Tabbouleh Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

A colorful grain bowl featuring bulgur, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and a zesty lemon dressing for a light 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
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
15 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine bulgur wheat and sea salt in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the bulgur, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and ground black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, chopped parsley, mint leaves, and sliced scallions to the cooled bulgur. Gently toss to integrate evenly.
04 - Pour the dressing over the grain and vegetable mixture. Mix thoroughly to ensure even coating.
05 - Adjust seasoning as needed. Optionally, refrigerate for 10 minutes to meld flavors before serving.
06 - Divide into bowls and garnish with crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts, and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can go from craving to eating faster than most takeout orders.
  • The herbiness is addictive once you realize how much parsley actually goes in here, and it keeps your mouth feeling clean and energized.
  • You can prep it ahead, and it tastes better the next day as the flavors deepen and meld together.
02 -
  • The bulgur must be completely cool before you add the herbs, or the heat will turn your parsley and mint into a grayish mush instead of keeping them bright green.
  • Don't dress this hours ahead—if you do, the tomato juice and dressing will make the bulgur mushy and the herbs will lose their color. Mix it 30 minutes before serving at most.
  • The lemon juice is doing double duty as flavoring and preservative, so don't be shy with it; under-lemon is the most common mistake people make.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them—you'll smell when they're done, and that toasted flavor is worth the tiny bit of extra effort.
  • If you can't find English cucumber, use half a regular cucumber but seed it first so it doesn't make everything watery.
  • Make the dressing while the bulgur is still cooking so you can pour it over while everything is at different temperatures, which somehow makes the flavors taste better.
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