Tabouleh with Lentils & Chickpeas
Three sources of fiber in one bowl. Bulgur carries the grain, lentils and chickpeas bring the legumes, and dried apricots thread sweetness through the middle of it all.
This tabouleh takes fifteen minutes — boil the bulgur, chop the vegetables, toss everything with olive oil and lemon juice, scatter crumbled feta on top. 890 calories, 31 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fiber from plants and a handful of cheese.
Ingredients
- bulgur 3 ounces
- vegetable bouillon 0.5 cube
- lentils, canned 2 ounces
- chickpeas 2 ounces
- scallion 1
- tomatoes 2
- cucumber 0.5
- dried apricots 4
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 ounces
Method
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Cook the bulgur with the bouillon cube in a pot of water according to the package instructions. Drain and let cool after cooking.
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Rinse the lentils and chickpeas together in a colander with cold water and let them drain well.
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Slice the scallion into thin rings and cut the tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes. Cut the dried apricots into thin strips.
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Combine the bulgur, lentils, chickpeas, scallion, tomatoes, cucumber and apricots in a large bowl.
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Drizzle the salad with oil and lemon juice and season with pepper and salt to taste. Mix everything well.
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Divide the tabouleh onto a plate and crumble the cheese over it.
Let the bulgur cool completely before combining it with the vegetables. Warm grain wilts the raw tomatoes and cucumber within minutes, and the texture of the whole salad suffers. Spread the cooked bulgur on a plate if you want to speed this up — thin layer, three to four minutes, done.
Behind this recipe
Where does the protein come from if there is no meat?
Three plant sources and one dairy: lentils, chickpeas, and bulgur each contribute protein, and the crumbled feta adds the rest. Together they deliver 31 grams in a single serving — an amount research suggests the body can use effectively for muscle building in a single meal.
Read the full evidence reviewWhy is the fiber count so high for a salad?
Because this salad stacks three high-fiber ingredients in one bowl. Bulgur is a whole grain that keeps its bran layer, lentils add legume fiber, and chickpeas bring more of the same. Together they deliver 22 grams of fiber — close to what many dietary guidelines recommend for an entire day.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I make this tabouleh ahead of time?
This is one of the better salads for meal prep. The bulgur absorbs the olive oil and lemon juice as it sits, and the flavors from the chickpeas, lentils, and apricots meld into the grain. Make it up to 24 hours ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Add the feta just before serving so it stays crumbly.
