It's getting hot down
here in Florida. This means it's time to break out the shorts, flip
flops, sunglasses, and salads! I love salads, they're a great way to
stay cool, add in healthy foods, and they can be a side dish or the
main course! I also love Mediterranean food, so I wanted to introduce
you all to one of my favorite Mediterranean dishes, Tabbouleh (or
Tabouli). This salad is packed full of delicious herbs and
vegetables. It's also a great way to sneak in some wild greens and
healthy herbs that we don't normally have in our diets. I'm going to
give you guys the traditional Lebanese recipe (handed down by several
of the little old ladies at my church) and then give you a few
variations. So here we go!
The Basic
This is the basic salad,
though I tend to make one huge change for my gluten free friends.
Instead of Bulgur, I use Quinoa. It has a similar texture without the
gluten! Plus it's full of healthy protein which is a major plus for
my vegetarian friends as well.
Traditional Lebanese
Tabbouleh
4 bunches Curly Parsley
1 small bunch Mint Leaves
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Green Onions
½ small Red Onion
½ cup medium-grind Bulgur
(or cooked Quinoa)
Juice and Zest of 2 large
Lemons
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wash and roughly chop the
parsley and mint leaves, discarding the stems. Lay on a clean towel
to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook your quinoa) for about
20 minutes. While wheat is soaking, finely dice tomatoes and onions.
Combine the herbs and vegetables in a large bowl. Drain the wheat (or
quinoa) and add to the bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and
pepper. Toss well, to completely combine, and cover. Place in the
refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
Garden Fresh
This recipe takes the
basic Tabbouleh and throws in a lot of the fresh vegetables that may
come from your garden (or the grocery store). I love adding in
cucumbers and radishes for a nice refreshing snack.
Southern Garden Tabbouleh
6 bunches Curly Parsley
1 small bunch Mint Leaves
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Green Onions
2 Garlic Cloves
about 7-8 small Red
Radishes
1 medium Cucumber
¼ cup Sugar Snap Peas (or
regular green Peas)
½ cup medium-grind Bulgur
(or cooked Quinoa)
Juice and Zest of 3 large
Lemons
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wash and roughly chop the
parsley and mint leaves, discarding the stems. Lay on a clean towel
to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook your quinoa) for about
20 minutes. While wheat is soaking, finely dice tomatoes, onions,
garlic, radishes, cucumber, and peas. Combine the herbs and
vegetables in a large bowl. Drain the wheat (or quinoa) and add to
the bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well, to
completely combine, and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 30
minutes or more.
Southwest Inspiration
This variation combines
some herbs and veggies that we associate with southwestern cuisine.
This one might not retain much of the original tabbouleh flavor, but
it does retain the tabbouleh spirit.
Southwest Tabbouleh
3 bunches Curly Parsley
2 bunches Cilantro
½ cup Corn
½ cup Black Beans
(cooked/canned, drained, and rinsed)
1 small Jalapeno (or more
if you like the heat)
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Green Onions
½ small Red Onion
½ cup medium-grind Bulgur
(or cooked Quinoa)
Juice and Zest of 2 large
Limes
Juice and Zest of 1 large
Lemon
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
¼ tsp Ground Cummin
Salt and Pepper to taste
*optional Serve with
Avocado slices
Wash and roughly chop the
parsley and cilantro leaves, discarding the stems. Lay on a clean
towel to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook your quinoa) for
about 20 minutes. While wheat is soaking, finely dice tomatoes,
onions, and jalapeno. Combine the herbs and all the vegetables in a
large bowl. Drain the wheat (or quinoa) and add to the bowl. Add
lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well, to completely
combine, and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
*Optional Serve with Avocado slices
Going Wild
This recipe varies quite a
bit each time I make it. Largely due to the amount of wild foods in
it. For information on what wild greens to choose, check out a
previous post of mine here, check
out Green Deane's Eat the Weeds,
or check out this super helpful post here.
Wild Herb Tabbouleh
2 bunches Curly Parsley
4 cups Wild Herbs of your
choice
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Wild Green Onion/Garlic
(or just 2 green onions)
½ small Red Onion
1 handful Betony Roots (or radishes)
½ cup medium-grind Bulgur
(or cooked Quinoa)
Juice and Zest of 2 large
Lemons
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wash
and roughly chop the parsley and wild leaves, discarding the stems.
Lay on a clean towel to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook
your quinoa) for about 20 minutes. While wheat is soaking, finely
dice tomatoes, onions, and betony. Combine the herbs and vegetables
in a large bowl. Drain the wheat (or quinoa) and add to the bowl. Add
lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well, to completely
combine, and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
Asparagus in Tabbouleh?
Yes, asparagus in tabbouleh is awesome. I love asparagus and will try just about any asparagus recipe at least once. This one was a huge hit in my home.
Cucumber Asparagus Tabbouleh
4 bunches Curly Parsley
1 small bunch Mint Leaves
¼ pound Asparagus,
trimmed
1 medium Cucumber
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Green Onions
½ small Red Onion
½ cup medium-grind Bulgur
(or cooked Quinoa)
Juice and Zest of 2 large
Lemons
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wash and roughly chop the parsley and mint leaves, discarding the stems. Lay on a clean towel to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook your quinoa) for about 20 minutes. In a small pot of boiling, salted water, blanch the asparagus for about 2 minutes. Cool in an ice bath, and chop. Finely dice cucumber, tomatoes, and onions. Combine the herbs and vegetables in a large bowl. Drain the wheat (or quinoa) and add to the bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well, to completely combine, and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
Superfoods, Super Good!
This variation takes tabbouleh, already loaded down with amazing nutrients, and pumps it full of many more tasty good things!
Superfood Tabbouleh
3 bunches Curly Parsley
1 small bunch Mint Leaves
1 cup finely chopped Kale
¼ cup fresh Pomegranate
Seeds
1 medium Cucumber
2 Celery Stalks
3 large and firm Tomatoes
2 Green Onions
½ small Red Onion
½ cup cooked Quinoa
Juice and Zest of 2 large
Lemons
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped Walnuts
and/or Pistachios
Wash and roughly chop the parsley and mint leaves, discarding the stems. Lay on a clean towel to dry. Soak the bulgur in hot water (or cook your quinoa) for about 20 minutes. While wheat is soaking, finely dice cucumber, celery, tomatoes, and onions. Combine the herbs and vegetables in a large bowl. Drain the wheat (or quinoa) and add to the bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well, to completely combine, and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more. Toss in the nuts just before serving.
In any of these recipes, feel free to change the ingredients
around. Play with different fruit, veggies, and herbs. Use Amaranth
instead of Bulgur, try Red Wine Vinegar instead of Lemon Juice, add
in some grilled Shrimp or Chicken. Have fun, play around, and let me
know what you think below!
