Easy Chickpea Tabbouleh

Chickpea tabbouleh is a Mediterranean-inspired salad made with bulgur and veggies. It's infused with olive oil and lemon juice for a most flavorful lunch or side dish.

This easy chickpea tabbouleh is the perfect salad to try on a hot summer day when you simply can't bear the thought of going near the stove.

It takes just 10 minutes to make, but you'll need to place the bulgur and boiling water in a bowl for 30 minutes beforehand.

I love this herby tabbouleh not just because it's ridiculously easy to make, but also for its herby, lemony flavors.

It's a bright and refreshing salad that tastes great at room temperature and straight out of the fridge.

Why you'll love this chickpea tabbouleh

• It's very easy to make — just pre-soak the bulgur wheat, chop your veggies and herbs, mix it all together, and you're done.
• It's quite versatile — you can add any other veggies you want to this chickpea tabbouleh salad. Diced cucumbers, black olives and artichokes are all excellent choices.
• It's a very healthy meal — you get plenty of protein from the chickpeas, fibers from the bulgur and vitamins from the veggies.

Ingredients and substitutions

Bulgur wheat — You don't need to cook bulgur wheat — all you have to do is pour boiling water over it and leave it for 30 minutes to absorb it. Use a medium grind bulgur instead of coarse because it absorbs the water quicker.

Chickpeas — Canned chickpeas are perfect here for convenience, but you can also use chickpeas that you've cooked from dried if you want.

Tomatoes — I used cherry tomatoes in this tabbouleh salad, but you can make it with any kind of tomatoes you want.

Scallions — You can either use the entire scallion or just the white and light green parts in this salad.

Fresh mint and parsley — Fresh herbs are the stars of this vegan tabbouleh. You can use flat-leaf or curly parsley and adjust the quantities to your liking.

Olive oil — Try to use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can because it really makes a difference in this salad.

Lemon juice — Only use freshly squeezed lemon juice in a tabbouleh salad. Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.

How to make tabbouleh with chickpeas

Add the bulgur and boiling water to a bowl, cover with a plate or plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 minutes until the water is all absorbed.

When the bulgur is ready, fluff it up with a fork, then add the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, fresh mint and parsley.

Next, add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and ground black pepper. Mix all ingredients with a spoon or spatula.

Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately. If you have time, place the bowl in the fridge for 1-2 hours to allow the flavours to blend.

Leftovers and storage

• This is the perfect salad to make ahead of time because it tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
• Chickpea tabbouleh will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. You don't need to reheat it — you can serve it chilled or at room temperature.
• This chickpea tabbouleh is not freezable.

Recipe notes and tips

• Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the water you use to soak the bulgur.
• You can serve this chickpea tabbouleh on its own or as a side dish. It's a good accompaniment to falafel or Lebanese loubieh.
• Tabbouleh is also great served as part of a meze with pitta chips, hummus and baba ganoush.

If you liked this chickpea tabbouleh, you might also like some of my other easy vegan recipes with chickpeas:

• Vegan Chickpea Pasta Sauce
• Thai Coconut Chickpea Curry
• Instant Pot Chickpea Orzo Soup
• Vegan Chickpea Chili
• Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup

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