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I love this tabbouleh salad recipe! It is so fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Tabbouleh is a Levantine salad made of finely chopped ingredients and seasoned with simple ingredients (oil, lemon, seasoning). Some variations add lettuce or different grains, and this salad is famously served as part of a mezze in the Arab world. This is my spin on the flavorful, traditional salad of tabbouleh.
Why You’ll Love This Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
- Easy: This tabbouleh recipe is so easy to make and will only take you 10 minutes.
- Refreshing: The perfect antidote to heavy meals – light, bright, and incredibly satisfying.
- Healthy: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fresh herbs that nourish your body naturally.
Ingredients
Parsley – Parsley is not only super flavorful but it’s also a powerful natural diuretic and can help with bloating and blood pressure. Parsley is also loaded with vitamin K! Parsley is the star ingredient in traditional tabbouleh, not just a garnish. Look for the flatleaf variety (also called Italian parsley) for the best flavor and texture.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Mint – Mint can also be a great addition to this salad. It’s not only delicious but rich in nutrients and great for digestion. I love adding mint to water. It makes it so fresh. Bonus! It’s easy to grow in a pot on your patio or in your garden in the summer. Fresh mint adds a cooling element that perfectly balances the bright acidity of the lemon dressing.
How to Make This Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
- Prepare the parsley by cutting off the thick stems.
- Finely chop the parsley and remaining stem pieces- do this in a couple of increments.
- Transfer all of the parsley to a large bowl.
- Dice the cucumber + tomatoes into small pieces, and add to the bowl.
- Thinly slice the green onion and add it to the bowl along with the chopped fresh mint leaves.
- To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, and mix to combine.
- Pour the dressing into the large bowl.
- Toss the tabbouleh salad together with the dressing. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Parsley: Remove thick stems but keep tender ones for added texture and nutrition. The key is very fine chopping for the authentic texture.
- Tomatos: Use firm, ripe tomatoes and remove excess seeds and juice to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Let It Marinate: Allow the salad to sit for 15-30 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld and develop.
- Sharp Knife: A very sharp knife makes all the difference when finely chopping large amounts of parsley.
Variations
- Grains: Add ½ cup of cooked bulgur wheat or quinoa (to keep gluten-free) to make this tabbouleh recipe more substantial.
- Herbs: Experiment with fresh herbs like cilantro, dill, or basil for unique flavor variations.
- Vegetables: Try adding diced bell peppers, radishes, or even pomegranate seeds for extra crunch and color.
- Seasoning: Season the tabbouleh salad to your liking. If you want more salt, pepper, garlic, etc., add it! Taste and adjust until it’s perfect for your palate.
Best served with
- Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade
- How to make Authentic Greek Gyro Meat
- 7 Greek Layer Dip
- Taramosalata (Greek Fish Roe Dip)
How to Store Leftovers
This tabbouleh recipe can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 – 5 days.
Common Questions
Traditional tabbouleh is primarily a parsley salad with small amounts of other ingredients, unlike other herb salads, where herbs are just an accent. The parsley should be the dominant ingredient by volume.
Yes! This recipe is naturally grain-free, but you can add cooked bulgur, quinoa, or even farro if you prefer a heartier salad. Traditional Lebanese tabbouleh uses very little grain compared to parsley.
Use firm tomatoes, remove excess seeds and juice, and don’t dress the salad until just before serving. Also, make sure vegetables are completely dry after washing.
Fresh herbs are essential for authentic tabbouleh. Dried herbs won’t provide the same bright flavor or appealing texture that makes this salad special.
Flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley) is traditional and has a better flavor than curly parsley. It’s also easier to chop finely and has a more tender texture.
While not traditional, crumbled feta cheese makes a delicious addition for those who enjoy dairy. Add it just before serving to maintain its texture.
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Ingredients
- 3 medium bunches of curly parsley
- 1 ¼ cups diced cucumber
- 1 ¼ cups diced tomato
- ⅓ cup green onion
- 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Start Cooking- Prepare the parsley by cutting off the thick stems.
- Finely chop the parsley and remaining stem pieces- do this in a couple of increments.
- Transfer all of the parsley to a large bowl.
- Dice the cucumber + tomatoes into small pieces, and add to the bowl.
- Thinly slice the green onion and add it to the bowl along with the chopped fresh mint leaves.
- To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, and mix to combine.
- Pour the dressing into the large bowl.
- Toss the salad together with the dressing. Enjoy!
33 people are discussing this recipe. Join in
I added quinoa to this recipe, tasted so good! Don’t ask me how much I added, I just cooked the quinoa and added as I needed for good consistency and taste!
hahaha I am just glad you are having fun with the recipe!
This salad is AWESOME! Pairs well with everything!
thank you so much!
First time making this, tastes fantastic!
thank you!!
i was confused because I couldn’t find bulgar in the ingredients and then I realized you said “salad” so makes send, looks fresh and tasty!
so glad you loved it!
Looks really nice, especially the texture. The thing about tabouleh, you really have to finely chop everything, and I have a hard time with that… would you recommend any kind of tool?
just a sharp knife and patience! or a chop it if you have one!
Great recipe! My boyfriend is Armenian and whenever I’m at his parents place I just devour his moms recipe, I’m going to share your recipe with her and see what she thinks!
thank you so much for the support friend