It’s Memorial Day and I should be sharing all kinds of delicious party food with you, like strawberry sangria and tomatillo guacamole.
I have a strawberry daiquiri recipe tucked up my sleeve and there may even be a recipe for chipotle chicken wings in your very near future.
Today, though, is about bulgur.
Bulgur is something you may or may not already have in your kitchen but if you want to add something other than pasta and minute rice to your starchy side dish repertoire, it’s a good staple to keep on hand.
Bulgur is a cereal grain made from different types of wheat, including durum wheat, which is also used to make pasta. It is sometimes confused with cracked wheat, as they can both be found in natural foods stores and Whole Foods. Bulgur is a common ingredient in Turkish, Middle Easter and Indian dishes.
It has a light, nutty flavor and can be used in salads, soups, stews, baked goods, breads or stuffing. It is rich in nutrients and some people opt to serve it instead of rice as a side dish. I think bulgur does just fine on its own, as the star in a salad with sweet and savory ingredients alike.
- 1 cup coarse bulgur prepared according to package directions
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley [plus additional parsley as garnish]
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice [Pro Tip: Use the same lemon you just zested]
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Prepare bulgur on the stove top according to package directions. Meanwhile, turn on your broiler. Place almonds on a baking sheet and slip under the broiler just for a minute or two, until toasted but not burned (watch them carefully. I'd be lying if didn't tell you that I burned a batch or two of almonds during this step when I was testing this recipe).
- Combine cooked bulgur, almonds, parsley, dried cranberries, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl. Toss to combine. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the honey, lemon juice, olive oil and chili flakes. Add the dressing just prior to serving. Garnish with additional parsley if desired. Serves 6.
- Ingredient Tip: Can't find bulgur at the grocery store? Use quinoa or couscous, both grains that are slightly more common.
46 Comments
Kathy
February 5, 2018 at 7:37 pmThis is the best bulgar salad I’ve had and I’ve made a few. I don’t have to imagine. It is REALLY good.
Maris Callahan
February 7, 2018 at 8:12 pmThank you Kathy, so happy to hear it!
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June 12, 2011 at 8:45 pm[…] to bring to work too. I am always inspired when I visit other blogs and when I came across this bulgur salad, I knew I had to make it right away; I tried both bulgur and quinoa versions and we loved them. […]
Maria @ Scandifoodie
June 2, 2011 at 8:32 amYum, perfect flavours!
Angie@Angiesrecipes
June 2, 2011 at 12:36 pmYour bulgur salad looks so flavourful and amazing!
Reeni
June 2, 2011 at 2:20 ami had bulgur for the first time a few months ago and really liked it. Cranberries and almonds are a favorite combo for salads and the pop of heat from the red pepper is inspired! I would of never thought to add it but I bet it wakes up the flavors.
McKayla @ Green Groats
June 2, 2011 at 1:33 amThis looks so fresh and delicious. I love adding dried fruit to salads – just the right touch of sweetness.
Heavenly Housewife
June 1, 2011 at 4:31 pmI love this recipe. I’ve bookmarked it. I think it would go beautifully with some pan fried fish. Its nice to see bulghar being used in something other than tabouli (which i love too)
*kisses* HH
Nami @ Just One Cookbook
June 1, 2011 at 3:17 amIt’s my very first time hearing bulgur salad. I can only imagine the taste. It looks crunchy (I love anything with this texture than mushy) and refreshing! By the way, I really like coming here…your blog color and design makes me feel very comfortable and cozy…like home. 🙂
Lauren@LittleYellowKitchen
May 31, 2011 at 8:17 pmAh the perfect summer lunch. This looks fantastic Mari!
Kate (What Kate is Cooking)
May 31, 2011 at 7:22 pmI love bulgur- especially with dried fruit 🙂 I never thought to add honey. I bet that would be lovely!
brandi
May 31, 2011 at 1:20 pmI LOVE bulgur! It makes the best grain salads.
Wendy
May 31, 2011 at 1:04 pmThis sounds right up my alley! I have a ton of preserved lemons – wonder if that would be too salty?
megi
May 31, 2011 at 11:58 amI love bulgur and use it regularly, I would love to try this refreshing salad. It looks so pretty and colorful, I am adding this recipe to my ‘try soon’ list. Thank you for sharing.
Sawsan@chef in disguise
May 31, 2011 at 11:04 amI love bulgur..it is wonderful in salads and yours looks heavenly!
thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe
Blond Duck
May 31, 2011 at 11:00 amI’m on the hunt for bulgar and quinoa!
5 Star Foodie
May 31, 2011 at 3:28 amVery healthy and nutritious salad, I like the combination of cranberries and almonds.
Vivienne
May 31, 2011 at 8:06 amive had bulgar with pomegranate salad last time at a cafe and loved it, so i bought some bulgar to try out at home…im not sure why but it tasted pretty horrible homemade – maybe i cooked it wrong somehow. will be trying it again soon using this recipe 🙂 thanks!
Mandy
May 31, 2011 at 6:40 amWow, healthy, yummy, refreshing!
Thanks for sharing, you’re wonderful!
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May 31, 2011 at 6:19 am[…] Bulgur Salad with Cranberries & Almonds Zest from 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice [Pro Tip: Use the same lemon you just zested] 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes […]
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
May 31, 2011 at 4:30 amSo healthy and FULL of flavor. YUM!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
May 31, 2011 at 3:55 amBulgur is something I’ve never tried before. It looks delicious – so colorful.
The Teacher Cooks
May 31, 2011 at 1:43 amI really do like the way this looks. It is such an interesting combination.
Tasha
May 31, 2011 at 1:19 amI was just noticing my jar of bulgur in the pantry the other day and thinking how I hadn’t made anything in a while with it. I absolutely love the sounds of this salad- AND I happen to have everything for this already. I see this in my very near future!
Bee
May 31, 2011 at 12:55 amI’m so leery with the grains and I don’t know why. Maybe just because I feel like they’re tricky, which is definitely no reason to avoid them as I’m trying to up my culinary skillz. I love the cranberry almond combo, and I do have some quiona I still need to use. So maybe my first attempt will be a salad like this!
Amanda
May 31, 2011 at 12:41 amI love bulgur and your salad looks great!
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique
May 30, 2011 at 11:58 pmYum! Seems like the perfect summer dish. Hope you enjoyed your long weekend!
Simply Life
May 30, 2011 at 6:32 pmwhat a delicious salad!
Olga @ MangoTomato
May 30, 2011 at 11:14 pmthis looks like a perfect breakfast alternative to me!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)
May 30, 2011 at 10:30 pmI’ve been using dried cranberries and almonds together in all sorts of dishes lately. It’s a wonderful combination.
Gen
May 30, 2011 at 10:21 pmYum! I’ve never tried bulgur, but from what I’ve heard, it sounds amazing!
Amy
May 30, 2011 at 9:58 pmWhen I think of bulgur, I always think of tabouli, but this is a delicious sounding alternative! Love the almonds in this, they are always my favorite to use in salads for that nice crunch! Delicious!
Heidi @ Food Doodles
May 30, 2011 at 9:07 pmThat looks so good! I’m actually never made bulgur but I can imagine it would be so good. I love cranberries and almonds, they make such a good flavor combo 🙂
Erica
May 30, 2011 at 8:35 pmThis is such a pretty salad! Bulgur is super tasty and I love dried cranberries in pretty much anything 🙂
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
May 30, 2011 at 8:26 pmThis kind of food makes me happy. I have noticed that in some recipes that bulgar and cracked wheat are interchangeable. This is a perfect recipe after and indulgent BBQ weekend!
pigpigscorner
May 30, 2011 at 8:05 pmI’ve never had bulgar, but I love the flavours you put together!
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350
May 30, 2011 at 8:01 pmBulgar is new to me, but I can’t think of a better way to try it out. I love dried cranberries and the honey and lemon flavors sound delicious, too.
Heidi Renée
May 30, 2011 at 7:35 pmI think I might just have a tiny bit of bulgur shoved in the back of my pantry.
Heather @girlichef
May 30, 2011 at 7:26 pmI think I may have to try this soon. Bulgur is something that I’ve had a hard time locating, so I may have to give up locally and order online. This looks pretty darn delicious.
yummychunklet
May 30, 2011 at 6:08 pmLooks delicious! I’ll have to pick up some bulgur soon. Happy Memorial Day!
Daryl
May 30, 2011 at 5:30 pmI have definitely just learned something new! Thank you for sharing this
The Harried Cook
May 30, 2011 at 5:01 pmI absolutely love the flavors in this salad! Looking at that bowl, I can just feel the crunch of the almonds and the chewy cranberries… Love the addition of the zest too! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Three-Cookies
May 30, 2011 at 4:59 pmI love bulgur salad. Yours is an interesting sweet savoury version which I have never tried, looks interesting.
KalynsKitchen
May 30, 2011 at 4:52 pmI love bulgur now, but the funniest thing about it is that my mother used to put it in things like meatloaf (to stretch out the meat a little farther for a big family) and we kids were very suspicious of it. We’d say “Does this have bulgur in it? Who knew I would become such a fan! And your salad sounds great.
lynn @ the actor's diet
May 30, 2011 at 4:28 pmi can imagine this being amazing – especially with that honey and cranberry!!!