Bring on the Mediterranean flavors with this tasty Bulgur Salad!
Bulgur is a grain often featured in Middle Eastern dishes, such as tabbouleh, stuffed eggplant and pilaf, and it’s also commonly found in vegetarian burgers, cereal, and this delicious bulgur salad. Some people think it has a nutty flavor, and with its long-lasting freshness, it is ideal for easy weekday lunches.
Bulgur has a chewy texture similar to quinoa, although quinoa is lighter and blander in taste. Quinoa and bulgur are easily substituted in recipes, as most bulgur dishes taste great made with quinoa, and vice versa.
This salad is an excellent vegetarian dish that can easily become vegan-friendly when omitting the feta cheese. If you want a meat-forward dish, you can make it a hearty meal by adding cooked and diced ham, turkey, chicken, shrimp, or steak.
I often meal prep on the weekends so I have ready-to-eat food during the week. Salads are my go-to dishes because they don’t require reheating. Since I can add leftover protein from dinner, each day offers a new twist on the salad.
Is Bulgur Salad Healthy?
Bulgur helps make this salad healthy as it uses the entire wheat kernel, making it a whole grain. You get fiber, protein, manganese, iron, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and magnesium from bulgur. A 1-cup serving of the grain contains 8 grams of fiber, almost half the day’s recommended value of manganese, and 6 grams of protein.
Additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients from the cucumbers, chickpeas, lemon juice, bell pepper, onion, olive oil, and herbs make this salad a healthy addition to your diet.
Same Salad – Different Taste: Switch The Herbs!
Mint and parsley go beautifully together in bulgur salad, but that is not the only flavor combination you can do. Think of the base of this salad as your canvas, allowing you to go where the feeling takes you.
Are you in an Italian mood? Eliminate the mint and substitute basil and oregano. Do you prefer dill over mint like I do? If so, make that change. You can also add ½ to 1 teaspoon cumin with the seasonings. Let your palate lead you to exciting and different flavor combinations.
Do you like sweeter foods? If so, swap the red onions for finely chopped green onions or chives, and add dried raisins, cranberries, or apricots. Add a sprinkling of cinnamon and some honey instead of pepper and you will have an entirely different flavor profile. You can also add some chopped walnuts, pistachios, or pecans.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup bulgur
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook
Prepare and cook bulgur.
Mix
Combine bulgur with vegetables and herbs.
Dress
Add dressing, feta cheese, and season.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
You can prepare the bulgur, vegetables, and dressing a day ahead, storing each component separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Combine everything before serving. Leftovers will remain fresh when refrigerated for up to 4 days. You can serve bulgur salad at room temperature or chilled. Do not freeze leftovers.
Any cucumber can replace the diced English cucumber. I recommend removing the seeds before chopping the cucumber. English cucumbers are seedless; you may also see them listed as European or greenhouse cucumbers at the grocery store.
No, bulgur is not gluten-free. People with gluten allergies or sensitivities, wheat allergies, or celiac disease should not eat bulgur. You can make this salad gluten-free by substituting cooked and cooled quinoa for the bulgur.
Diced zucchini, yellow squash, yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus are great additions to this salad. Cherry or grape tomatoes, fresh arugula, and spinach are other options. One of my favorite vegetables to add to any salad is jicama.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is so good when served with a side of hummus and some pita bread. But sometimes, you want to try something different. Some tasty alternatives include Red Pepper Hummus, Avocado Hummus, and this unique Mexican Lentil Homemade Hummus.
The bulgur salad also goes great with a warm and comforting bowl of soup. I recommend making Instant Pot Tomato Soup or Avocado Soup for a refreshing change of pace. However you serve it, this salad is sure to be a hit.
Bulgur Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh mint chopped
- 1/3 cup red onion diced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
Instructions
-
In a medium pot, cook bulgur according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
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In a large salad bowl, combine cooled bulgur, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, chopped parsley, mint, chickpeas, and red onion.
-
Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle on feta cheese and any additional seasoning as needed.
Nutrition
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