Bulgur Salad
A bright and crunchy bulgur salad with tart barberries, fresh mint, and toasted walnuts, perfect for light lunches or as a side dish.
Ingredients
Grain and Base
- ½ cup bulgur (fine or medium grind) Substitute quinoa for a gluten-free option.
Cooking Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Divided: 1 tsp in bulgur cooking water, 1 tbsp for sautéing, remaining for dressing.
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup barberries Or substitute dried cranberries or extra pomegranate arils.
Flavor Enhancers
- 2 sprigs fresh mint, chopped Or 2 tbsp chopped parsley.
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1 tbsp fresh pomegranate juice
- ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch turmeric powder Optional.
- ½ tsp za’atar spice
- ¼ tsp chili flakes
- ¾ tsp salt Adjust to taste.
Vegetables
- 1 count Persian cucumber, chopped Regular cucumber peeled/seeds removed if preferred.
Instructions
Preparation
- Prepare ingredients: mince the garlic, chop the red onion, mint, walnuts, and Persian cucumber. Measure the barberries and juices.
Cooking Bulgur
- Combine ½ cup bulgur, 1 cup water, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp olive oil in a rice cooker or small pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender (about 12–15 minutes). Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
Sauté Aromatics
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium. Add minced garlic and chopped red onion. Sauté for about 2 minutes until softened but not browned.
Finish Onion Mix
- Turn off heat. Stir in chopped mint, barberries, and toasted walnuts to the pan so flavors mingle.
Make Vinaigrette
- In a mixing bowl whisk remaining olive oil with 1 tbsp pomegranate juice, ½ tsp lemon juice, turmeric (if using), za’atar, chili flakes, and ¾ tsp salt until emulsified.
Combine Salad
- Fluff the bulgur with a fork. Add the sautéed onion-barberry-walnut mixture and drizzle the vinaigrette over it. Add the chopped Persian cucumber and gently toss with a salad spoon until evenly coated.
Serve
- Transfer to a platter and garnish with extra barberries and walnuts.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. For best texture, store the dressing separately and combine before serving.