Bulgur Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lemon

This vibrant and incredibly flavourful bulgur salad with fresh herbs is everything you want in a simple summer dish. It’s a beautiful, outrageously delicious, and completely fuss-free recipe featuring bulgur, fresh summer herbs, sweet cherry tomatoes, green onions, and toasted pecans. Inspired by the Middle Eastern flavours of tabbouleh, this summery salad is bursting with freshness. Coriander takes centre stage, alongside parsley and a generous handful of fragrant mint. And of course, plenty of freshly squeezed lemon juice keeps everything bright, zesty, and perfectly balanced.

Ingredients for Bulgur Salad with Fresh Herbs

This bulgur salad with fresh herbs and lemon is super delicious and packed with healthy ingredients that are easy to find:

• Bulgur: Bulgur wheat is rich in fibre and B vitamins. Made primarily from durum wheat, it’s a staple in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. It’s partially pre-cooked, meaning it only takes around 10 minutes to prepare—just like pasta! Best of all, it has a rich, nutty flavour that pairs beautifully with the toasted pecans in this recipe.
• Cherry Tomatoes: These sweet, bite-sized tomatoes add a juicy burst of flavour and vibrant colour to the salad.
• Pecans: Similar to walnuts in look and taste, but milder and a little sweeter. They’re packed with healthy fats, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, and fibre—making them every bit as nutritious as walnuts.
• Fresh Herbs: Parsley, cilantro, and mint bring fresh, aromatic brightness to the bulgur salad.
• Dressing Ingredients: A simple combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil ties everything together with zingy freshness.

Inspired by Tabbouleh and Kisir: A Fresh Take on Bulgur Salad

This recipe is inspired by kisir, a Turkish bulgur wheat salad which can be thought of as a sassed up version of tabbouleh, and in this case, my bulgur salad is a little different from both of them. Kisir contains a mix of tomato paste and in some versions red pepper paste — and in Turkey it varies from region to region. Classic Middle Eastern tabbouleh on the other hand is all about parsley… I’d say it’s essentially a parsley salad. That is if you are sticking to a classic version. Of course, I have my own take on it. Whether with roasted carrots, a herb-loaded chickpea tabbouleh salad or broccoli as a replacement for bulgur, I am a true fan!

Where ever the inspiration comes from, this salad is truly about the bulgur and of course a generous amount of herbs and other ingredients that turn this salad into a bold celebration of texture, flavor and colour. Because bulgur (sometimes referred to as cracked wheat) has been partially pre-cooked and dried, it needs to be boiled for only about 10 minutes to be ready to eat. Think about it, that as much time as cooking pasta! And as a whole wheat grain it is way more nutritious. Bulgur is packed with a wealth of fiber, protein, and B vitamins and makes a fabulously nourishing and quick addition to any meal. But the best part about bulgur is its rich, nutty flavor.

How to serve this Bulgur Salad

This salad is wonderfully versatile and can easily be made with couscous or quinoa instead of bulgur. It makes a fantastic side for grilled chicken, fish, or veggies, and it’s just as perfect packed up for a lunch to-go or a laid-back picnic. Oh, and since it’s asparagus season — feel free to toss in a few spears of blanched green asparagus for a fresh, seasonal twist!

If you’re looking for more delicious ways to cook with bulgur, here are a few easy recipes to try:

• Tabbouleh with Pomegranate and Oyster Mushrooms – fresh, fruity, and perfect as a starter or side.
• Turkish Lentil Soup with Bulgur – hearty, satisfying, and full of warming spices.
• Bulgur Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas – colorful, nutrient-rich, and ideal for meal prep.

Give them a try and discover just how versatile bulgur can be!

5 from 2 votes

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Bulgur Salad with Fresh Herbs & Lemon

A super simple, quick and healthy bulgur salad recipe. Fresh and bright-flavored it is a great salad to pair with just about anything or to enjoy on it's own. Serves 4-6.

I’d love your feedback – just click on the stars to rate this recipe! ⭐

Course Salad

Category Mediterranean

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 414 kcal

Autor Elle

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat (300 g)
• 5 green onions, finely sliced
• 225 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 65 g toasted pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh chopped parsley
• 1 small bunch fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 small bunch fresh chopped mint (see notes below)
• freshly squeezed juice of 3 lemons
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. To cook the bulgur, combine 1 1⁄2 cups medium-grain bulgur and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain, if necessary. Set aside to cool until lukewarm. Fluff the bulgur, set aside and cool to room temperature, then make the salad.
2. Once the bulgur has cooled, stir in the green onions, tomatoes, pecans, parsley, mint and cilantro. Mix together the lemon juice 
and olive oil and drizzle over the salad. Toss to combine and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

• Alternatively, bulgur can be soaked. To soak, put the bulgur in a bowl and pour over boiling water until the water level is about 1 cm above the bulgur. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• I use equal amounts of herbs for this bulgur salad. 1 small bunch is about 5 tablespoons chopped herbs.
• The fresh mint is a dominant flavor in this salad. If you prefer a more subtle mint flavor then use only 2 tablespoons.
• For a gluten-free version of this salad recipe, use quinoa or millet in place of bulgur.

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