Lebanese Fattoush-Style Bulgur Salad with Sumac

Name: Lebanese Fattoush-Style Bulgur Salad with Sumac
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 1 cup (170 g) coarse bulgur (#3), rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve; 1½ cups (355 ml) boiling water, freshly boiled; 1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) English cucumber, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice, unpeeled; 6 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds; 2 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 hearts (about 8 oz) (225 g) romaine lettuce hearts, washed, dried, and chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 1 cup, packed (40 g) flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped; ½ cup, packed (15 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 2 cups (70 g) plain or lightly salted pita chips, coarsely crushed into bite-size pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground sumac; 1 tablespoon (20 g) pomegranate molasses; 1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or mashed to a paste; 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, crunchy cross between fattoush and tabbouleh: chewy soaked coarse bulgur, crisp cucumber, radishes and romaine, tossed in a tangy sumac-lemon dressing and topped with pita chips at the last minute.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: —
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the salad
1 cup (170 g) coarse bulgur (#3), rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve
1½ cups (355 ml) boiling water, freshly boiled
1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) English cucumber, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice, unpeeled
6 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds
2 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 hearts (about 8 oz) (225 g) romaine lettuce hearts, washed, dried, and chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
1 cup, packed (40 g) flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped
½ cup, packed (15 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 cups (70 g) plain or lightly salted pita chips, coarsely crushed into bite-size pieces
For the dressing
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground sumac
1 tablespoon (20 g) pomegranate molasses
1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (6)

Medium heatproof bowl (2-quart/2 L)
Large salad bowl (4-quart/4 L)
Small bowl or jar for the dressing
Fine-mesh sieve
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Whisk or fork

Steps

Before you start

Use coarse (#3) bulgur; fine bulgur turns mushy with this method.
Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine, herbs and radishes so the dressing clings and the salad doesn't turn watery.
Allow 30 minutes for the bulgur to soak and 15 minutes for it to marinate with the dressing.
Add the pita chips only right before serving so they stay crunchy.

1
Soak the bulgur
- Rinse the bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 20 seconds and drain well.
- Place it in the medium heatproof bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Pour the boiling water over it, stir once, cover with a plate or wrap, and let it sit.
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Ready when: Grains are tender but still pleasantly chewy, with no hard white core, and most of the water is absorbed.
Tip: Don't use more water; extra liquid makes the salad soggy.
2
Make the dressing
- In the small bowl or jar, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, pomegranate molasses, garlic, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper until emulsified and deep red-pink.
- Let it stand while the bulgur soaks so the sumac blooms.
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Ready when: Dressing looks slightly thick and uniform, with no oil slick on top.
Tip: Taste on a piece of cucumber or lettuce if possible; the dressing should taste a little too tart on its own.
3
Drain and fluff bulgur
- Tip the soaked bulgur into the sieve and press gently with a spoon to drain any remaining liquid.
- Return it to the bowl and fluff with a fork, breaking up clumps.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes so it won't wilt the herbs.
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Ready when: Grains are separate, fluffy and no longer steaming.
4
Marinate the bulgur
- Pour about half of the dressing (roughly 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon / 50 ml) over the cooled bulgur and stir.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes so the grains absorb the lemon and sumac flavor.
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Ready when: Bulgur is evenly tinted pink-red and smells tangy.
Tip: Whisk the remaining dressing again before using it, as it will separate.
5
Prep the vegetables
- While the bulgur marinates, dice the cucumber and tomatoes, slice the radishes and scallions, chop the romaine, and finely chop the parsley and mint.
- Blot the tomatoes and cucumber on paper towels if very juicy.
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Ready when: Vegetables are cut into even, bite-size pieces and dry to the touch.
Tip: Keep the romaine separate until the last step so it stays crisp.
6
Combine the salad
- In the large salad bowl, combine the marinated bulgur, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, scallions, parsley and mint.
- Toss with a spoon to distribute evenly.
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Ready when: Bulgur is evenly distributed with no clumps at the bottom.
7
Dress and season
- Add the romaine and drizzle with the remaining whisked dressing.
- Toss gently but thoroughly.
- Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if it needs more brightness.
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Ready when: Every leaf is lightly glossy and coated, with a lively, tangy flavor.
Tip: Dress only when ready to serve; romaine wilts within about 20 minutes.
8
Top and serve
- Scatter the crushed pita chips over the salad, toss once or twice, and serve right away.
- Sprinkle a little extra sumac on top if you like, and pass extra chips at the table.
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Ready when: Pita pieces are still crisp and golden on top of the salad.
Tip: Add chips just before serving; they soften after about 10 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the bulgur first to remove excess starch so the grains stay separate and not gummy.
Salt the cucumbers and tomatoes only through the dressing; salting them early draws out water.
Chop herbs just before mixing for the brightest flavor and color.
Sumac varies in saltiness and sourness by brand, so always taste and adjust before serving.

Make ahead

"Soak and marinate the bulgur, make the dressing, and chop the vegetables and herbs up to 1 day ahead. Store each component separately in the fridge, then combine, dress and add pita chips just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten the day it's assembled. Leftovers without pita chips keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day (lettuce will soften). Undressed bulgur-and-vegetable base keeps 3 days refrigerated. Not suitable for freezing. Serve cold or at room temperature; no reheating needed."

Substitutions

ground sumac → 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus 1 extra tablespoon lemon juice. Gives a similar tang, though sumac's fruity, earthy flavor will be missing.
pomegranate molasses → 1 teaspoon honey plus 2 teaspoons extra lemon juice. Gives a similar sweet-tart balance.
coarse bulgur (#3) → 1 cup (170 g) coarse bulgur replaced with quinoa cooked and cooled (3 cups cooked). Gluten-free option; skip the soaking step and pita chips can be swapped for gluten-free crackers.
plain or lightly salted pita chips → Torn pita bread toasted in olive oil. Toast 1 pita brushed with oil at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp; cool before using.