Tabbouleh

Sweet tomatoes and crisp cucumber mixed with tender couscous, all sharpened up with lemon and loads of fresh parsley. It's rich without being heavy, and the mint gives it that fresh, summery kick. Light, bright, and ridiculously easy!

Prep15

Cook

Total30

Servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

For the salad

200 gr couscous medium grain
200 ml water boiling
5 tomatoes ripe, about 400gr
1 cucumber about 300gr
2 onions
100 gr flat-leaf parsley
100 mint
salt

For the dressing

6 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
100 ml lemon juice
salt and black pepper

Equipment

Instructions

Prepare the couscous

Put the couscous in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Pour over 250ml boiling water, stir once, cover tightly with a plate or cling film, and leave 10 minutes. Fluff thoroughly with a fork, breaking up clumps, then cool completely.

Prep the vegetables

Dice the tomatoes into 1cm cubes. Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel the cucumber, halve lengthways, scoop out the seeds, and dice the flesh the same size as the tomatoes.

Chop the herbs

Wash the parsley and mint and dry them thoroughly (wet herbs make watery tabbouleh). Pick the leaves from the thick stalks. Chop finely, but not to a paste.

Make the dressing

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste: it should be sharp and punchy, since it has to season a lot of mild couscous.

Assemble the salad

Put the cooled couscous in your largest bowl. Add all the vegetables, onion and herbs. Pour over the dressing and mix thoroughly, so the herbs run right through.

Rest before serving

Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (a few hours or overnight is better). Stir and taste before serving, and add more lemon and oil if it needs it.

Notes

Couscous or bulgur: couscous is lighter and quicker; for bulgur use 200g with 400ml boiling water, soaked 30 minutes.
Use the ripest tomatoes you can find.
Make it properly lemony. Start with two lemons and add more to taste.
Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and improves after a day.
Add more lemon and oil before serving.
Great for a crowd: cheap, scales easily, and better made ahead.

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