Bulgur Wheat Salad Tabbouleh (Printer-friendly)

A vibrant Middle Eastern salad with bulgur, fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, and zesty lemon dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bulgur

01 - 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
02 - 1 cup boiling water

→ Fresh Produce

03 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
04 - 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
05 - 4 scallions, finely sliced
06 - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Place bulgur wheat in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over it, cover, and let stand for 10-15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, parsley, and mint to the cooled bulgur.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the bulgur mixture and toss gently until well combined.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Serve cold or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes bright and alive, like biting into summer even when it's grey outside.
  • You can prep it ahead and it actually gets better as it sits in the fridge.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels indulgent but leaves you energized instead of heavy.
  • The crunch from cucumber and the zing from lemon wake up your palate in the best way.
02 -
  • Don't skip seeding the cucumber or your salad will turn into soup after a few hours in the fridge.
  • The ratio of herbs to bulgur matters more than you think, you want way more parsley than grain.
  • If your bulgur tastes bland, you didn't salt enough, tabbouleh needs generous seasoning to shine.
  • Let the salad chill before serving, the cold temperature makes the flavors pop and the texture crisps up.
03 -
  • Always taste the bulgur before adding it to the salad, if it's still chewy, cover and let it sit a few more minutes.
  • Use a salad spinner to dry your herbs after washing, excess water dilutes the dressing and makes everything soggy.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, double the dressing, people love when tabbouleh is extra lemony and vibrant.
  • For a gluten-free version, swap bulgur with cooked and cooled quinoa, it works beautifully and no one will miss the wheat.
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