The herbs are the star of this tabbouleh recipe—and require a bit of care. Make sure to use a very sharp knife so that you can slice through the parsley and mint just once. You don’t want to run your knife over them again and again or use a food processor; doing so will bruise the tender leaves and lead to a soggy salad. In classic recipes, like this one, there should only be enough bulgur and tomatoes to balance all those herbs, so keep the proportions in check. When tomatoes aren’t in season, you can replace them with pomegranate arils, which add a modern touch and gem-like look to the final dish. And, if you don’t eat gluten, you can swap bulgur for quinoa.
No matter how it’s made, tabbouleh is never served on its own in the Levant. Its bright, herby notes make it an ideal pairing for rich dishes like Seven-Spice Grilled Lamb Chops and Crispy Pita with Chickpeas and Yogurt called Fattet Hummus in Arabic.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on July 31, 2019.
