Turkish Bulgur Salad is refreshing, spicy, tangy and loaded with herbs. It's the perfect salad to make in spring. You can't stop once you start eating this salad.
Bulgur is probably our favorite ingredient and this bulgur salad is our all time favorite quick lunch. If you know how to cook bulgur, you know it's easy peasy to make recipes with it. Some of our favorite bulgur recipes are Turkish cig kofte recipe with fine bulgur, lentil balls aka mercimek koftesi and Green Lentil Bulgur Pilaf. All these are always a hit in our home.
Bulgur Salad, which is called Kisir in Turkish, is the favourite food of all Turkish people, but especially women. It’s like a must to make this salad when you invite your female friends. And I’m not an exception! I LOVE bulgur salad as a meal, side dish or snack. It makes a great picnic food too! Aaaand you can use this bulgur salad even as a topping for stuffed baked potatoes called kumpir!
We love bulgur so much that we even created a breakfast recipe with it: Easy Bulgur Breakfast Bowls. Although it's not a traditional Turkish style breakfast, this bowl makes a wonderful morning food if you love porridge.
What you need to do is just prepare it at home, put it in an airtight container, place some fresh herbs like lettuce on its top and cover with its lid. It’s ready to go to your favourite picnic place! It’s the same for a lunch box, you can easily take it to work too! Although Turkish bulgur salad doesn't need anything else and scrumptious enough on its own, I love it with pickles, fresh peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes on the side. It becomes like a wonderful feast this way.
You don’t need a special reason to make bulgur salad, just make it when you crave for. I sometimes have a very strong craving for it even at nights, and I never feel lazy to make it. Well, maybe because it’s very easy to prepare. It requires no cooking, just soak bulgur with hot water, chop all other ingredients and give it a good stir. It’s ready within some minutes! I sometimes make a big bowl of it for lunch or dinner so that some of it is left for my cravings later that day or the following day.
You don’t need a special reason to make bulgur salad, just make it when you crave for. I sometimes have a very strong craving for it even at nights, and I never feel lazy to make it. Well, maybe because it’s very easy to prepare. It requires no cooking, just soak bulgur with hot water, chop all other ingredients and give it a good stir. It’s ready within some minutes! I sometimes make a big bowl of it for lunch or dinner so that some of it is left for my cravings later that day or the following day.
There are two ways of making Turkish bulgur salad. In the first method, chopped onion is sautéd in olive oil with a little pepper paste. In the second method, all ingredients in the salad are raw and chopped finely. I love both versions. You can test it yourself and decide.
There are some veggies you must add into Turkish bulgur salad. These are cucumber, parsley, green onion and onion; all finely chopped. Besides these, you are free to add anything you like. You can add chopped lettuce, fresh dill, garlic, gherkins or even red cabbage. So it’s up to your creativity and taste!
The most common way of serving bulgur salad in Turkey is with fresh lettuce leaves, but I want to share a different serving option this time. That’s how we sometimes serve it in my hometown, Tarsus, Mersin. We use fresh grape leaves instead of lettuce when they are in season. When I saw fresh grape leaves at the market today, I immediately bought some without thinking twice! The first dish in my mind was not stuffed grape leaves, but this bulgur salad! Fresh grape leaves are traditionally soaked in hot water for 1-2 minutes before serving, but I love them as they are.
Just put a spoon of Turkish bulgur salad in the center of leaves, wrap and eat! There could be nothing better for a light lunch on these warmer days! No need to mention how healthy it is.
If you want a gluten-free version of this salad, substitute buckwheat groats or quinoa for bulgur in this recipe. Just go check out our gluten free lunch idea: Buckwheat Salad to get an idea.
PrintTurkish Bulgur Salad Kisir
Bulgur salad with herbs, cucumber and onion sauce makes a perfect light lunch or dinner. You can serve it as a side too. This salad also makes a perfect food for potlucks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine bulgur, better if brown
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon pepper paste
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cucumber, finely chopped
- ½ bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- ½ bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
- A few fresh mint sprigs, finely chopped
- Grape leaves or lettuce to serve
Instructions
- Put bulgur and spices in a large bowl.
- Pour hot water over them and cover with its lid or with a piece of cloth. Let it sit until bulgur rises, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile chop all the herbs and cucumber.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté finely chopped onion with pepper paste. When the soaked bulgur rises, pour sautéd onion over it and stir well.
- Add in lemon juice and pomegranate molasses, stir well.
- Toss in all the chopped herbs and give it a good stir.
- Serve it on plates with lettuce leaves or fresh grape leaves next to it.
- Optionally, you can serve pickles, tomatoes and cucumbers with this salad.
Keywords: bulgur salad, Turkish Kisir
Selden Deemer says
Turkish pepper paste can be hard to find. An alternative is Macedonian Ajvar.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajvar
Skyye says
Hi Zerrin -- where does one find pepper paste? What kind of pepper is it? I'm not sure what to search for online. I look forward to making this kisir salad. Thank you!
Zerrin says
Hi Skyye! Pepper paste is a common ingredient in Turkish cuisine. We use it in most of our dishes for its nice red color and slightly tangy flavor (either hot or sweet). You can find it on online shops like amazon, searching for Turkish pepper paste (biber salcasi). If you can't find it, just use paprika for this recipe instead. Although the taste won't be exactly the same, the salad will still be delicious.
Shanique says
I would love to try this recipe?
Q: Where can you purchase grape leaves and is pomegranate molasses easy to come by?- this is the first time I have heard of it.
Zerrin says
Hi Shanique! You can find those grape leaves and pomegranate molasses in a Middle East market. If you can't find one in your area, you can probably find them online. However, they are optional and you can still make the recipe without them. I'm sure you will love it!
Ece says
A little suggestion from a "Tarsus/Mersin" girl, please try to knead bulgur after rising with water. As far as I have learnt from the cooking experts of may family :), it would give a great taste to Kısır.
And of course please eat it up with pickles. 🙂
Love,
Ece
Zerrin says
Thanks for the tip Ece! Will definitely try it your way next time! Always admire the food experts in a family, especially when they are elderlies.
Angelica Merritt says
Oh gosh this looks amazing. So healthy and great ingredients. Definitely adding this on the list of things to make.
Zerrin says
Thanks Angelica! It's a great summer dish too!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
I bought Bulgur but had not idea how to cook before coming across this post and great recipe!
Zerrin says
It's a great salad Daniela! You will love it even more the next day if you have any leftovers.
Ozlem's Turkish Table says
Gorgeous looking kisir Zerrin 🙂 and it is wonderful to see slight variations in different regions - in southeast of Turkey, we use a little more red pepper paste and parsley. I liked your addition of cucumber, makes it even more refreshing 🙂
I had kisir at my blog this week too, along with some yummy Kemalpasa dessert we tasted at Bergama - I gave a link to your recipe there, looked stunning 🙂
Zerrin says
Thank you Ozlem! I love cucumber in kisir. I serve it even with some extra sliced cucumbers. I will definitely check your post! Thanks for linking my kemalpasa recipe!
Brooks says
Zerrin, this Turkish Bulgur Salad Kisir looks so lovely and refreshing. I can see why it is a hit with the ladies, but I know I'd enjoy it too. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Monet says
I have never had or made bulgur salad, but I trust you. It looks and sounds delicious. Very light and refreshing. Thank you for sharing. I can't wait to give this a try!
Zerrin says
I'm sure you will love it Monet! So flavorful!
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
I've never even heard of it. I have a turkish friend and a girl, I should totally invite her over and make it for her 🙂
Zerrin says
Marta, this bulgur salad would be a great surprise for your Turkish friend!
Rosa says
A delicious looking bulgur salad! Perfect summer food...
Cheers,
Rosa
Zerrin says
Thanks Rosa! It's one of the foods I make very often in Summer.
Ilke says
I love kisir, it is so easy to make, and one of the things my friends in the US definitely love at any get-together. I have seen different additions as well but the must-adds you listed along with lots of fresh mint is my favorite.
Never tried it on fresh grape leaves. I have to see if I can find them being sold anywhere here. Or find someone with grape vine.
Zerrin says
How come I forgot fresh mint? Can't believe it! I love it in kisir too! Thanks for reminding Ilke! Try to find the freshest grape leaves to eat them raw. If they are not fresh, you should wait them in hot water for some minutes before eating.