Tabbouleh was one of the first Mediterranean foods Alex and I discovered together, in a Greek restaurant in a college town in Indiana of all places. It’s a refreshing salad made with bulgur wheat, tomato, and lots of lemon and parsley. Here we’ve re-created our beloved college dish using red pepper instead of tomato. You can serve it as an appetizer with pita or naan, or as a side dish to Falafel Burgers with Yogurt Dill Sauce. It doubles easily if you find yourself craving more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine-grind bulgur wheat*
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 3 scallions
- 1 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 3 -4 tablespoons lemon juice (1 large lemon)
How to Make It
- Make the bulgur: In a heatproof bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water with the bulgur wheat and kosher salt; stir to combine. Cover and allow to sit until the grains are tender and no water remains, about 10 to 15 minutes (or more if necessary).
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely dice the red pepper. Thinly slice the scallions. Finely chop the parsley. Juice the lemon.
- Assemble the salad: Mix together the bulgur with the vegetables, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, olive oil, and black pepper. Taste and add the remaining tablespoon lemon juice and additional kosher salt as desired. Eat immediately, or let stand for the flavors to meld, noting that the lemon mellows over time.
