Flat-leaf parsley, the base of tabbouleh
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley forms the bulk of the salad. It must be washed, well dried and then cut with a knife to keep its green colour and freshness.
Lebanese tabbouleh · Nantes
The Lebanese tabbouleh recipe seen by Le Cèdre
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, tomatoes, mint, lemon and a touch of bulgur: Lebanese tabbouleh is a fresh, herbaceous cold mezze. At Le Cèdre, the mezze are made in house on rue Kervegan since 1988.
What is Lebanese tabbouleh
Tabbouleh, the parsley salad of Lebanon
Lebanese tabbouleh is one of the best-known salads of Lebanese cuisine. Unlike the tabbouleh often found in France, which is based on couscous, true Lebanese tabbouleh is above all a salad of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, brightened with diced tomatoes, onion, fresh mint and a light scattering of bulgur. The whole is seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. It is a cold, fresh and herbaceous mezze that opens the meal and accompanies the other small dishes of the Lebanese table.
Succeeding with the Lebanese tabbouleh recipe comes down to a few simple gestures: parsley that is well dried and cut with a knife rather than blended, a measured amount of bulgur so as not to weigh down the salad, and a balanced seasoning between the acidity of lemon and the fruitiness of olive oil. At Le Cèdre, the first Lebanese restaurant in Nantes, opened on rue Kervegan in 1988, the cold mezze are made in house, faithful to this tradition where herbs dominate and every ingredient keeps its freshness.
The ingredients of tabbouleh
What makes a successful Lebanese tabbouleh
Lebanese tabbouleh relies on a few simple ingredients, but each plays a precise role in the balance of the salad. Here are the elements that make up a successful Lebanese tabbouleh, in the spirit of the cold mezze of the Lebanese table.
The fine bulgur of tabbouleh
A small amount of fine bulgur, simply rehydrated, brings texture without taking over. In Lebanese tabbouleh, the herb stays queen and the grain discreet.
Lemon, olive oil and mint
Fresh lemon juice, olive oil and chopped mint give tabbouleh its lively, herbaceous fragrance. It is the seasoning that binds all the ingredients.
Tabbouleh for your events
Fresh and colourful, tabbouleh naturally finds its place on a buffet; Le Cèdre puts together your events on quotation, with its homemade mezze.
The steps of the recipe
How to prepare a Lebanese tabbouleh
Preparing Lebanese tabbouleh starts with the flat-leaf parsley: you wash it, dry it carefully, then chop it finely with a knife. You add tomatoes cut into very small dice, minced onion and chopped fresh mint. The fine bulgur, first rinsed and left to swell for a few minutes, completes the whole in a small amount.
Then comes the seasoning: fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and sometimes a touch of pepper. You mix gently just before serving, so the parsley stays crisp and the salad does not release its water. Lebanese tabbouleh is enjoyed fresh, as a starter or within an assortment of cold mezze, like those Le Cèdre makes in house in Nantes.
The balance of ingredients
The right proportions of Lebanese tabbouleh
What sets Lebanese tabbouleh apart from Western versions is the dominant place of parsley. The bulgur is only an accompaniment: it must stay in the minority so the salad keeps its lightness and green colour. A common mistake is to reverse this ratio and end up with a couscous salad rather than a tabbouleh. Likewise, the parsley is cut with a knife and never in a blender, which would crush it and turn it dark. Well measured, the tabbouleh stays fresh, herbaceous and light, faithful to the spirit of Lebanese mezze.
Variants and pairings
Serving and pairing Lebanese tabbouleh
Lebanese tabbouleh is traditionally served cold, at the start of the meal, among other cold mezze such as hummus or eggplant caviar. It can be eaten with a spoon or rolled in a lettuce leaf. It also pairs very well with grilled dishes and finds its place on a buffet. Depending on the family, the proportions of mint, tomato or lemon vary slightly, but the spirit stays the same: a fresh and fragrant herb salad.
A Lebanese tradition
Tabbouleh, an emblematic salad of Lebanon
Tabbouleh belongs to the great family of mezze of Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine, shared from Lebanon across the whole region. To learn more about its history and its variants, discover tabbouleh and its place in the tradition of herb salads of the Levant.
In Nantes since 1988
Tasting Lebanese mezze in Nantes
In Nantes, it is at Le Cèdre that you find the spirit of homemade Lebanese mezze. Located at 20 rue Kervegan, on the Île de Nantes, a few steps from the Bouffay district, the restaurant is the first Lebanese restaurant in the city. Since 1988, it has offered a 100% homemade menu: cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and a selection of Lebanese wines.
You can savour our homemade cold mezze on site, at lunch and dinner, as a starter or as an assortment to share. Le Cèdre also offers takeaway and delivery within Nantes via Uber Eats and Deliveroo, as well as a catering service on quotation for your weddings, seminars and family meals, with the same homemade cuisine served at the restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
Lebanese tabbouleh: your questions
What is Lebanese tabbouleh?
Lebanese tabbouleh is a cold salad based on finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, tomatoes, onion, mint and a small amount of fine bulgur, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. It is an emblematic cold mezze of Lebanese cuisine.
What is the difference with French tabbouleh?
French tabbouleh is mainly based on couscous, whereas true Lebanese tabbouleh is a parsley salad where the bulgur stays in the minority. The herb dominates, which gives a much greener, fresher and lighter salad.
What ingredients for the Lebanese tabbouleh recipe?
You need flat-leaf parsley, tomatoes, onion, fresh mint, fine bulgur, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. The proportions always favour the parsley, with the bulgur added only in a small amount.
Should the parsley be cut with a knife or a blender?
The parsley should be chopped with a knife, as finely as possible. The blender crushes it and turns it dark, which alters the green colour and freshness of the tabbouleh. Well-dried parsley is easier to cut.
Where can you taste Lebanese mezze in Nantes?
At Le Cèdre, 20 rue Kervegan, 44000 Nantes, on the Île de Nantes near the Bouffay district. Opened on rue Kervegan in 1988, it is the first Lebanese restaurant in the city, with a 100% homemade menu.
Book
Come and taste our Lebanese mezze at Le Cèdre
Homemade cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and Lebanese wines await you at 20 rue Kervegan. Book your table online and come and discover our Lebanese mezze at Le Cèdre, in Nantes.
Le Cèdre has kept Lebanese cuisine alive in Nantes since 1988. As the first Lebanese restaurant in the city, located at 20 rue Kervegan on the Île de Nantes, it offers a 100% homemade menu: cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and a selection of Lebanese wines. Lebanese tabbouleh, a fresh and fragrant parsley salad, is part of the tradition of Lebanese cold mezze that the house makes in house. Faithful to the sharing spirit of the Lebanese table, Le Cèdre welcomes individuals and families at lunch and dinner and puts together a Lebanese buffet on quotation for weddings, seminars and family meals. On site after booking online, for takeaway or delivery via Uber Eats and Deliveroo: the flavours of Lebanon at Le Cèdre look forward to seeing you in the heart of Nantes.