Tabbouleh Grain Bowl (Printable)

Bright bulgur salad with tomatoes, herbs, and zesty lemon dressing for a fresh meal.

# What You Need:

→ Grain Base

01 - 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
02 - 1 1/2 cups boiling water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

→ Vegetables & Herbs

04 - 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
05 - 1/2 English cucumber, diced
06 - 1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
08 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

09 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

13 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
15 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine bulgur wheat and sea salt in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the bulgur, cover, and let it stand for 10 minutes until grains are tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and ground black pepper in a small bowl until well blended.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, chopped parsley, mint, and sliced scallions to the cooled bulgur. Gently toss to combine evenly.
04 - Pour the dressing over the grain and vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld if desired.
06 - Serve in individual bowls, topped with optional crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and lemon wedges as garnish.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel less like cooking and more like assembly.
  • The flavors taste even better the next day, so leftovers are genuinely something to look forward to.
  • It's flexible enough to feed vegetarians, vegans, and anyone else at the table without feeling like compromise food.
02 -
  • Wet vegetables release their water as time goes on, so if you're making this ahead, dress it closer to serving time to keep things from turning into a puddle.
  • The type of parsley genuinely matters—flat-leaf is milder and more tender than curly, and using the right one changes everything about how it tastes.
  • If your tomatoes are watery, seed them by scooping out the insides with a small spoon, or they'll waterlog the whole bowl within an hour.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for the garlic instead of mincing it with a knife—it distributes more evenly and the flavor feels gentler and more integrated.
  • If you have access to fresh sumac or pomegranate molasses, a small pinch transforms this from familiar into something people can't quite place, which is the best kind of compliment.
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