Bulgur Wheat Tabbouleh Salad (Printer View)

A vibrant blend of bulgur, fresh herbs, ripe tomatoes, and cucumber with 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 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

# Method:

01 - Place bulgur wheat in a large mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over it, cover, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes until 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 leaves to the cooled bulgur and stir gently to combine.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the bulgur mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust lemon juice or salt as desired. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Serve chilled or at room temperature as a light meal or side dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • One bowl, endless flexibility—swap herbs, add pomegranate, toss in chickpeas without changing the soul of the dish.
  • The longer it sits, the better it gets, making it perfect for meal prep or potlucks.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the bulgur—warm grain wilts herbs and throws off the texture.
  • The salad actually improves overnight as the flavors marry, so make it a day ahead if you can.
03 -
  • Squeeze your lemon juice fresh right into the dressing bowl—bottled juice tastes tinny and misses the whole point.
  • Taste the salad before chilling and adjust seasoning while it's fresh in your mouth, because flavors mute slightly when cold.
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