious, authentic tabbouleh at home! This tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is even better than your favorite Lebanese restaurant's.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Finally! I’ve figured out how to make the best tabbouleh. It’s just as good, if not better than, my favorite local Middle Eastern restaurant’s. If you try it, I think you’ll agree.
Tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is a super fresh herb and bulgur salad, with parsley being the number one ingredient. It’s dotted with diced cucumber and tomato, and dressed simply with olive oil and lemon juice. It’s refreshing, light and packed with healthy ingredients.
You’ll often find tabbouleh as a side dish on Mediterranean menus. It’s right at home with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, feta, olives… all of my favorite things.
I’ve attempted tabbouleh at home over the years, and I’m so pleased to share what I’ve learned with you today. Ready to make some great tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh Ingredients
Bulgur
Bulgur is parboiled cracked wheat, so it’s a whole grain. Once prepared, it’s tender and fluffy. Bulgur is often confused with couscous, but they’re not the same (couscous is actually tiny pasta).
Authentic tabbouleh is made with super fine grain (#1) bulgur and it’s soaked rather than cooked, but I haven’t been able to find it at regular grocery stores. There are several other varieties of bulgurs, and you’ll probably find only one option at the store. So, cook (or soak) it according to the package directions.
Fresh Parsley
Authentic tabbouli uses a ton of parsley. That’s why this salad is so green! I tried both flat-leaf and curly, and for once, curly is the way to go. Even when it’s chopped very small, curly parsley offers some extra volume that makes this tabbouleh so pleasant to eat.
Fresh Mint and Green Onion
Mint is standard and adds even more fresh flavor. That said, it can be expensive if you don’t grow it at home, so you can skip it if you’d rather.
Green onion is my mild onion of choice. It’s perfect in tabbouleh.
Cucumber and Tomato
Fresh cucumber and tomato add more texture and color, and build on the refreshing factor. Have I said refreshing enough yet?
Lebanese readers have informed me that cucumber is unusual in tabbouleh, which is news to me! You can skip it if you’d like, but it’s quite nice.
Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Garlic
Tabbouleh is dressed in a simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice. You won’t find garlic in every tabbouleh recipe, but I think that one clove makes this recipe extra delicious.
How to Make the Best Tabbouleh
1) Salt your tomato and cucumber, and drain off the excess juice.
Fortunately, this doesn’t take any extra time. Tomato and cucumber release a lot of moisture when they’re exposed to salt, and will make your tabbouleh way too watery if you do not drain it off.
Simply combine the tomato and cucumber in a bowl with some salt (you’ll find these instructions in the recipe below), and set it aside while you chop the parsley. Drain off the excess juice before you stir the salad together. Easy!
2) Use lots of parsley and chop it finely.
This recipe calls for three bunches of parsley, and the easiest way to chop that much parsley is in your food processor. You can do it by hand, but it will take a while. Don’t worry about removing the thin parsley stems—they offer a lot of great flavor.
3) Season sufficiently with lemon juice and salt.
Tabbouleh should be zingy and full of flavor, and you’ll need to use enough lemon and salt to get there.
Watch How to Make Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh Serving Suggestions
Tabbouleh is typically served chilled or at room temperature. It’s a perfect side dish or salad to offer with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern meals. Here are a few suggestions:
- Dips and spreads: Creamy Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Tzatziki, Tahini Sauce
- Crispy Baked Falafel
- Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing
- Mujaddara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)
- Dukkah with bread and olive oil
Please let me know how your tabbouleh turns out in the comments! I hope you love it.
Best Tabbouleh
Learn how to make delicious, authentic tabbouleh at home! This tabbouleh (also spelled tabouli) is even better than your favorite Lebanese restaurant’s. Recipe yields 6 servings (a little over 1 cup each).
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgur
- 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium)
- 1 cup diced tomato* (1 large)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 3 medium bunches curly parsley
- ⅓ cup (⅔ ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
Instructions
- Cook or soak the bulgur until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
- To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this by hand, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process 1 bunch at a time (each should yield about 1 cup chopped), transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next.
- Add the cooled bulgur, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isn’t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor.
- If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Bulgur is not gluten-free since it’s cracked wheat. Substitute quinoa for an untraditional gluten-free option—here’s my Quinoa Tabbouleh recipe.
*Tomato note: Use the most ripe and red tomatoes you can find! If you’re making this salad when tomatoes aren’t in season, cherry tomatoes might be your best bet.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Hi–great recipe, thank you! If I am using garlic, how much would I use? I don’t see it listed in the ingredients. Thanks!
Hi Megan! It’s the last ingredient and you will find instructions in step 5. I hope this helps!
Everything I hoped for in my tabouleh! Thank you! <3
I love Middle Eastern foods…I came across your Tabbouleh recipe which I eventually want to make myself…certain areas in the Middle East make the same foods but the ingredients sometimes differ…Tomato and Cucumber are usually in this recipe, as far as I know…well at least how my ex used to prepare it…He was from the West Bank…The Turkish version is very basic but similar…I look forward to your newsletter…
Amazingly delicious! I made this with your Lebanese bean salad and it was a hit!
Great to hear, Krista! I appreciate your review.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have made tabbouli for many years, and I haven’t seen a recipe with cucumbers in quite awhile- I’ve never made it without cukes! And thank you for showing the food processor. I can’t imagine the huge bowls of tabbouli I’ve seen in my youth that the women had to chop all that parsley by hand!
Thanks again -it was delightful!
I have made this twice now and it is delicious. Thanks for the great recipe.
This was so delicious!!! My first time making Tabbouleh and it won’t be my last. I’ve always loved this dish at Mediterranean restaurants but buying from deli counters has not been successful for me with flavor. I was surprised at how easy it is to make it.
I gave up on tabouleh a couple of years ago. I just couldn’t get the right flavor. This recipe is exactly what I have been looking for. Thank you for posting!
I just made this and it’s a great recipe! We are going to have it for dinner tonight. I tasted it and it’s delicious!
Thank you!
Wow, I’m so proud of myself it turned out perfect. Who knew
Thanks so much for this perfect recipe now i don’t have to pay a crazy price for it to go. I love this stuff.
That’s fantastic, Joan! Thanks for sharing.
Hi. If you take out pips from tomatoes and pips from cucumber it lasts longer and is not so wet
Tried and tested xxx
Love Tabbouleh but never made it until now. This recipe made a delicious batch, it was amazing. Followed recipe using quinoa, an additional clove of garlic and 2 bunches of flat and 1 bunch of curly parsley, very nice texture. Thank you for a great recipe that I’ll make again and again. So good!
I made it and it was fresh and delicious…
Delicious! I made this for a Lebanese feast and it was so well received. Even my daughter, who rarely eats salad voluntarily, had two serves of this tabbouleh. So good. Yum!
Hi Kathryn, i tried this recipe exactly as mentioned and it turned out amazing. It was a surprise for wife and she absolutely loved it. Thank You!!! It was my first time trying a middle eastern dish and your recipe definitely made it easy journey. Unfortunately I couldn’t find bulgur so had to use Israeli couscous and it still tasted amazing. I had to trim down on parsley and ended up using about 1.5 bunch but i guess thats personal taste. Overall great recipe and make very yummy tabbouleh.
Hi. This recipe does look authentic. Just a couple of notes for you. Don’t cook the bulgur. Let it soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then squeeze out the extra moisture.
Cucumbers are an Egyptian variation, so they are still authentic.
Just made this to have with falafel and it tastes great! Thanks
You don’t put garlic or cucumber in tabouli! My grandparents were from Lebanon so I know how to make it.
Can I just say my husband is Italian and there are so many different versions and variations of sicilian and Italian dishes. He never becomes unkind or makes remarks, he says as long as it taste good that’s the main thing! I made this today Kate and can u just say its the best I’ve ever tried. Thank you so much. Don’t let the haters bring you down.. And your cook book is epic.. Keep going!
Hi, Cookie + Kate. I happened upon this recipe as I am using all the grains in my cupboard. I did not follow the exact measurements of the ingredients as I do most of my cooking by eye. It was the most green-colored tabouli I have ever made and the tastiest!
SO NOW…I am going to explore the rest of the site and will check out the cookbook as well. Thank you for jumpstarting my exploration.
Our local Syrian Deli makes theirs using Quinoa, so that is what I did (makes it Gluten Free). Used our own fresh curly parsley and fresh mint hand chopped and this is the best Tabbouleh I’ve ever made. Thanks for a great recipe!
great version of tabbouleh, love parsley and mint
Cucumber for sure! My grandparents were from Syria and my father from Lebanon and Sunday picnics with lamb and tabbouleh was the way to picnic! Can you believe I’m 66 and making it fit the first time but with very cauliflower ( I’m trying for healthier eating!). So I think I’ll try adding garlic as well!
It came out great! Great idea to salt the cucumber and tomato! I also put some red onion in! Thank you!
Swapped thawed cauliflower rice for the cracked wheat and it worked so so well! Thank you for sharing the recipe, I’ve always loved it but never made it at home.
Thank you for sharing, Jenn!
I strongly recommend not using the cucumber. Compared to the bold flavors of the other ingredients it only acts to make an amazingly delicious and refreshing salad into something unacceptably bland. Do yourself a favor and try it without the cucumber. I’m a sure most would agree it is better without
Adding to the no cucumber voices. I’m Israeli and we never put it in ours either. I’ve had it with and without garlic and honestly even though I love garlic, have to say it’s better without. Otherwise looks fine.
Can’t wait to try it looks awesome
Nice looking recipe, and since my parsley decided to survive the warm winter it is 2 feet tall and lush.I sometimes make a sort of tabbouleh with a short grain brown rice instead of bulgar, works well for my son who has gone gluten free. Keep all the other ingredients the same.
Perfect.
The salt on the tomatoes is a risk. It kills the flavours. I would recommend to avoid it.
Excellent salad, I made for a party – everything was eaten. I listened to Kohlene’s comment about adding cinnamon and using flat leaf parsley. I also did not have Bulgar on hand so I used some orzo pasta and it was still great, though next time I’ll be sure to use bulgar. This is perfect to have in fridge throughout the week.
Can I just say my husband is Italian and there are so many different versions and variations of sicilian and Italian dishes. He never becomes unkind or makes remarks, he says as long as it taste good that’s the main thing! I made this today Kate and can u just say its the best I’ve ever tried. Thank you so much. Don’t let the haters bring you down.. And your cook book is epic.. Keep going!
Many Middle Eastern countries have their own variation on tabouli. Not to mention the different cultural groups within each country. I prefer Druze toum (garlic dip) over Persian toum.
My Persian wife certainly puts Persian cucumbers in her tabouli. She uses coriander and red onions also. I am Iraqi and our tabouli is more like the Lebanese version, but with less parsley. I love onions, so I’m partial to my wife’s style (P.S. don’t tell my mom).
Persian hummous is less oily as well and instead of pita bread, she uses very lightly grilled peeled yellow onions (she changed them from the traditional white for me).
Does it matter. Nope. It is all delicious.
I used flat leaf parsley because I don’t like curly. Otherwise this was perfect. Loved it
Hi! I love this recipe but I’m a diabetic and I need to know what the serving size is. Do you know what the amount per serving is?
Thank you so much!
Hi Mary! Typically 1-1.5 cups is a serving size.
Thank you so very much for your response!
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for and one that I used to make back in the 70s! I love that you use curly leaf parsley and lots of it! The real deal. Thank you!
Such a refreshing summer salad! I mix and refrigerate everything except tomatoes and cucumbers, add them at serving time. Also enjoy chopped avocado on it. Sometimes I use fresh basil instead of mint.
Thank you, Ann! I’m happy to hear it.
In regard to the 1/2 cup bulgar. Was that 1/2 cup after it was soaked or 1/2 before? In this case, I used 1/4 so I would end up with 1/2 cup. Thank you.
Hi Cindy! It’s 1/2 cup pre-cooked. I that helps!
That helps a lot. Good recipe. I only added 1/2 cup cooked..so I will change next time. :-)
Hi Kate thanks for tge fantastic and delicious recipe.
I am not Lebanese, my family is from Tunisia, we also make Tabouleh and YES it has diced cucumbers.
My family’s recipe also has a couple differences:
– i use couscous (a staple in North Africa) instead of bulgur
– i add sliced (or halved) black olives. Best are black cured olives but Kalamatas work fine too.
Thanks for the quinoa tip too – i will try it as it’ll help me have Tabouleh more often!
Hi Kate thanks for the fantastic and delicious recipe.
I am not Lebanese, my family is from Tunisia, we also make Tabouleh and YES it has diced cucumbers.
My family’s recipe also has a couple differences:
– i use couscous (a staple in North Africa) instead of bulgur. I think couscous is finer isnt it?
– i add sliced (or halved) black olives. Best are black cured olives but Kalamatas work fine too.
Thanks for the quinoa tip too – i will try it as it’ll help me have Tabouleh more often!
It turned out amaizing, thank you
This was super delicious, thank you!
I add chick peas, goat cheese and dried cranberries to make a salad supper!! Yum!
I had my two girls chop up all the ingredients for this salad, to keep them busy on a rainy Sunday. My floor is very colourful! Added fresh Thai and Italian basil, thyme and oregano from the garden. Radishes. Used frozen chopped cauliflower as the grain, which I steamed. Fresh diced red pepper. Added the cinnamon as suggested by some. Added in all of the other ingredients. Lovely and fresh. Talk about deviating from the ‘proper’ recipe!
Loved this recipe and so did my family.
Great to hear, Leslie!
This is great! I’m another one that uses quinoa. I soak it for several hours then cook it in water with a pressed clove of garlic. Also, I added some feta cheese to this recipe because…why not?? I love all the variations :)
Thank you for sharing, Robin!
Every time I go to a restaurant that has tabbouleh on the menu, I order it – I love it! I had never really considered making it at home because of the effort it would take (I love eating but I rarely put a lot of effort in.) I really fancied it last week and have no desire to go out to eat and so have been looking up fun / tasty things to make at home. I made tabbouleh from this recipe and it was delicious!!! Definitely worth the effort and it has confirmed my growing faith that a little bit more effort in meal prep really can make the difference! Looking forward to trying out some more recipes from your site to go with it!
I’m happy you loved it and decided to make it yourself! Thank you for sharing, Fran. I appreciate it.
Should the parsley be 3 cups or did you mean all the bunches should total 1 cup? I have one cup
Parsley from
My Larsen so should I reduce everything by 1/3?
Hi Beth, once processed, all 3 bunches should equal to roughly 1 cup. I hope this helps!
I have been making and eating tabouleh for about 25 years and always use the soak your bulgar method. I have never seen garlic or cucumber in tabouleh but would think either would be a great addition. I typically use dried mint and bit of allspice. On busy nights my family will often have wraps stuffed with hummus and tablouleh, it’s really a complete meal when you combine the two, and so so good together. I look forward to trying your version Kate, your recipes are always on point!