Tabbouleh is often associated with Lebanon and other Levantine countries, however, the salad also exists in Armenia and it’s an extremely popular side in the Caucasus nation. This Armenian Tabbouleh recipe will transport you to the streets of Yerevan and, in my opinion, absolutely delicious.
One of my favourite things about my travels in Armenia was eating. Because the country has such a broad returning diaspora, there are lots of influences on the cuisine from all over the globe so it differs quite significantly to some things that you will find in Georgian food even though it’s a neighbouring country.
This is a reason why Levantine dishes and flavours are so common in Armenia, just like this tabbouleh.
How to Make Armenian Tabbouleh Salad
The very first step in making this salad is to soak the bulgur. Unlike other grain salads (such as my kale and farro salad, for instance), bulgur isn’t cooked beforehand – simply soaked for a period of time.
Add your bulgur to a small bowl and pour over some boiling water. Cover the bowl (I simply invert a plate over the top of the bowl) and allow it to soak for about an hour or until it’s very tender.
While you’re soaking your bulgur, it’s a good time to prep your tomatoes and cucumbers, as well. Because these have a tonne of water in them, it’s important to sprinkle a little bit of salt over them and set them in a sieve.
So, once you’ve diced your cucumber and tomato, add them to a fine mesh sieve and set it over a bowl.
Sprinkle some salt over the veggies stir and allow to drain for at least twenty minutes – you will notice a surprising amount of water release!
Now, once your bulgur is tender, drain off the remaining water and pat the bulgur dry with some paper towels.
Again, this is just to make sure that there isn’t any excess water to sog out your finished tabbouleh. Add the bulgur to a medium mixing bowl.
To the bowl, also add a lot of chopped fresh parsley. In general, Armenian tabbouleh may actually seem more like a parsley salad than anything else!
I highly recommend chopping the parsley with a knife rather than putting it in a food processor – it ensures that it doesn’t get bruised and releases too much moisture.
Also, add in some finely chopped mint and a finely diced shallot. If you don’t have shallots, it is common in Armenia to use a red onion or even green onions, however, I personally prefer the flavour of shallots in this practice.
Add your tomatoes and cucumber to the bowl and stir to combine. Then, drizzle in some lemon juice and some good olive oil.
Season liberally with pepper, but hold off on adding any salt until you have tasted the tabbouleh – it could be too salty considering you’ve already seasoned the tomatoes and cucumbers!
You can serve the salad immediately or it will keep in the fridge for a few days. And if you want to stay on theme, consider serving some Armenian gata for dessert after eating the tabbouleh!
Armenian Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 40 g (¼ cups) bulgur
- 1 small cucumber seeds removed and chopped into small pieces
- 2-3 medium tomatoes diced
- 75 g (1 cup) flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
- 15 g (2 tbsp) fresh mint
- 1-2 small shallots finely diced
- 1-2 tbsp (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the bulgur to a small, heatproof bowl. Bring 120ml (1/2 cup) water to a boil and pour over the bulgur. Cover the bowl and allow the bulgur to soak for at least one hour.
- Meanwhile, add the diced cucumber and tomato to a large, fine mesh sieve and set it over a bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of coarse sea salt (or kosher salt) over the vegetables and stir to combine. Allow the excess water to drain from the tomatoes and cucumber for at least 30 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, very finely chop the parsley and the mint. Do not use a food processor as this will bruise the herbs too much and result in a tabbouleh that is too moist. Add the chopped herbs along with the shallot to a large mixing bowl.
- Once the bulgur is finished soaking, drain it of the excess water and then pat it dry with paper towels. Add it to the bowl with the herbs.
- Add the tomato and cucumber along with one tablespoon of lemon juice, olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper to the bowl. Mix to combine, taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more lemon juice, salt or pepper if needed. Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
And that’s all there is to making this delicious Armenian bulgar salad! As you can see, it’s super simple to make and addictively tasty to eat.
Are you searching for a tabbouleh recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
