This satisfying bulgur salad is packed with sunny Mediterranean flavors. Hearty whole grain wheat, juicy tomatoes, cooling cucumber, and savory chickpeas make each bite a feast for the senses.
This fresh, hearty salad is one to keep in your fridge all week! A brightly flavored vinaigrette soaks into the chewy bulgur while fresh cucumbers and celery add a crisp, cooling counterpoint, whisking you away to a Mediterranean Isle any time you need a quick bite.
I’ll make up a big batch of this bulgur salad whenever I have an especially busy week coming up, keeping the dressing separate until I’m ready for the first serving. Then into the fridge go the leftovers, ready to scoop out a portion of it whenever I need a quick, nourishing lunch, or to round out an entree at dinnertime.
This dish also makes a great summer BBQ offering for potluck season. You can make the entire thing in advance and it can hang out in your fridge until it’s time to leave, leaving you free to relax and soak up that summer sun!
Ingredient Notes
- Apple cider vinegar – Acidity is the magic ingredient here; it brightens the whole salad and keeps it from tasting flat. Cider vinegar gives your vinaigrette a lightly sweet tang, unlike other, more sharply flavored vinegars. You could also use fresh lemon juice in its place for a more lemony dressing.
- Cooked bulgur – A type of parboiled groats, bulgur is made from whole wheat kernels that are cracked and then par-cooked. Note that although they look similar, bags of “cracked wheat” are not parboiled, therefore they cannot be used to substitute for bulgur in this recipe. Cook the bulgur wheat according to package directions, using vegetable stock or mushroom broth instead of water for a deeper flavor! I have tried it both ways and the stock really makes this salad more savory.
- Red kidney beans – A protein-packed ingredient that makes this salad all that much more hunger-busting. Red beans give a pop of royal burgundy color and a meaty bite to this salad, but black beans or white beans work too. Whatever you have in your pantry is fine!
- Cucumber – If you use a slicing cucumber–those large ones with thick waxy skins– peel it off and then scrape any large seeds from the center channel. If you use an English cucumber or Persian cucumbers, the skins can stay on and the seeds are small enough to remain.
- Celery – Once branded as a “diet” vegetable, I say it’s time for celery to have its comeback! The crunch of this lightly savory veggie is unmatched, holding up nicely even when coated in vinaigrette for several days.
- Optional flavor boosters – A handful of halved olives is a great addition to this salad, or add a sprinkle of crumbled vegan feta cheese. For a more savory, lightly spiced dressing, whisk in a spoonful of vegan dijon mustard when making the dressing or for a sweeter take, a drizzle of maple syrup.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Combine the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil with salt and black pepper to taste, then pour in the cider vinegar.
- Whisk the vinaigrette. Use a whisk to beat the vinaigrette ingredients together until well blended. Give it a taste and adjust your salt or black pepper as needed. Remember that the strong, concentrated flavor of your dressing will be distributed across all of your wonderful salad ingredients, so if it tastes a little sharp by itself, that’s perfect.
- Combine the salad. Everyone goes into the pool! To a large bowl, add the cooked bulgur, kidney beans, chopped cucumber, chopped celery, diced red onion, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, and chopped parsley.
- Toss to coat. Use a large spoon to gently toss and mix the ingredients just until combined, then drizzle your homemade vinaigrette over the top. You’ll smell the ingredients come alive as the vinaigrette works its magic, drawing out the flavorful juices from each vegetable and tenderizing that hearty bulgur wheat! Give it another light toss to make sure all of the ingredients are coated in the dressing.
- Chill and serve. You can serve the salad right away, or let it chill for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Give it one more taste before serving, stirring in more salt, black pepper, parsley, or acidity if needed. Trust your taste buds!
Tips From Ligia
Whisk the vinaigrette by hand for best flavor.
High speed machines like a blender or hand mixer can cause the olive oil to take on a bitter, more astringent taste. Whisking by hand is the perfect method, as it breaks up the olive oil droplets enough to combine with the vinegar, but not so much that it loses its naturally fruity sweetness.
How To Store
Refrigerating Pack your leftover bulgur wheat salad into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The dressing will settle to the bottom of the container during storage, so make sure to stir before serving. The texture will change over time as the wheat continues to absorb moisture and the vegetables soften, so keep that in mind if you plan to use this salad for entertaining. It will have the best flavor and texture if eaten within 2 days of making it. You may want to jazz it up with some extra vinaigrette or salt and pepper after taking it out of the fridge.
Freezing Unfortunately I don’t recommend freezing this one as it has a lot of fresh vegetables that will become mushy if frozen.
Bulgur Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
- 3 cups cooked bulgur wheat
- 1 cup canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil with salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour in the cider vinegar.
- Use a whisk to beat the vinaigrette ingredients together until well blended, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The flavor of the dressing will get diluted once mixed into the salad, so it’s a good thing if it tastes quite concentrated.
- Combine the cooked bulgur, kidney beans, chopped cucumber, chopped celery, diced red onion, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, and chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl.
- Gently toss and mix the ingredients just until combined, then drizzle your homemade vinaigrette over the top. Smell how the ingredients come alive as the acidity and salt hits them! Give the salad another light toss to make sure all of the ingredients are coated in the dressing.
- Serve the salad right away, or let it chill for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Taste again before serving, stirring in more salt, black pepper, parsley, or acidity if needed.
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