Bulgur Wheat Salad Tabbouleh (Print Version)

A vibrant Middle Eastern salad with bulgur wheat, fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, and a zesty lemon dressing. Perfect light meal or flavorful side.

# 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 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup packed)
07 - 1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup packed)

→ Dressing

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Place bulgur wheat in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over it, cover, and let stand for 10–15 minutes until the bulgur is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to 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.
04 - Pour the dressing over the bulgur mixture. Toss gently until well combined.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Serve cold or at room temperature.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like summer even in the middle of winter, bright and clean and impossibly fresh.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as it sits, soaking up all that lemon and olive oil.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels light but still keeps you satisfied for hours.
  • The prep is mostly chopping, which means you can make it without turning on the stove in hot weather.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time in the fridge, the salad tastes flat and one dimensional if you serve it immediately after mixing.
  • If your bulgur is still crunchy after 15 minutes, add a tablespoon more boiling water, cover it again, and give it another 5 minutes.
  • Always taste before serving because the acidity fades as it sits, and you might need to add a squeeze more lemon right before you bring it to the table.
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears to chop the parsley and mint, it's faster than a knife and you get a cleaner cut without bruising the leaves.
  • If you want a gluten free version, swap the bulgur for cooked quinoa and reduce the liquid slightly since quinoa doesn't absorb as much.
  • Roll your lemons on the counter with firm pressure before cutting them, you'll get almost twice as much juice out of each one.
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