Bulk Up Tabbouleh With Your Favorite Canned Fish

Tabbouleh is a hearty salad that's often served alongside grilled kebabs or combined in a mezze platter. Made with a base of bulgur wheat, an abundance of verdant herbs, and chopped veggies that are dressed in a lemony vinaigrette, this bright Middle Eastern dish cuts through the richness of fatty meats and provides a textural contrast against creamy dips like hummus and baba ghanoush. However, it also has the chops to shine in its own right. To turn this vibrant salad into the star of the show (instead of the sidekick), consider bulking it up with your favorite canned fish.

Store-bought tabbouleh makes a super-convenient foundation for making your bulked-up salad because you won't even have to consider chopping herbs or prepping any bulgur. Simply open the tub and tumble on a can of tuna, sardines, or mackerel. In fact any tinned fish from pink salmon to pickled herring will work. Having said that, oilier options, like mackerel and sardines, are perfect choices because the citrusy vibe of the tabbouleh counteracts the inherent richness of these fatty fish varieties, creating a salad with a balanced flavor profile. Plus, any oil that the fish is packed in can be used to elevate the dressing if you add in a spritz more lemon and a dash of seasonings (or choose a can of marinated fish that's already flavored with herbs and infused oils). For a lighter bite, select canned fish that's packed in water or brine and dig in.

While a tuna or salmon-topped tabbouleh is a balanced meal in itself that's high in lean filling protein, feel free to incorporate crunchy additions, like croutons or pita chips, to give it oodles of crispy texture and a satisfying, carb character. You could even fry up some flatbread until it turns crisp and scatter it over the top to lend it a vibe that's closer to a Fattoush salad. Alternatively, skip the chips and bread and sprinkle on some seeds, like pepitas, for crunch and color.

Making your own tabbouleh is the ultimate power move if you want full control over every ingredient. For example, you can easily add more parsley and mint for a greener, herb-heavy salad, switch the bulgur wheat for quinoa or couscous, or sub the chopped tomatoes for crunchy cucumber. The best method for a more flavorful tabbouleh is to dress it a day before and allow it to marinate. As there aren't any leafy greens that are prone to getting soggy and limp in this grain-based salad, it can be dressed well in advance. This move doesn't adversely affect the overall texture of the dish because the grains of bulgur wheat are hardy enough to retain their toothsome bite even when coated in a vinaigrette.