Tabbouleh is one of my favorite side dishes that my mother-in-law makes. It’s simple, packed with flavor, and pairs just as well with a spread of small salads as it does simple hummus and pita bread.
I was going for an authentic Israeli tabbouleh recipe here, but naturally, as soon as I gave Adi a taste, he asked if I cooked the bulgur (I did, giving it a softer texture). He said that traditionally, the uncooked bulgur gives tabbouleh a bit of crunch, and softens a bit when it marinates in all the delicious oil and bright citrus juices. For the record, he still went back for seconds.
Ingredients
1/2 cup bulgur
1 cup water
1 mini cucumber, finely chopped (I cut around the seeds)
1 Roma tomato, cut around the seeds and cut as finely as possible
1 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion
Juice of two lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Directions
Chop your vegetables as finely as possible.
Cook the bulgur according to package instructions. I let 1/2 cup bulgur cook with 1 cup water until fully absorbed. Let cool to room temperature.
Place the chopped tomato and cucumber in a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes to get any excess water out.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and rice vinegar.
In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, herbs, and bulgur. Pour the olive oil mixture over it and stir to combine until everything is evenly coated. Enjoy with pita, hummus, or roasted veggies.
