Lin’s Tabouli Recipe: A Fresh, Lemony Favorite
Tabouli is, technically, a very large bowl of parsley. Which sounds a little like punishment — until you add ripe tomatoes, green onions, bulgur, plenty of lemon, and a good pour of olive oil.
This recipe came from my sister Lin and has been part of our family table for years. It's bright, fresh, a little nostalgic, and best served very cold. And forget the fork — we scoop it up with torn pieces of flour tortilla, part spoon, part snack, and absolutely the right way to eat it.
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Why You’ll Love This
Lin first made this tabouli in her tiny apartment in the 1970s. As a young teacher on a tight budget, she wanted to entertain without spending a fortune. A bowl of tabouli, a stack of tortillas, favorite records (you remember — the kind where side B was usually tragic), and a BYOB invitation were apparently all anyone needed. Frankly, they may have been onto something.
Fresh, simple ingredients
Bright lemon and olive oil dressing
Best made ahead and served chilled
Easy to serve as a salad, side dish, or appetizer
Flour tortilla “spoons,” which means fewer dishes to wash. Win.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Soak time: 1 hour | Chill time: 2 hours | Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes | Servings: 4-6| Course: Salad or Side Dish
Ingredients
For the Tabouli
3 cups finely chopped curly parsley
1 cup finely chopped green onions
3 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup bulgur wheat, soaked according to the package directions
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
For Serving
Small flour tortillas, torn into scoop-sized pieces
How to Make It
Add the chopped parsley, green onions, and tomatoes to a large bowl. Place the mixture in the refrigerator while you prepare the bulgur and dressing.
Soak the bulgur according to the package directions, then drain it very well and fluff it with a fork.
Add the bulgur gradually to the parsley mixture until you have the balance you like. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour the dressing over the tabouli and toss until everything is evenly combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until well chilled.
Serve cold with torn pieces of flour tortilla for scooping.
Pro Tips & Notes
Chop the parsley very finely. This is what gives tabouli its texture — Take a deep breath —you’re going to be chopping for a while.
Make it a day ahead if you can. It only gets better sitting in the fridge — which makes this the rare recipe that rewards procrastination.
Don't be intimidated by bulgur. Follow the package, set a timer, walk away. Mushy bulgur is the one thing that can ruin an otherwise perfect salad.
Use the best tomatoes you can find. Roma tomatoes work beautifully, but ripe garden tomatoes make it even better. Lin now makes hers with fresh homegrown Texas tomatoes —which may be the most convincing argument anyone has ever made for living in Texas.
Serve it cold. The flavors come together beautifully after chilling.
Tear, don't cut, the tortillas. Torn pieces hold the salad better than anything a knife can do. Trust the process, even when it feels a little wrong.
What to Serve With It
Tabouli is one of those sides that makes almost everything on the table better. A few of my favorite pairings:
Grilled chicken or kabobs
Warm pita and hummus
A simple platter of olives and feta for a patio happy hour
Looking for other make-ahead sides for your next gathering? Browse more salads on my recipe page.
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