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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 for easy lunches over the next couple of days.
In addition to being delicious, bulgur is 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!”
What You’ll Need To Make Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
- Medium-grind bulgur: The hearty base of the salad. Bulgur is made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried, and cracked, which is why it softens with a simple soak in boiling water. Make sure to use medium-grind (#2) bulgur. The grind matters: coarse and extra-coarse bulgur may need stovetop cooking, so they aren’t direct substitutes for this soaking method. Look for bulgur near the rice, pasta, or hot cereal at the grocery store, or check the bulk bins.
- 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
Cook the bulgur: Start by putting the bulgur in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour 1¼ cups of boiling water over it, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. The bulgur will soak up the water and become tender as it steams.
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.
Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, sugar, pepper, and remaining teaspoon of salt.
Finish the salad: Add the cooled bulgur, onion, bell pepper, cucumber, dill, parsley, and chickpeas.
Toss and chill: Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill the bulgur salad until ready to serve.
Make-ahead & storage instructions
This Mediterranean bulgur salad is a great make-ahead dish because the flavors improve as it sits. You can prepare it up to 2 days in advance and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Before serving, give it a good toss and taste for seasoning. The bulgur may absorb some of the dressing as it sits, so a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil can help freshen it up. Serve the salad cold, or let it sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes to take the chill off.
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 plastic 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 chickpeas. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill until ready to serve.
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.
What to serve with Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
With chickpeas and plenty of vegetables, this salad makes a satisfying lunch on its own. For dinner, serve it alongside Middle Eastern chicken kabobs or pan-seared salmon—the lemon and fresh herbs work beautifully with either. Add a bowl of hummus and warm pita for passing around the table.
More Mediterranean Salad Recipes You May Like
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I’ve made this salad many, many times and absolutely love it. Sometimes I throw in some pistachios and feta cheese. It’s great either way.
Nice and easy salad with lots of taste, however I found there was too much salt added, and possibly oil and onion too, so would adjust the quantities if making again, but that’s just personal preference. Thanks for sharing this recipe – it was my first time doing anything with bulgar wheat, which turns out to be really quite nice!
did not have everything, but decided to wing it
farro instead of bulgar, great more chewy
Persian cukes instead of English, great more crunch
out of cumin just skipped it
topped with crumbled feta
fabulous salad…will make it on a regular basis
Very good! Definitely a keeper. So delicious and easy to make for a summer meal. I have a lot of herbs growing outside so I added fresh basil, oregano, mint, chives and a pinch of my own homemade Greek spice too. I also used a zucchini as a substitute for the cucumber that I was out of. Every bite was so delicious and fresh with this wonderful lemon and oil based dressing. One of the best recipes so far that I’ve tasted for this salad.
Made it and won’t change anything in this recipe when I make it again, and I will!
Could I use chicken broth in place of water?
Sure, K, that’s fine. Since that will add a salty flavor, you may want to reduce the added salt slightly.
Can you make it gluten-free?
Sure, you can use quinoa in place of the bulgur to make it gluten-free.
I don’t leave comments on recipes very often, but this was so delicious I had to say so. The only change I made was to cook the bulgur without salt, and then I added a handful of chopped Mediterranean feta. Delicious – and even better the next day. This will go in the regular rotation. I also may try subbing quinoa for the bulgur next time to up the protein.
Just made this. SOOO GOOD. Might be gone before dinner if I don’t get it in the fridge !
I know I can count on your recipes to turn out well.
I love this salad! Perfectly balanced and great for easy meal prep!