Chickpea Tabbouleh Recipe – Healthy, Vegan, and Protein-Packed Salad
Looking for a fresh, healthy salad that’s packed with flavor and plant-based protein? This chickpea tabbouleh is a vibrant twist on the classic Middle Eastern dish, made with nutrient-dense chickpeas and bulgur for a high-protein boost. Loaded with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, parsley, mint, and a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing, this vegan tabbouleh makes the perfect light lunch, side dish, or meal prep option. Whether you follow a vegan, vegetarian, or simply healthy, plant-based diet, this refreshing salad is a delicious and nourishing choice you’ll come back to again and again.
This classic tabbouleh salad is so satisfying—and so easy. It can be whipped up in no time to accompany Middle Eastern foods, such as falafels, hummus, or grilled eggplant. Or even serve it as a yummy side dish for veggie-burgers or lentil soup. Make it gluten-free by substituting a gluten-free grain, such as quinoa, to make a Quinoa Tabbouleh.
What is tabbouleh?
Tabbouleh is a traditional dish from the Eastern Mediterranean world, which features bulgur, garlic, parsley, mint, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemons, and olive oil. These are all ingredients that grow in this part of the world, so it’s no wonder that this versatile recipe is so popular. I had a chance to make this recipe with dietitians in the Middle East, where I presented on plant-based nutrition. You can serve this healthy dish—filled with whole grains, veggies, and healthy fats—at room temperature or cold. With only 9 ingredients, not including pantry staples, this simple recipe is easy to make, and it shines with the flavors of a beautiful, sunny day!
This recipe is based on the traditional ingredients of the Mediterranean. While I have had an opportunity to spend time studying the food traditions in the Mediterranean, I’d like to suggest following true experts in these foldaways, such as Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, who I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing on my blog. Interestingly, these ingredients also grow in my bioregion of California (a Mediterranean climate!), and in the summer I grow almost all of these foods at home in my garden. Tomatoes and cucumbers are easy to grow in the hot summer months, and a simple pot of herbs is the gift that keeps on giving! Even if you don’t have a garden, you can enjoy seasonal, local produce, such as herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes, when you turn to this classic recipe. It’s a great way to take advantage of a bumper crop of produce, too.
Watch me make this recipe in my Instagram video here.
Description
Discover how to make this refreshing chickpea tabbouleh recipe! Packed with plant-based protein, whole grains, fresh herbs, and zesty lemon flavor, it’s a quick and easy, healthy vegan and vegetarian salad perfect for meal prep or a light lunch.
- 1 cup uncooked whole wheat bulgur
- 3 cups water
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 1 bunch (4 ounces, about 4 cups) fresh parsley leaves
- ½ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
- 5 green onions, white and green parts, finely diced
- 3 small Persian cucumbers, with peels, finely diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, (optional)
- Place the bulgur in a small pot with the water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and cover for 5 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer the cooked bulgur to a large mixing bowl and refrigerate to cool.
- Place the garlic, parsley, and mint in a food processor. Process until only finely chopped (do not liquefy), or chop by hand, very finely. Pour into the bowl with bulgur.
- Add the green onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and sea salt, if desired, and toss gently.
- Chill until serving time.
- Makes 8 servings (about 1 1/4 cup each)
Notes
Make this recipe gluten-free by swapping out the bulgur for a quick-cooking whole grain, such as quinoa or millet.
- Prep Time: 16 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 201
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 18 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 8 g
Top 10 Fresh Plant-Based Salads
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