Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh with Salmon

This Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh with Salmon is all about efficiency and simplicity. Everything for this recipe is streamlined – from the grocery list involved to the actual process of the recipe. This salmon tabbouleh is what I would call a perfect weeknight meal. It’s easy, it’s wholesome, it’s refreshing, but it’s also comforting. You get a good hit of vegetables, carbs and protein, as well as a simple dressing that will have you coming back for more.

This recipe is a take on a classic tabbouleh, but of course with a few twists and a few adaptations. The recipe is designed to pay homage to the original versions, while still imparting some fresh and simple flavors that the traditional recipes are known for. I love bulgur wheat, and tabboulehs are my favorite ways to prepare it – I just hope this recipe does it justice.

What is tabbouleh?

Tabbouleh is an Eastern Mediterranean dish, originally traced back to Lebanon and Syria. It is known as a salad where everything is finely chopped and tossed together. Ingredients typically include finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper.

In tabbouleh the bulgur wheat is usually soaked, not cooked, giving it a unique texture and a true meaning of raw salad. These kinds of tabbouleh recipes vary from region to region, but you can always find similar through-points in all of the variations.

Ingredients for this roasted tomato tabbouleh

Although this variation on tabbouleh is not typical, some of the ingredients mirror the ingredients in the traditional version. Here is what you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat, 8.8 ounces
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 cups parsley, about 1 bunch
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 pound salmon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar to taste
• 1 sprig fresh mint, for topping

How to prep the ingredients for this roasted tomato tabbouleh

This recipe is really about timing. Start with the bulgur wheat and the dressing, and after that, everything is easily put together!

First, cook the bulgur wheat. Add 4 1/2 cups of water to a large pot, add a small palm of salt to the pot, then the 1 1/2 cups of bulgur wheat. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and set aside.

Next prep the dressing, combine the smashed garlic, vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth. Remove the garlic cloves and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Finely chop up the parsley, until no piece is bigger than the tip of a pencil. Add this to a bowl and pour in a third of the dressing, toss to coat. Chop the cherry tomatoes into halves and portion the salmon into four pieces. Put your oven’s broiler on high, and lower the top shelf in the oven to the middle.

How to roast the salmon and tomatoes for the tabbouleh

Place the salmon skin-side-down on a naked cast iron pan or nonstick pan. Put these pans on medium heat and let the salmon skin render out, about 4-5 minutes. When the salmon is cooked about half of the way through, add in a dash of olive oil, then the tomatoes around the edges of the salmon.

Top the tomatoes with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Immediately transfer this pan to the oven on the middle rack. Broil the salmon and tomatoes for 5-7 minutes or until the salmon is golden on top and the tomatoes are charred and bursting. This cooking method is so that the salmon has a crispy skin, a golden top, but a tender center – it’s so good.

Putting this roasted tomato tabbouleh together

Add the dressed parsley and the burst tomatoes in with the bulgur wheat. Stir to combine and add the rest of the dressing as you prefer. Season with additional salt, pepper and vinegar as needed.
Plate and top each bowl with a portion of the salmon. Use any reserved dressing to let people top their bowls as they please.

Looking for other simple dinners?

Here are a few that I’m loving lately!

And that’s it for this Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh with Salmon!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.