Description
This classic Turkish bulgur dish is bright with lemon, rich with tomato, and packed with fresh herbs and crisp veggies.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 cups fine bulgur
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Turkish red pepper paste
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt + more as needed
- Black pepper
- 2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Turkish green pepper (sivri biber), diced
- 6 small Persian cucumbers, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the bulgur and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and let it steam for 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, add the tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, olive oil, dried mint, sumac, and a bit more salt and pepper. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients until you get a thick paste. Place aside.
- Transfer the cooked bulgur to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or your hands to break it up and make it fluffy. Add the paste mixture and massage everything into the bulgur—it should turn bright, glossy, and fully seasoned.
- Add the tomatoes, green onions, diced Turkish pepper, cucumbers, and parsley. Gently toss until everything’s combined and coated.
- Let the salad rest in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors deepen. Before serving, garnish with extra tomatoes and parsley if you’d like.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from Sofra publication (no publication date) written by Emine S. Beder
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (for boiling the water only)
- Category: Salad / Meze
- Method: No-cook (bulgur is steeped)
- Cuisine: Turkish