WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Sweet carrots nicely accent rich, nutty bulgur in this Mediterranean-inspired salad. Bulgur is a staple ingredient for grain-based salads, prized for its texture and versatility and acting as a nutritious, hearty medium for delivering big, bold flavors. We started by softening the bulgur in a mixture of water, lemon juice, and salt for an hour and a half until it had the perfect chew and was thoroughly seasoned. Fresh mint, cilantro, and scallions made our salad crisp and bright, and cumin and cayenne added depth of flavor to our simple lemon vinaigrette. Toasted almonds provided complementary crunch. When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the carrots.
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cups medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons)
- Salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 carrots, peeled and shredded
- 3 scallions, sliced thin
- ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine bulgur, water, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature until grains are softened and liquid is fully absorbed, about 1½ hours.
- Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, oil, cumin, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large serving bowl.
- Add bulgur, carrots, scallions, almonds, mint, and cilantro and gently toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve.
