If you're looking for a new and different salad, easy to make, and very popular, we invite you to try this colorful Tipili (the Dominican tabbouleh). A dish that originated in the Middle East, and was brought to our shores by Sirian and Lebanese immigrants who settled here.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Apr 16, 2012
Why we ❤️ it
Tipili -- or Tipile -- is the Dominican name given to the local version of the iconic Lebanese salad called tabbouleh or tabouli, based on wheat, tomato, onion, and parsley. Further down you can read the history of tipili (bulgur salad), and how it arrived on our shores.
Our tipili has some changes from the original that has stuck, and it's one of our favorite salads, refreshing, crisp, and nutritious.
What's bulgur
Bulgur is whole-grain cracked wheat, an ingredient that is very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.
In the Dominican Republic, it's called "trigo" (wheat in Spanish), and it can be found in different grain sizes depending on the intended use.
Bulgur salad and ingredients.
Serving suggestions
I love serving this tabuli salad with arroz con fideos (rice with noodles) which is also a Middle-Eastern-inspired Dominican dish, and fried eggplants (berenjenas fritas) or roasted eggplants (berenjenas asadas) are also great with it.
For a non-traditional combination, try it with this roasted eggplant salad, or serve alongside this tahini salad.
Top tips
- The original tabouleh salad contains a lot more parsley (and mint) than Dominicans add to it.
- We also did away with the mint, which, in my opinion of little esteem, was a great decision. You may add mint to yours if you so prefer.
- Bulgur is sometimes sold under the name coarse bulgur wheat [Amazon affiliate Link] It would not be hard to find in Middle Eastern and Latino communities.
- If you're looking for a gluten-free tabbouleh recipe, you can try that recipe.
About this recipe
The Dominican bulgur salad version differs from the Lebanese in the amount of parsley added (Lebanese is more parsley and mint than wheat, and has a prominent green color). The Dominican wheat salad is rarely found with mint.
How close the Tipile --also called Ensalada de Trigo, Ensalada Turca, and Ensalada Árabe-- is to the original Lebanese tabbouleh salad will depend on who prepares it, and whether they are descendants of these immigrants from the Middle East.
In my experience of how they make Tipile, they tend to prepare a version more similar to Lebanese Tabbouleh, since it is part of their family culinary heritage.
Each one has its fans.
Video
Recipe
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Tipili Recipe [Video+Recipe] Bulgur Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur, (see notes)
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 medium red onion, diced into small cubes
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 1 sprig mint, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon salt, (or more, to taste)
Instructions
1. Soaking
Pour the bulgur into a deep bowl and add enough water to cover it. Soak the bulgur in water for at least two hours.
2. Draining
- Drain the water and squeeze the bulgur to get rid of as much liquid as possible.
3. Combining
- Mix the bulgur with the tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, oil and lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
4. Serving
- Best served right away so the parsley doesn't wilt.
Cook's Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More bulgur recipes
You can find several traditional bulgur recipes in our blog: like trigo con dulce (bulgur pudding), locrio de trigo (bulgur rice), quipe (Dominican kibbeh), vegan kibbeh, and baked kibbeh.
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