Sign InSign Up Now

Mediterranean Bulgur Bowl with Honey-Tahini Sauce

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Low Carb/Paleo
  • Vegetarian
image for Recipe schema

Let Your Friends Try This Recipe!

Why we love it:

This is my favorite kind of “salad” - light on lettuce, heavy on a rainbow of textured and flavorful toppings with an additive creamy sauce to pull it all together.
Print this recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Bulgur Wheat
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (divided)
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • Pita (3 pieces)
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Sumac (divided)
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 15-ounce can Garbanzo Beans
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1⁄2 Red Onion
  • 3⁄4 head Romaine Lettuce
  • 1 bunch Fresh Parsley (flat leaf, aka Italian parsley)
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 3 Tablespoons Tahini
  • 1 teaspoon Honey
  • 1 Lemon (zest and juice, divided)
  • 11⁄2 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon White Sesame Seeds

Cooking Instructions

  • 1. HEAT THE OVEN TO 425 DEGREES
  • 2. BULGUR

    Combine the bulgur, water, and 1 teaspoon of salt together in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and stir well. Simmer for about 5 - 6 minutes then stir and cover. Cook for another 5 - 6 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and the bulgur is looking fluffy. Stir, turn off the heat, and cover for about 5 - 10 minutes until ready to serve. Before serving, stir in about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Add more salt to taste.

  • 3. PITA

    Slice the pita into wedges - you can keep the 2 sides of the pocket connected for extra crunchy chips. Put on a baking sheet and toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil (about 1 - 2 Tablespoons), 1 teaspoon of salt, about ½ of the sumac and all of the dried oregano. Spread in an even layer on the pan.

  • 4. GARBANZO BEANS

    Drain the can and pat dry. Toss with a pinch of salt and pepper and the remaining sumac.
    Add to the pan with the pita chips but on their own side.

  • 5. ONION

    Slice the red onion into half-moon or thin strips and toss with the garbanzo beans.

    Place the pan in the oven on the lowest rack and bake for about 12 minutes, tossing the chips occasionally so they cook evenly. Remove and let cool when the chips are very golden and uniformly crunchy.

  • 6. VEGGIES

    Chop lettuce. Chop the whole bunch of parsley and toss with the lettuce. Halve tomatoes, dice cucumber.

  • 7. SAUCE

    In a small bowl, stir together the tahini and the honey until it’s a little bit softer in consistency. Stir in the zest of the lemon and the juice. Stir in the yogurt and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

  • 8. SERVING

    Plate the lettuce and bulgur in large bowls. Top with piles of the tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, onion, and garbanzo beans. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Serve with sauce on the side and drizzled over the top to taste.

Check out our new features!

Substitutions

  • GLUTEN FREE:
    use quinoa or rice for bulgur
  • DAIRY FREE:
    use almond or coconut yogurt for the yogurt in the sauce
  • PESCATARIAN:
    do a quick search for our shrimp version of this recipe called “Mediterranean Shrimp + Pita Bowl”
  • BULGUR:
    use something you have, no need to buy this especially if you don’t prefer. Quinoa, rice, brown rice, lentils (even canned lentils!), orzo or couscous work well too
  • TAHINI:
    use ½ as much peanut butter or almond butter, go light on the honey at first because nut butters are sweeter - sunflower seed butter would be great too
  • VEGGIES:
    be creative! Sub in and out to meet your needs and shop from your fridge

Kid Friendly Version

How to Tweak This Recipe for Kids:

  • Deconstruction is your friend here! Just serve the salad with things they like and select a few items that might be new. Play with assembly to be friendly but try one new thing

For Toddlers

  • Separate ingredients into those they can eat, and cut up the others to the appropriate size
  • Serve plain yogurt instead of sauce with honey for those under 1

For Choosy Eaters

  • Make some pita plain and serve with a dip they like - might even be peanut butter or cheese
  • Try adding a fried/scrambled egg

Prep Ahead & Use It Up

  1. Cook the bulgur. Either warm slightly or serve it cold on the final dish
  2. Stir together the sauce
  3. Can make pita up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container
Rate this recipe:
1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5 (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
You need to be a registered member to rate this.
Loading...
Send us feedback

Meal Plans

save time and reduce food waste
Get Your First Meal Plan