Classic Lebanese Tabbouleh

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Salad spinner
• •Large sharp chef's knife
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Small whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bulgur

   Place the bulgur in a small bowl and pour three tablespoons of the lemon juice over it. Toss to combine and let stand while you prepare everything else, at least twenty minutes. The acid softens the grain without making it mushy. Do not cook the bulgur. Do not add water. The lemon juice does all the work.

   Fine bulgur (#1) is essential. Coarse bulgur creates an entirely different dish. Look for it at Middle Eastern grocers or in the international aisle.
2. 2

   Wash and dry the parsley

   Fill a large bowl with cold water. Submerge the parsley bunches and swish vigorously to dislodge any grit. Lift out, drain the bowl, and repeat until no sand remains at the bottom. Spin the parsley in a salad spinner until completely dry, then spread on clean kitchen towels and blot thoroughly. Wet parsley makes soggy tabbouleh.

3. 3

   Chop the herbs finely

   Strip the parsley leaves from the stems, discarding any thick woody pieces. Gather the leaves into a tight pile and chop with a sharp knife using a rocking motion, going over the pile repeatedly until very finely minced. You want confetti, not chunks. Stack the mint leaves, roll them into a tight cylinder, and slice into thin ribbons, then cross-cut into fine pieces. Transfer both herbs to your largest mixing bowl.

   A sharp knife bruises herbs less than a dull one. Bruised parsley turns dark and bitter. If your tabbouleh looks muddy, blame the knife.
4. 4

   Prepare the tomatoes

   Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Squeeze gently over the sink to release the seeds and excess liquid. Dice the flesh into pieces no larger than a quarter inch. The tomatoes should be small enough to cling to the herbs, not chunky enough to dominate. Add them to the bowl with the herbs.

5. 5

   Build the dressing

   In a small bowl, combine the remaining lemon juice with the salt and pepper. Whisk until the salt dissolves completely. This step matters: salt dissolved in acid distributes evenly and seasons every leaf. Now add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until the dressing looks slightly creamy and unified. Taste it. The lemon should be bright and assertive, the oil fruity and rich.

   Proper emulsification means the oil and lemon become one rather than separating on the plate. Whisking the salt into the lemon first helps the emulsion hold together.
6. 6

   Combine and season

   Add the scallions and the soaked bulgur (including any unabsorbed lemon juice) to the herbs and tomatoes. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently but thoroughly, using your hands if necessary to distribute the dressing into every crevice. The salad should glisten but not swim. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Let the tabbouleh rest at room temperature for fifteen to thirty minutes before serving. This resting period allows the flavors to marry and the bulgur to finish softening. Transfer to a serving platter and surround with romaine leaves for scooping. In Lebanon, you eat tabbouleh with lettuce as your utensil, bringing the salad to your mouth in crisp green cups.

Chef Tips

• •The parsley-to-bulgur ratio defines authentic tabbouleh. If you can see more grain than green, you've made a different dish. Start with the amount specified and resist the urge to add more bulgur.
• •Seek out Lebanese or Middle Eastern olive oil if you can find it. The flavor profile differs from Italian or Spanish oils in ways that complement this dish beautifully.
• •Summer tomatoes at peak ripeness transform this salad. In winter, cherry tomatoes often have better flavor than out-of-season beefsteaks. Use what tastes best.
• •Romaine is traditional for serving, but little gem lettuce or crisp inner leaves of butter lettuce work beautifully as scoops.

Advance Preparation

• •The parsley and mint can be washed and dried up to one day ahead. Store wrapped in dry paper towels inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• •Tabbouleh improves with thirty minutes of resting time but begins to decline after four hours as the tomatoes release liquid. For a potluck, transport the undressed salad and dressing separately, combining just before serving.
• •The dressed salad keeps reasonably well refrigerated for up to one day, though it will soften. Bring to room temperature and taste for seasoning before serving leftovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 48g)