This superb Mediterranean salad is flavorful and fresh, with fresh coriander and parsley, chickpeas, bulgur, redcurrants and lemon.
Here’s a salad that’s totally fresh! This Mediterranean chickpea salad is the perfect study in counterpoint: fluffy bulgur, salty chickpeas, fresh aromatic coriander, tangy red onion, sweet currants and tangy lemon. This is one of those “wow” recipes from the first bite! Alex and I love hearty soups, stews and casseroles, but sometimes it’s fun to mix things up a bit! It was inspired by London chef Yottam Ottolenghi’s highlight in this month’s Bon Appetit. Read on to find out how!
Make this Mediterranean salad
This salad was inspired by London chef Yottam Ottolenghi and his bestselling cookbook Plenty. His fresh and Mediterranean recipes make the kitchen with lots of vegetables downright glamorous. And after trying some of its flavors, we realized that not only do they look pretty, but they taste great too surprised.
This Mediterranean salad is an adaptation of a bulgur salad served in the book with grilled eggplant. We love the idea of the game between sweet currants, tart lemon, salty pistachios and the bite of fresh herbs. We tweaked it a bit to use a lot more bulgur and added chickpeas to create a heartier vegetarian dish. To serve, we paired it with our ‘Famous’ Spiced Roasted Cauliflower. It is a stunning side dish and goes perfectly with grilled fish or meat.
How to cook bulgur
What is bulgur Bulgur is a whole grain of wheat that has been cracked and partially pre-cooked. Not only does it have a delicious chewy texture, nutty flavor and high nutritional content, it also cooks quickly. For this recipe, be sure to find fine or medium grind bulgur, as these types cook the fastest.
How to cook bulgur Here’s everything you need to do. Boil water in a teapot. After cooking, pour over the bulgur and leave for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, fluff the bulgur with a fork. That’s it! This is essentially a no-cook recipe as you are not actually cooking on the stovetop in the traditional sense.
The salad and cauliflower pairing was perfect – an array of flavors and textures that left you wanting more! This meal was a wonderful compliment to a night out with some of our dearest friends – it would also make a great lunch to take to work (leftovers keep well). Let us know if you try it and what you think in the comments below!
You understand: See Yottam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Plenty, for more information.
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This Mediterranean salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, plant-based, vegan and dairy-free.
The description
This superb Mediterranean salad is flavorful and fresh, with fresh coriander and parsley, chickpeas, bulgur, redcurrants and lemon.
- 2 cups fine or medium ground bulgur wheat*
- 1/2 medium red onion
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 cup currants or raisins
- ½ cup pistachios
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon zest (1 big or 2 small lemons)
- 1 15 ounces chickpeas (or 1 ½ cups cooked)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground fresh pepper
- Boil 2 cups of water. In a medium bowl or airtight container, add the bulgur and 2 cups of boiling water. Cover and let stand until tender: about 7 minutes for a fine grind and 15 minutes for a medium grind.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the red onion. Chop coriander and parsley. Crush the pistachios (you can place them in a tissue or plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or other heavy object). Squeeze and grate the lemon. Drain and rinse the chickpeas (if canned).
- When the bulgur is ready, in a large bowl, combine the bulgur, red onion, parsley, cilantro, chickpeas, redcurrants, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, olives, kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust the flavors as needed.
- Garnish with pistachios or stir into the salad to serve. (You can serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt if you like.)
Remarks
*Avoid coarse or extra coarse bulgur as cooking instructions differ.
Adapted by Yottam Ottolenghi
- Category: salad
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Mediterranean Sea
Keywords: Mediterranean salad, chickpea salad, bulgur salad, salad recipes, vegan salad recipes, Mediterranean recipes, Mediterranean diet
