Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
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With fresh herbs, chopped vegetables and chickpeas, this Mediterranean bulgur salad is like a bulked-up tabbouleh. Hearty enough to serve on its own or as a healthy side for grilled meats or fish.
Made with nutty bulgur, fresh herbs, chopped vegetables, and buttery chickpeas, this Mediterranean bulgur salad recipe is hearty, healthy, and full of flavor. I like to make it over the weekend and keep it in the fridge all week for easy lunches.
Bulgur is a chewy, nutty-tasting grain made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried, and cracked. In addition to being delicious, it’s packed with fiber and protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in fat and calories. You can usually find it near the pasta, rice, or hot cereal at most grocery stores—or in the bulk bins if your store has them.
“I love this salad! Perfectly balanced and great for easy meal prep!rn”
What You’ll Need To Make Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
- Medium-grind bulgur: A quick-cooking whole grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor—it’s the hearty base of the salad.
- Chickpeas: Add creaminess, protein, and make the salad feel more like a meal.
- Red bell pepper, cucumber & red onion: This veggie trio brings color, crunch, and freshness.
- Fresh dill & parsley: Lots of fresh herbs give the salad a bright, clean flavor.
- Lemon juice, olive oil & garlic: The base of the dressing; bright, rich, and full of flavor.
- Cumin, sugar, salt & black pepper: A simple spice blend that adds warmth, balance, and just the right amount of seasoning.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the bulgur. To begin, in a medium bowl, combine the bulgur and ½ teaspoon salt.
Pour 1¼ cups boiling water over top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Let the bulgur steam for 30 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.
Step 2: Soak the onion. While the bulgur soaks, I like to soak the red onion in cold water and then drain to remove the sharp raw onion taste. This is totally optional; if you like the sharpness of raw onions, you can skip this step.
Step 3: Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, sugar, pepper, and remaining teaspoon of salt.
Step 4: Finish the salad. Add the cooled bulgur, onion, bell pepper, cucumber, dill, parsley, and chick peas.
Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill the bulgur salad until ready to serve or for up to two days. Serve cold or room temperature and enjoy!
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Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium-grind (#2) bulgur
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 2 lemons
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small English (or hothouse) cucumber, seeded and diced
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place the bulgur in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and 1¼ cups (300 ml) boiling water. Cover the bowl tightly with saran wrap and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed. Let cool, then fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile, to soften the bite of the raw onions, place them in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for ten minutes, and then drain. (Feel free to skip this step if you don't mind the strong taste of raw onions.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, sugar, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the cooled bulgur, onion, bell pepper, cucumber, dill, parsley, and chick peas. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill until ready to serve or up to two days. Serve cold or room temperature.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is so delicious. I have to say I’ve made about 5 recipes from your site and not one is bad. I love that the ingredients are things I either have on hand or easily acquired. I’ve been in a cooking funk and your recipes always give me something good to make. Thank you.
Hi Jenn.. love this salad but I’m up in the Outer Banks with limited products. I only see Red Mills red bulgur. Can I use that? On the bag it’s 2 c water to 1 cup bulgar for basic cooking. At home I get mine from Sprouts. Thank you!
Yes, I think that should work; just make sure to follow the cooking instructions on the package. Enjoy!
I find red bulgur expands more so regular bulgur so you might want to decrease the amount of red bulgur to either half a cup or 3/4 cup.
First recipe from here and mostly loved it. Fresh and healthy! Followed it to the tee and it was too acidic for me, so next time will use less lemon. Thought about adding feta, but recipe is rich enough without it.
Gorgeous. I made it exactly as it says and it tasted lovely and fresh with lots of flavour. Will be making it often now.
Amazing! My husband was skeptical but after one bite couldn’t stop eating it. The dill really makes this special. For leftovers the next day we put Jenn’s hummus (So delicious.. I won’t ever go back to store bought) inside whole wheat pita bread, topped with turkey meatballs, and finished with this salad on top. YUM!
This is salad is delicious and makes a perfect light lunch all by itself. A great way to introduce bulgur into your diet. Soaking the red onion really works! The seasoning is just right. Thanks Jenn 😊
I have made this salad several times the flavor is terrific. I added halved grape tomatoes instead of red pepper, some feta cheese and black olives because I just love them. I have also made this recipe exactly as printed and it is really just perfect.
What can be used in place of the dill? I am not a fan of dill – to put it mildly!
Hi Karen, I’d suggest either tarragon or parsley in place of the dill. Hope you enjoy!
I have not made this yet – wondering if it would be good with grilled lamb chops?
I think grilled lamb chops would pair nicely!
Love this recipe. It’s so easy and has wonderful flavors. I have made this several times and modified based on preference and/or ingredients already in my kitchen. I omit the sugar in every instance, use 2 red bell peppers, either cook the onions or omit. Latest version had the following modifications: grilled onions, 2 red bell peppers, 1/4-1/3 cup of dill, cannellini beans, 3 Tbsp of olive oil and no sugar; it turned out great.