For several years I have developed a true passion for international cuisine, and in particular ethnic cuisine! I love to challenge myself and experiment with recipes both from our culinary tradition and from different cultures. Today, for example, I wanted to bring to the table an Arab dish, belonging to Levantine cuisine, a salad based on bulgur, lots of parsley, and mint finely chopped, with the addition of raw ingredients such as tomatoes and cucumbers cut into small pieces and simply seasoned with oil and lemon juice. For those who don’t know it yet, bulgur is nothing but “cracked” durum wheat, that is, irregularly shaped wheat grains, larger than those of couscous, sprouted and steamed, then dried and broken into pieces. In the Arab world, and particularly in Syria, it is very popular and is normally served among the Mezze, at the opening of the main meal and garnished with lettuce. The Lebanese variant uses more parsley than bulgur, while in the Syrian and Palestinian variants, this second element is predominant. I preferred to go heavy on the bulgur, embellishing the dish with strips of roasted peppers, but you can add them raw if you prefer! In short, a fresh and summer dish with a strong satiating power, and it is also vegan, meaning it contains no animal-origin ingredients! In summer, it will be your kitchen joker, perfect to bring to the beach or anytime you want to enjoy a light meal, frugal and with a modest caloric intake.
CURIOSITY: “Mezze” is a term surely known to those who live in the Eastern Mediterranean countries or to those who have traveled there for vacation or work. This word identifies, in Turkey as in Greece, on the Balkan coasts of Bosnia as in Lebanon and Bulgaria, the custom of presenting an extensive choice of small dishes of food accompanied by wine, liquors, or other alcoholic beverages, akin to what is called “aperitif” in Italy.
All “vegan” recipes are devoid of meat and/or fish, though other foods containing animal proteins like eggs and cheese may be used.
If you love Middle Eastern recipes, I invite you to check out the following proposals:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Steam
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog supports me and my work, while it costs you nothing extra!
- 12 oz Bulgur
- 9 oz Cherry tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2 fresh spring onions (or 1/2 large red onion)
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon juice
- 10 leaves mint
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste white pepper
Tools
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Colander
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Lid
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Salad bowl
- 1 Piping bag
Preparation
Rinse the bulgur under running water using a fine-mesh strainer, then in a large pan, toast it for a couple of minutes on low heat and completely cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, salt, stir, and turn off the heat. Let it rest covered for about 15-20′. After this time, it will have absorbed some of the water. Drain the remaining water using a very fine-mesh colander and transfer it to a large salad bowl.
Season it with the juice of ½ lemon, two rounds of oil, a few leaves of parsley and mint finely chopped.
Separately, bake the peppers for about 45′ on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then let them cool, peel them, and cut them into strips. Wash and cut the tomatoes into wedges, the spring onions into rings, and finally the cucumbers sliced into chunks. Combine all the vegetables in a bowl and season with oil to taste, the rest of the lemon juice, two pinches of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
Transfer the vegetables along with the bulgur and mix well to evenly distribute the dressing. Complete with more finely chopped parsley and drizzle with oil to taste.
Let it rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge and serve.
And voila… your bulgur tabbouleh is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 You can store bulgur tabbouleh in the fridge in suitable containers for refrigeration for 2-3 days.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 For an even more appealing version, try adding two celery stalks sliced and, just before serving, also 2 avocados sliced as well; they will add an even more exotic touch to the mix!
