Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Bulgur Salad
This bright, herby grain salad is everything a warm-weather dish should be — fresh, satisfying, and packed with real flavor from ingredients you can actually see and name. Bulgur soaks up a lemony olive oil dressing beautifully, giving you tender, slightly chewy grains as the base for crisp cucumber, juicy Roma tomatoes, and a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley and mint. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means there's zero concern about synthetic dyes sneaking in through a spice blend, bottled dressing, or pre-seasoned grain mix. The optional pinch of allspice adds a subtle warmth that makes the whole bowl feel a little more complex without any mystery additives. It comes together with nothing more than boiling water and a good fork — no stovetop, no fuss. The lemon juice and olive oil do the heavy lifting on flavor, so you're not relying on anything artificial to make this taste good. It's the kind of salad that holds up well and actually gets better as it sits, making it a smart choice for meal prep or a casual spread.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 cup medium bulgur
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium english cucumber, finely diced
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground allspice (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the bulgur and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the bulgur, stir once to combine, then cover the bowl tightly with a plate or plastic wrap and let stand for 15–20 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and the grains are tender but still have a slight chew.
- 2
Uncover the bulgur and fluff it with a fork. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the warm bulgur and toss to coat, then spread the bulgur out slightly and let it cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
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