Tabbouleh recipe – authentic Lebanese parsley salad

Name: Tabbouleh recipe – authentic Lebanese parsley salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 2 bunches fresh parsley, washed and completely dried; 1 bunch mint; 4 ripe tomatoes; 1 small onion; 1 tbsp bulgur (briefly soaked); 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Fresh lemon juice, salt + a pinch each cinnamon, black pepper, cumin

This tabbouleh recipe is the Lebanese original: bright, herb-forward, and lemony. Parsley is the star — bulgur stays a subtle supporting note.

~1 Std 35 Min (Prep 25 Min, Rest 1 Std 10 Min) Servings: 4 Cuisine: Lebanese Category: Side dish Vegetarian

Method

Tabbouleh recipe: fresh parsley fully dry and ready to slice by hand — Fresh parsley is the main ingredient — dry, crisp, ready for the knife.

Chopping parsley for tabbouleh with a sharp knife, light and airy — Chop parsley light and airy, not too fine, so it stays fresh.

Finely chopping mint for tabbouleh so it distributes evenly — Slice mint very fine so it perfumes the salad evenly.

Step 1 – Slice the herbs properly

Wash parsley well, then let it dry completely (key for texture). Chop with a sharp knife — not too fine, so the leaves stay lively.

Chop the mint very fine so it disperses evenly. Always use a knife, never a machine.

Finely dicing onion for tabbouleh for a mild, rounded flavour — Dice onion very fine: the finer, the milder after resting.

Dicing tomatoes for tabbouleh, juicy but not crushed — Prep diced tomatoes — fold in later to keep everything bright.

Adding spices to onion for authentic tabbouleh (spices go on onion, not herbs) — Add spices directly to the onion — the authentic tabbouleh trick.

Step 2 – Season the onion (the secret)

Finely dice the onion into a bowl. Add cinnamon, black pepper, and cumin directly to the onion (not the herbs). Mix well and let it sit briefly.

Soaking 1 tbsp bulgur briefly for tabbouleh until just tender — Soak just 1 tbsp bulgur briefly — tender, never mushy.

Step 3 – Briefly soak the bulgur

Soak exactly 1 tbsp bulgur in a small amount of water for 3–5 minutes until just softened. Don’t over-soak — you want it tender, not mushy.

Bulgur fully softened for tabbouleh, tender and ready to mix — Bulgur fully softened — ready to join the herbs.

Drizzling Lebanese olive oil over tabbouleh for authentic flavour — Drizzle olive oil over tabbouleh for depth and aroma.

Step 4 – Dress everything

Combine parsley, mint, seasoned onion, and bulgur in a large bowl. Season with fresh lemon juice, salt, and 5 tbsp Lebanese olive oil — the oil carries the flavour here.

Mixing tabbouleh by hand so herbs stay fresh and unbruised — Mixing by hand protects the herbs and releases aroma gently.

Step 5 – Mix by hand

Traditionally, tabbouleh is mixed by hand. It protects the herbs and gently releases aroma without bruising them.

Finished tabbouleh after resting, juicy, lemony, parsley-forward — After resting, tabbouleh turns juicy, lemony, and beautifully aromatic.

Step 6 – Rest & serve

Cover and chill for 1–2 hours. This brings everything together and softens the onion. Finish with a little extra lemon, salt, and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Fresh, herbaceous, unmistakably Lebanese.
Use a sharp knife (no machine). Lots of parsley, minimal bulgur — and spices only on the onion. That’s what keeps tabbouleh light, aromatic, and clean in texture.