Deli-style Mediterranean Tabbouleh Recipe (Cedar's Deli Copycat)
This Mediterranean Tabouli Salad is the ultimate garden-clearing recipe! Inspired by the legendary tabouleh at Cedar's Deli in Calgary, this version is vibrant, tangy, and incredibly fluffy. Unlike traditional recipes that require 30 minutes of tedious hand-chopping, I use the food processor method to get that perfect "green confetti" texture in seconds. It’s a vegan, high-fiber, and WW-friendly side dish that actually tastes better the next day!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 173kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 large bunches Curly Parsley You want a mountain of this! Once pulsed, it should be about 5-6 cups.
- 1 cup Fresh Mint finely chopped
- ½ cup Green Onions finely sliced (Use mostly the green parts for that vibrant look and milder flavor).
- ½ cup Fine Bulgur #1
- 3 Roma Tomatoes diced extremely fine
- 1 English Cucumber diced extremely fine
- ½ cup Fresh Lemon Juice Approx. 3 lemons.
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest.
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice The "secret" deli spice.
- 1 teaspoon Sumac Optional
Instructions
- PREP: Wash your curly parsley and spin it in a salad spinner until it's bone-dry.3-4 large bunches Curly Parsley
- Pulse the parsley in your food processor in batches until it looks like "green confetti." This is about 5-7 pulses. Do not let it turn into a paste!
- Place the dry bulgur in a small bowl.½ cup Fine Bulgur
- Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and allspice together.½ cup Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest., ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil., 1 teaspoon Salt , ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 clove Garlic, minced, ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- then pour it over the bulgur. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes. The bulgur will "cook" in the lemon juice, becoming perfectly tender while absorbing all that tangy flavor.
- In your largest bowl, toss the fluffed parsley, mint, green onions, and finely diced tomatoes/cucumbers.1 cup Fresh Mint, ½ cup Green Onions, 3 Roma Tomatoes, 1 English Cucumber
- Add the soaked bulgur (and any remaining liquid from the bowl) to the herbs. Toss thoroughly.
- Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. This is a "sturdy" salad; the curly parsley holds up beautifully.
- Sprinkle on about 1 teaspoon of Sumac just before serving1 tsp Sumac
Notes
*NOTE: Fine Bulgur (#1): Make sure you get the #1 fine grind (usually yellow). It’s small enough to "cook" in the lemon juice without ever needing to turn on the stove. *If you accidentally buy #3 or #4 (coarse) bulgur, the lemon juice soak won't work, and you will have crunchy grains.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: Swap the bulgur for ¾ cup of cooked quinoa. Make sure the quinoa is chilled and "fluffed" before adding.
- Tomato-Free: If you aren't a fan of tomatoes, you can swap them for finely diced red bell pepper for color and crunch.
- Extra Protein: Add a can of rinsed chickpeas to turn this side dish into a full Mediterranean meal.
- Parsley: You can use Italian parsley in this recipe if you don't have curly parsley.
Expert Recipe Tips
- The "Bone-Dry" Rule: This is the most important tip! If your parsley is even slightly damp, the food processor will turn it into a green paste. Spin it, pat it, and let it air-dry before pulsing.
- The "Lemon Soak": By soaking the bulgur in the dressing instead of water, the grain absorbs the flavor from the inside out. It's the secret to that "zingy" deli taste.
- Pulse, Don't Process: When using the food processor, use short 1-second bursts. You want tiny flakes, not a smoothie!
- Seed Your Veggies: Always remove the watery seeds from your tomatoes and cucumbers. This prevents the salad from getting "soupy" in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
