Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe - Wendy Polisi (2024)

FAQs

What grain is tabbouleh made from? ›

Authentic tabbouleh is made with super fine grain (#1) bulgur and it's soaked rather than cooked, but I haven't been able to find it at regular grocery stores. There are several other varieties of bulgurs, and you'll probably find only one option at the store. So, cook (or soak) it according to the package directions.

Tabouli salad or Tabbouleh is a simple Mediterranean salad of very finely chopped vegetables, lots of fresh parsley and bulgur wheat, all tossed with lime juice and olive oil. Grab my tips and watch the video for how to make tabouli below. Tabouli is likely the topmost famed Mediterranean/Middle Eastern salad there is.

Alternatively spelled tabouli or tabouleh, this Middle Eastern salad consists of finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, and bulgur wheat. Don't let the bulgur's presence fool you – traditional Lebanese tabbouleh isn't so much a grain salad as it is an herb salad with grains.

While the classic tabbouleh recipe includes bulgur wheat, alternative versions can be made without it, using substitutes like quinoa, couscous, or even omitting the grain entirely. These variations allow for dietary restrictions or personal preferences while still maintaining the essence of the dish.

Digestive Benefits: Tabouleh is packed with ingredients that promote digestion and gut health. Parsley, the star herb in this salad, is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, aiding in digestion and supporting detoxification processes.

Tabbouleh is a healthy, vegetarian food that has no cholesterol, is low in fat, and high in fiber, vitamins, and much more. Plus, it makes great use of the backyard gardener's abundance of parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The main nutritional difference between the two ingredients is that bulgur contains gluten, while quinoa does not.

Best All-Around Bulgur Wheat Substitute: Quinoa

Quinoa can be used instead of bulgur wheat as the base for pilafs, salads, and veggie burgers. Quinoa is also gluten-free, whereas bulgur wheat is not, so it's ideal for those following a gluten-free diet.

Because of its ingredients, tabouli will last in the refrigerator for up to four days, so make sure you eat it before then.

Quinoa is a gluten-free substitute for bulgur wheat with a similar profile of health benefits. It is also a great one to use as a substitute for tabbouleh, which is probably the most popular bulgur recipe. Quinoa tabbouleh is just as delicious and refreshing as its traditional version made with bulgur.

Is bulgur wheat OK for wheat intolerance? ›

No, bulgur is not gluten-free. Bulgur is a cereal made from wheat, so if you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or a wheat allergy, do not eat bulgur. Bulgur is made by parboiling whole wheat (usually the durum variety), drying it, then grinding it.

Bulgur is an edible cereal grain made from parboiled, cracked wheat. It has a texture similar to quinoa or couscous while its mild flavor is usually described as nutty or earthy.

The most likely sources of bitterness in a tabbouleh are parsley and olive oil. The parsley should be finely chopped to avoid bitter flavours.

Tabbouleh is basically parsley salad. There's technically no lettuce in it. It's a salad made up of parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat, and green onions – all finely chopped and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice!

Texture: Bulgur is firmer and chewier than buckwheat, which is softer when cooked. Make sure you are ok with the texture difference in the recipe. Flavor: Buckwheat has a stronger flavor than bulgur, so be prepared for that.

Bulgur is an edible cereal grain made from dried, cracked wheat. Durum wheat is used most often, but other hard wheat species, like einkorn, are used as well ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).

While couscous is a tiny pasta, bulgur is an ancient form of pre-cooked wheat. To make it, the grains are par-cooked while still inside the chaff, then they are hulled and chipped into smaller pieces. This process drives the nutrients into the grain, rather than washing them away.

Bulgur (pronounced BUHL-guhr) is quick-cooking form of whole wheat that's produced by cleaning, steaming, drying and crushing whole-wheat kernels. This is truly an ancient grain -- the process of turning wheat into bulgur has been around for thousands of years and originated in the Mediterranean region.

Bulgur (sometimes spelled bulghur) is a form of whole wheat that has been cracked, cleaned, parboiled (or steamed), dried and then ground into various sizes. Bulgur is sold by its size. It isn't cracked wheat, which are whole raw wheat berries that have been milled into smaller pieces.