Name: Bulgur Salad with Grapes and Feta
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups medium-grind bulgur, rinsed; 1 cup water; 5 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons); Salt and pepper; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; Pinch cayenne pepper; 6 ounces seedless red grapes, quartered (1 cup); 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted; 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup); 2 scallions, sliced thin; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Why This Recipe Works

For a light, flavorful bulgur salad, we softened the bulgur in a mixture of water, lemon juice, and salt for an hour and a half. Once the bulgur was tender and flavorful, we tossed it with more fresh lemon juice, cumin, and cayenne for depth of flavor, along with the grapes and feta. Quartering the grapes ensured that we got some sweetness in every bite. Scallions and mint gave the salad plenty of bright, fresh flavor. Finally, for textural contrast, we added crunchy toasted slivered almonds.

Before You Begin

When shopping, don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.

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, about 1½ hours.

Whisk oil, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add soaked bulgur, grapes, ⅓ cup almonds, ⅓ cup feta, scallions, and mint and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and feta before serving.