This bulgur salad is fresh, filling, and easy to make, with chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and a bright lemon dressing that works for lunch or dinner.
For more easy salads to try, check out our chickpea cucumber salad, chickpea salad sandwich with Greek yogurt, Greek bean salad, and Mediterranean chopped lentil salad.
Why you’ll love this chopped bulgur salad!
Louise and I couldn’t stop eating this bulgur salad the first time we made it. It’s the kind of meal that feels light but truly satisfying, with tender bulgur, chickpeas, and crisp vegetables all tied together by a bright lemon dressing 🥗
It’s fresh, filling, and full of flavor, without feeling heavy or complicated. The mix of grains, beans, and vegetables makes this a fiber-rich, protein-rich dish that fits naturally into a Mediterranean-style eating pattern.
We often enjoy it as a grain bowl for lunch, and for dinner we like to add a simple side protein.
If you’re looking for an easy bulgur salad recipe that’s reliable, balanced, and good to keep in the fridge, this one is a favorite in our kitchen 🌿
P.S. Got leftover bulgur? Try our easy tabbouleh salad.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Bulgur wheat: we recommend coarse #3 or medium #2 grind bulgur for this easy bulgur salad recipe. It boils just like pasta, cooks in about 10 minutes, stays well separated, and keeps a nice bite. Substitute couscous, farro, or quinoa.
- Chickpeas: make this a more healthy bulgur salad and add hearty texture. Use canned or jarred for convenience, or cook them from scratch if you like. White beans or lentils also work.
- Cucumber: adds crunch and freshness. Swap with zucchini, celery, or chopped fennel.
- Red bell pepper: brings color and gentle sweetness. Yellow or orange peppers are easy substitutes. Halved cherry tomatoes work well too.
- Red onion or shallot: adds a sharp bite. Use green onions, or soak raw onion in cold water to mellow it.
- Olives: give salty, Mediterranean flavor. Capers or sun-dried tomatoes are good swaps.
- Parsley: keeps the salad fresh and lively. Try mint, dill, or mixed soft herbs.
- Feta cheese: creamy and savory. Use dairy-free feta or skip it.
- Extra virgin olive oil: the base of the dressing. Avocado oil works well too but doesn’t add the same rich flavor.
- Lemon juice or vinegar: adds brightness. Red wine or apple cider vinegar are great alternatives.
How to Make Bulgur Salad
Step 1. Cook the bulgur
Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add the bulgur and cook for about 10–15 minutes, until tender with a slight bite.
Drain well and set aside.
Step 2. Make the dressing
In a large bowl, add olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and ground cumin.
Whisk until mixed.
Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, shaking off as much water as possible, and toss to coat. Let them sit for 5–10 minutes to soak up the flavor.
Step 3. Add the vegetables
While the chickpeas marinate, chop the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and parsley.
Keep the pieces small so you get a little of everything in each bite.
Add them to the bowl with the chickpeas.
Add the bulgur and crumbled feta.
Step 4. Toss and serve
Toss gently until well combined.
Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
Serve as a grain bowl, a side dish, or part of a mezze platter.
Tips
- Cook the bulgur like pasta: Boiling it in plenty of water keeps the grains well separated, perfect for a bulgur wheat salad.
- To reduce sodium: Rinse the chickpeas very well, and quickly rinse the feta under cold water, then pat dry before using.
- Drain the bulgur very well: Extra water can dilute the dressing and make the salad taste flat. I like to let the bulgur drain over the pot in a sieve while I chop the vegetables.
- Let the chickpeas marinate: Giving them a few minutes in the dressing builds flavor from the start removing their canned taste.
- Cut everything small: Smaller pieces help every bite taste balanced in this Mediterranean grain salad.
- Taste at the end: Bulgur and chickpeas absorb salt, so a final check makes a big difference.
- If you are cooking for mixed diets: Serve the feta on the side so everyone can customize their bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bulgur is a whole grain made from cracked wheat that has been steamed and dried. It cooks quickly, has a mild, nutty flavor, and keeps a pleasant bite, which makes it great for salads. Medium or coarse bulgur works best for a bulgur wheat salad because it holds its shape and doesn’t turn mushy.
Yes. This vegetarian bulgur salad keeps well in the fridge and often tastes even better after a few hours.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.
Both work. Slightly warm bulgur gives a softer texture, while chilled is refreshing.
You can leave it out or use a dairy-free feta. The salad is still flavorful.
Yes. Grilled or cooked chicken works well here. Chop or shred it and mix it in, or serve it on the side. Grilled tofu or halloumi are good options too, especially if you want to keep this a vegetarian bulgur salad.
More Mediterranean Salads to Try
- Greek pasta salad
- Mediterranean bean salad
- Dense chickpea sweet potato salad
- Lentil beet salad
- Mediterranean orange and fennel salad
- Dense white bean salad
- Chopped chickpea salad with tahini dressing
- Mediterranean quinoa salad
If you try this Bulgur Salad Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Mediterranean Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur coarse #3 or medium #2 grind
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g can – drained and rinsed or 1½ cup / 230 g cooked chickpeas
- 1 small cucumber diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion or shallot – diced
- ½ cup olives pitted and halved if large
- ⅓ cup parsley chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese optional but nice
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar (any)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin optional – substitute sumac or za'atar or skip it
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bulgur: Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup bulgur and cook for 10-15 minutes (depending on how coarse it is), until tender with a slight bite.Drain well and set aside.
- Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, add 4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon ground cumin.Whisk until mixed. Add 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and toss. Let them sit for 5–10 minutes while you chop the vegetables.
- Add the vegetables: Chop 1 small cucumber, ½ red bell pepper, ½ red onion, ½ cup olives, and ⅓ cup parsley. Add them to the bowl with the chickpeas. Add the bulgur and ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled). Toss until combined.
- Taste and serve: Taste and adjust salt and lemon if needed. Serve as a main grain bowl, a side dish, or part of a mezze platter.
Notes
- Bulgur –> Couscous, farro, quinoa
- Chickpeas –> White beans, lentils
- Cucumber –> Zucchini, celery, fennel
- Red bell pepper –> Yellow or orange bell pepper or halved cherry tomatoes.
- Red onion –> Shallot, green onions
- Olives –> Capers, sun-dried tomatoes
- Parsley –> Mint, dill, mixed soft herbs
- Feta –> Dairy-free feta, shaved Parmesan, or omit
- Boil the bulgur: Cook it like pasta so the grains stay separated.
- Drain it well: Extra water dulls the dressing.
- Marinate the chickpeas: A few minutes boosts flavor fast.
- Cut small: Every bite tastes balanced.
- Taste last: Bulgur absorbs salt.
- Mixed diets: Serve feta on the side.
- Lower sodium: Rinse chickpeas and feta well before using.
- Store the bulgur salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
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I absolutely love love love this recipe, very easy to make, I also added spring onions (I had excess in the fridge) and will definitely be making this on a regular basis
Fantastic, Joy, I’m really happy you tried it and loved it.
Thanks so much for taking valuable time to share your feedback here. Kindest,
Louise
Made this last night, so good and so healthy and so easy and quick. Everyone loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks Nico and Louise.
Hi James, I’m delighted you tried the salad (and that you liked it – YAY).
Thanks so much for sharing your family’s experience, and all the best,
Louise
So yummy! Used Farro as I had no bulgur. Will definitely make again, and again…
Absolutely delicious 😋