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This tangy and tasty Mediterranean bulgur salad features bulgur wheat, garlic, tomatoes, lemon, and lots of fresh parsley.
On our recent trip to Greece, Alex and I had a bulgur salad similar to this one. There was a breathtaking sunset over the Mediterranean, and we had just ordered a list of small plates so large that the server looked at us like we were crazy. With my husband and sister on my right and my best childhood friend and her fiance on my left, it was like one of those “happy place” daydreams where all your favorite people who live on different continents converge together in some gorgeous island destination. It’s now a distant memory (sigh!), but we still have that bulgur salad. Keep reading for the recipe!
What is bulgur wheat?
Bulgur wheat is a whole wheat grain that has been cracked and partially pre-cooked. Not only does it have a delicious chewy texture, nutty flavor, and a high nutritional content, but it cooks quickly. All you have to do is boil some water in a teapot and then let the bulgur soak: no oven required! Now that’s our kind of cooking! You should be able to find this whole grain at most supermarkets. For more about different types of bulgur, head to How to Cook Bulgur.
Do you have an Instant Pot? You can cook bulgur wheat in a pressure cooker: see our Instant Pot Bulgur Wheat recipe.
How to make bulgur salad
The bulgur salad we had in Greece was made a bit differently and called “pligouri” salad (meaning, bulgur wheat), but this rendition is close. It’s also very similar to tabbouleh, though tabbouleh actually originates further East across the Mediterranean. It’s full of tangy lemon and bright herby parsley flavor. In fact, you’ll use a full 2 cups of chopped parsley: that’s an entire large bunch!
This is a fabulous summer bulgur salad since it’s easy to put together and deliciously light and herby. We love the fact that the bulgur wheat makes this dish a “no cook” grain salad: just pour boiling water over the bulgur and let it sit. It seems like magic each time we do it! This Mediterranean bulgur salad and our Greek salad are perfect options to bring to a summer picnic or barbecue.
Got more parsley to use up? Try more of our Best Parsley Recipes.
Looking for easy Greek recipes?
Outside of this Mediterranean bulgur salad, here are some of our favorite easy Greek recipes:
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Greek Nachos with Cilantro Sauce
- Greek Grilled Veggie Skewers
- Classic Greek Salad
- Greek Pita Sandwiches
- Greek Pizza
- Easy Baklava Bites Recipe
- Baked Feta with Tomatoes
- Authentic Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Cucumber Dip)
- Greek Feta Spread with Roasted Peppers
This recipe is…
This recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas.
Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
This tangy and tasty Mediterranean bulgur salad features bulgur wheat, garlic, tomatoes, lemon, and lots of fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups fine- or medium-grind bulgur wheat*
- 4 medium tomatoes (enough for 2 finely diced)
- 3 green onions
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley (one large bunch)
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 2 lemons
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to 1 ½ cups water and bring it to a boil. Place the bulgur wheat in a bowl and pour over the boiling salted water. Cover and allow to sit until tender: about 7 minutes for fine-grind and 15 minutes for medium-grind bulgur.
- Meanwhile, finely dice the tomatoes, removing the core and seeds. Thinly slice the green onions and mince the garlic. Chop the fresh parsley and fresh mint. Zest 1 lemon.
- When the bulgur is finished, fluff it with a fork. Add tomatoes, green onions, garlic, parsley, mint, lemon zest, olive oil, lemon juice, a few pinches kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Stir gently to combine. Serve with additional lemon wedges.
Notes
*Avoid coarse or extra-coarse bulgur, since the cooking instructions are different. Here’s more about types of bulgur.
- Category: Salad
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Is it possible to substitute something for the Bulgur as I am not eating wheat. Would love to try this if it is possible. Thanks
You could try quinoa! Not quite the same but I bet it’d be tasty.
Bulgur that is!
:)
I believe we used bulgur from the Whole Foods bulk bins.
Love tabbouleh! What kind of bulger did you use? It looks smaller and lighter than the Bob’s Red Mill that I use.
This salad looks so perfect! I have wanted to go to Greece, so I am living vicariously through you posts related to you trip there!
This looks and sounds absolutely beautiful, I have so many of your recent recipes bookmarked ready to try!
Sophie
http://what-sophie-said.blogspot.co.uk/
xxx
We eat a lot of tabbouleh and love it so much!! This is such a nice summer meal :)