Carrageenan Free Tabbouleh
This herb-forward grain salad is one of those dishes that tastes impossibly fresh and bright, built almost entirely from a pile of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, ripe tomatoes, and a generous squeeze of lemon. The bulgur is soaked rather than cooked, which keeps the texture light and lets the herbs stay firmly in the spotlight. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed — grains, fresh vegetables, olive oil, lemon juice — so there's nothing to scrutinize on a label and no hidden additives to worry about. That matters more than you might think, since carrageenan turns up in a surprising number of packaged grain salads, dressings, and prepared deli sides. Making it from scratch takes almost no active effort, just some patient knife work to get that parsley down to a fine, almost feathery chop. A touch of allspice and fresh mint round out the flavor in a way that feels both classic and a little unexpected. Serve it right away while the herbs are vivid green and the tomatoes still have their bite.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- ¼ cup fine bulgur wheat
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
- 3 bunches flat-leaf parsley (about 4 cups tightly packed leaves and tender stems)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 12 oz), seeded and finely diced
- 4 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground allspice (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the bulgur in a small bowl and pour 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice over it. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water, stir to combine, and let the bulgur soak for 15 minutes, until the grains are just tender and have absorbed the liquid. If any liquid remains, drain through a fine-mesh strainer and press gently to remove excess moisture.
- 2
While the bulgur soaks, finely chop the parsley leaves and tender stems: gather them into a tight bundle on the cutting board and rock the knife through them until the pieces are very fine, about 1/8 inch. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the mint leaves the same way and add them to the bowl.
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