This crunchy bulgur salad is light, fresh and surprisingly satisfying. Nutty bulgur wheat creates a hearty base that works beautifully with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and a bright lemon-pomegranate molasses dressing. It makes an easy make-ahead lunch or a refreshing side dish that’s quite addictive. The best part are the crunchy almonds and sweet raisins! It’s ready in just over 30 minutes.

A ceramic bowl filled with a colorful Bulgur Salad featuring rice, chopped vegetables, raisins, and slivered almonds sits on a textured cloth next to a small bowl of almonds and a glass of drink.

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The Most Underrated Grain: Bulgur!

Bulgur is pre-cooked cracked wheat, and its a common grain used in Middle Eastern cooking, which is why I grew up thinking everyone ate it. But I was wrong, and since then, I’m on a mission to make more people discover just how versatile and delicious it is. It is most widely used in tabouli of course, but what you must know is that it comes in different size.

It ranges from coarse (which is what we use in this recipe) all the way to very fine. The size of bulgur is sometimes depicted using numbers from #1 to #4. I love coarse bulgur in this salad and in this Turkish style bulgur pilaf.

Coarse bulgur requires cooking, while fine bulgur can be simply soaked in hot water and it’ll be ready to eat. Fine bulgur is used in the popular Turkish kisir salad as well as in Cig Kofte (both of which are excellent!).

Why I love it? It has a deeply nutty flavour, it’s filling, and it’s easy to use. Fine bulgur requires no cooking, and coarse bulgur cooks the exact same way as rice, and it is very forgiving (it’s hard to mush it up!).

A plate of fresh Bulgur Salad with diced cucumber, yellow pepper, tomato, parsley, and raisins, garnished with cucumber ribbons. A spoon rests on the plate next to this colorful and vibrant salad.

Let’s Make My Favourite Bulgur Salad

While I prefer this recipe with coarse bulgur, you can certainly use fine bulgur (use 1 cup and soak it in 3/4 cup hot water for 5 minutes). You’ll also need fresh vegetables which can be interchanged with whatever you have on hand. This combination is my favourite! Don’t skip the almonds and raisins – they take it to another level.

Cook the bulgur with a 1:2 bulgur to water ratio. You can also use chicken broth if you have it. Start by heating some oil and toasting the washed bulgur for a few minutes, then add the salt and water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes covered. Set aside to cool slightly.

A pot filled with cooked bulgur wheat, perfect for making Bulgur Salad, with a metal spoon resting inside, placed on a gray kitchen towel on a light surface.

Next, chop up all the fresh vegetables into small similar sized cubes. I love using green onions and parsley as well to add freshness and extra flavour.

A glass jar with two layers of liquid, dark brown on the bottom and golden yellow on top, sits on a light surface next to a ceramic dish containing white granules, possibly sugar—perfect for drizzling over Bulgur Salad.

Finally, mix together all of the dressing ingredients and shake it well in a jar to emulsify the oil. Mix the bulgur salad together with the dressing, top with almonds and raisins, and enjoy. I like to serve it after chilling in the fridge for a few hours to allow the bulgur to soak up all of the juices. If you’re going to do this, reserve the almonds and raisins and add them just before serving.

This salad is perfect to make ahead and keep in the fridge all week. But to maximize its crunchy texture, leave out the tomatoes and store separately. Also leave the almonds and raisins on the counter and top as needed.

A plate of colorful bulgur salad with cucumber ribbons, herbs, diced vegetables, and raisins sits on a tiled table next to a glass of water, a lemon half, and a small dish of dressing with a spoon.

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A bowl of colorful bulgur salad with diced vegetables, herbs, raisins, and slivered almonds sits on a patterned cloth next to a small dish of extra almonds and a glass of drink.
5 from 10 ratings

Crunchy Bulgur Salad with Easy Dressing

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
A fresh, crunchy bulgur salad bursting with flavour and perfect to make ahead! This salad uses coarse bulgur and has cucumbers, red peppers, green onions and parsley, topped with a tangy vinaigrette dressing. The best part is the addition of crunchy almonds and sweet raisins!
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Ingredients
 

For the Bulgur:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups coarse bulgur, washed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups water or chicken stock

For the salad

  • 3 small cucumbers
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 3 green onions
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup almonds , or any other nuts/seeds

For the dressing

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, or substitute with 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

To Cook the Bulgur:

  • Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a medium saucepan and place on medium heat. Then add 2 cups coarse bulgur, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, the cover and reduce heat to low for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool slightly.

For the salad:

  • Chop all of the vegetables (3 small cucumbers, 1 tomato, 1 red pepper, 1/2 cup parsley, and 3 green onions) into small cubes and add to a salad bowl. Add the slightly cooled bulgur to the bowl.
  • Whisk together all the dressing ingredients (1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper) by shaking in a jar to incorporate well. Pour the dressing over the bulgur and vegetables and mix well. Chill in the fridge for an hour (this is optional but I recommend it as the bulgur soaks up the flavours).
  • To serve, top the salad with the 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup almonds . See notes for make-ahead instructions.

Notes

  • If you can’t find coarse bulgur, you can use fine bulgur, but it requires no cooking. Simply soak it in water per the instructions in this tabouli recipe.
  • If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, you can substitute with 2 tablespoons of balsamic glaze. 
  • This salad is perfect for making ahead for the week. You can mix everything together but leave out the tomatoes, raisins, and almonds. Store the tomatoes separately, and the raisins and almonds can be on the counter. When you are ready to enjoy, mix everything into a serving size.
Serving: 70g, Calories: 490kcal, Carbohydrates: 86g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 320mg, Potassium: 892mg, Fiber: 21g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2004IU, Vitamin C: 64mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 4mg
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