Heres your new favorite summer potluck salad! Great the day you make it, but even better the next day! This tabbouleh is fresh and chewy, bright with lemon, and full of antioxidants and fiber for detoxification. Typically made with bulgur wheat, you can also substitute quinoa or farro. Bulgur is made from cracked whole grain wheat berries and needs only to be rehydrated with hot water. It has a nice firm bite and scores high in the fiber department. It’s a great complement to any grilled protein or vegetable!
A rundown on high fiber detox
Also known as roughage or bulk, fiber is a part of plant-based food that your body can’t digest or absorb. This tabbouleh recipe is one my mother swore kept her, ummm…”regular”. But in addition to regulating bowel function, dietary fiber has been shown to increase detoxification in the liver.
Bulgur contains some soluble fiber, but about 90 percent of the wheat kernel consists of insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is like a sponge. It forms a bond with the bile in the intestine, binding up and removing all the harmful toxins, drugs, dead cells, and fat soluble waste that it contains. If we don’t eat enough insoluble fiber, our bile, instead of being removed from the body, is repeatedly recirculated in our system and reabsorbed into the bloodstream. In the process, it becomes more concentrated with toxins. Women should aim for at least 20 grams of dietary fiber each day, and men should get up to 35 grams.
More good news about fiber
Carbohydrates high in fiber are digested more slowly and, as a result, your blood sugar doesn’t rise as quickly, and fiber is food for the millions of healthy bacteria in your gut microbiome. Our microbiome is home to our immune system and regulates feel good neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
Pretty compelling reasons to increase your fiber intake, no? I think you’ll find this tabbouleh recipe to be a delicious way to do so without feeling like you’ve had to work too hard at it! After some chopping, everything is mixed together in a bowl and is even better the next day!
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- Bulgur wheat. I was surprised I couldn’t find this locally so ordered from amazon. It is for sure available at Middle Eastern markets or you can substitute quinoa or farro.
- Lemon
- Parsley
- Tomato
- Garlic
- Green onion
- Cucumber
- Olive Oil
- Ground Cumin
- Salt/Pepper
- 1 cup uncooked bulgur (or substitute quinoa or farro)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (if using English cucumber, skip peeling and seeding)
- 1½ cups chopped fresh Italian (flat) parsley
- 1 cup diced tomato
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cumin
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- Combine bulgur and boiling water in a large bowl.
- Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
- Drain.
- Whisk together lemon juice olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and garlic
- Add cucumber and remaining ingredients, including dressing, to bulgur and chill for at least one hour. (Even better the next day!)
