When you are lucky enough, as we are, to have a vegetable garden full of tasty summer tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, you are always looking for new ways to serve them. Arriving home from our holiday, we found the veggie garden over run with peppers plus we had a few cucumbers and the first of our new batch of tomatoes turning red. A neighbour had also left four huge and sweet onions in a bag hanging on our door. What a great homecoming!
I love tabbouleh, but had forgotten about making it until another kind neighbour bought me round a bag of bulghur wheat. I have very kind neighbours! It reminded me of how much I enjoy it and what a great use of my summer vegetables it would be.
It´s very easy and quick to prepare and can be made a little in advance of eating so that all the seasoning is absorbed and flavours your salad.
As I was finely chopping a mixture of tomato, cucumber, onion and garlic I realised how similar the base ingredients are to an Andalucían gazpacho, both the blended and the chunky versions. I also added chopped green and red peppers. I´m not sure how traditional they are but we still have so many, it seemed silly not to.
The wheat had been cooked according to the instructions on the pack, all very simple and straightforward, and when it had cooled a little I added my chopped vegetables, chopped mint and parsley, salt, olive oil and plenty of lemon juice.
And that was it. I left it to chill a little then bought it back to room temperature before eating. How simple and delicious was that?!
Chica Andaluza 
it is so great when you can make of ingredients you have growing! I need to make more salads like this, this summer 🙂
Saves on the shopping – and tastes so good too!
Very kind neighbour indeed. I made tabbouleh a while ago for my blog, it was simply divine. I used garden ingredients too! Freshly grown ingredients always taste better.
Oh, I must have missed that…will go and check it out! And yes, very kind neighbours. We often find little “gifts” hanging on our door and we try to do the same in return.
Fantastic and I think you are right in your comparison to gazpacho – they are all essential Mediterranean ingredients.
Yes, I hadn´t thought about it before. Even say a greek salad is pretty similar, we just all use the ingredients in slightly different ways!
Oh wow! You cook the bulghur?! 🙂
I believe we just leave it to soak in water for an hour…. Remember this? 🙂
The peppers are not traditional, but you’ve got lots, why not add them in, eh? I can’t believe the amount of different versions I’ve seen of tabbouleh… 🙂 All of them seem good, though….
You´re right – bulghur wheat I´ve used before just had to be soaked but this packet definitely said to cook it – and it was perfect! I don´t think I had “discovered” your blog when you posted your great recipe (which I have just checked out)! I think I´ll have to make it again soon as it was so good and a big success at home 🙂
This is a beautiful and healthy dish and a great way to use all those veggies! And truly there is no one perfect way to make it; a mix of veggies on hand just like a gazpacho….which has me thinking this will be tonight’s dinner!
I agree – use and enjoy what you have to hand…it´s usually the best (and freshest, and tasiest) way!
One of my favorites!
Loved by most of us I think!
This is a gorgeous looking, fresh Tabbouleh!! It screams: I am fresh and eat me!!!!!I do agree with you in adding lots of lemon!! It really makes a difference!! Bravissima!!!
It´s been so frustrating this year, our lemon tree has produced lots of lemons, but with the wind we lost lots of them so am currently having to buy or rely on the goodwill of neighbours!
I love this salad, or ones similar. And they’re so much better when you can get the vegetables from your own garden. This time, it’s as if your garden rewarded you for going on holiday. I think it’s a sign you should get away more often. 🙂
The garden was good to us while we were away! I´m off to London in October, but I don´t think it will be as kind then 😦
Now here’s something else I’ve never made! You keep inspiring me to try new things…I’m looking forward to summer and making this 🙂
As you move into summer we move away from it…oh well, bring on the soups and stews!
Very jealous that you have such a great garden. That would be nice to always have fresh veggies on hand! This dish looks delicious. 🙂
We´re very lucky…we do appreciate what we have though!
This looks great Tanya!
Thanks JamieAnne!
What a very timely post. I know this sounds silly, but I have been trying to remember the name of this dish! I want to serve it at the weekend, but didn’t know where to start looking.
Thanks for yet another interesting post 🙂
That happnes to me all the time – hope you get to make it soon!
That sounds great…I put peppers in my gazpacho, so it’s EXACTLY like it!
Have to see if there are any left at the market on Saturday – I got exactly 2 out of my garden this year.
But I bet you really enjoyed the 2 that you did grow! Good luck at the market 🙂
Our garden is full these ingredients as well…guess I know what I’ll be making soon enough!
It´s great isn´t it when you can just step outside and “pick” your next meal!
Mmmmmmm. I’m making this!!!!!
We eat it quite a lot because we always have the veggies to hand!