Tabbouleh

This tabbouleh is one of my favorite things to make at home during the summer because it requires very little use of my stove! Cooking the bulgur the night before is my trick to ensure that I’m not turning my stove on during the heat of the day.

Tabbouleh
Serves 4-6

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cups bulgur wheat, uncooked
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved at the stem
  • 1.5 cups cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Night Before

Place the water and salt in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Add the uncooked bulgur and stir well. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until it is nice and tender.

Drain the excess water, then spread the bulgur out onto a cookie sheet so that it cools down and has a chance to dry out a little. Cover lightly with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Day Of

Transfer the bulgur to a mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. You may want to add more lemon juice—if so, go for it! 

I like to serve this tabbouleh with grilled chicken or fish, and some other grilled vegetables on the side… really anything that doesn’t require the stove! 

Chef Brandon FosterBrandon Foster began his life in the kitchen at the Best Western in Frisco, Colorado, almost 18 years ago. His passion for ingredients and drive to learn technique led him down the mountain to Denver, where he worked in two of Denver’s most fondly remembered restaurants, The Fourth Story and Mel’s. He joined the crew at Vesta in 2005 as a line cook and became executive chef in 2010, focusing on getting back to the roots of cooking through charcuterie and seasonal ingredients. Ultimately, Chef Brandon’s career highlights centered on events like Plates for the Peak, Invest in Kids, and James Beard Foundation dinners where he could play a role in helping people in need- a passion that led him to Project Angel Heart in 2016. Outside the kitchen, Chef Brandon enjoys spending time skiing, camping, golfing, and eating with his wife Larissa and their three kids.