I was on the verge of giving up. Then I came across this bulgur salad that solved my problem.
We had already tried a lot of beet dishes (our local fresh produce delivery box kept bringing us more), and some of them were quite delicious: spinach salad with egg and beets, beets as part of roasted vegetables, as beet chips, and even in the form of cake.
Yet somehow, I always found a part of the distinct taste of beets to be off-putting. But with this recipe for a bulgur salad with beets, everything changed. I can't get enough of it!
Whether you’re a bit skeptical or love beets, this bulgur salad is definitely worth a try!
Bulgur Salad for Beetroot Skeptics
I would love to just name this salad "If-you’ve-given-up-on-beets-try-this-salad." Because thanks to the harmonious combination of feta, arugula, and walnuts, the vibrant vegetable loses all its intimidating qualities. It even becomes the star of the show.
At first, I thought the secret was in the preparation: the beets are baked, which softens the flavor, making it less earthy and "beet-like." But now I recognize the true cause lies elsewhere:
The ingredients really just go incredibly well together!
Roasting Beets in the Oven
And this is how you roast the beets:
- Wash and remove roots and greens
- Wrap each individual beet into aluminum foil
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/360°F for 45 to 60 minutes
In the meantime, you can prepare the remaining ingredients.
To further process the baked beets, you should definitely put on a kitchen apron and rubber gloves!
The skin can now be easily peeled off, and the knife glides smoothly through the dark red vegetable.
I personally prefer the bulgur salad warm, right after it's made. But it also tastes delicious eaten well-chilled over the next few days. That's why it can so easily be prepared in advance!
Tip: If you're short on time, just grab pre-cooked beets from the produce section of the supermarket.
And another tip: use real feta cheese made from sheep milk or sheep and goat milk, it's much creamier and tastier than most of the other white brined cheeses made from cow milk.
Bulgur Salad for Barbecues
With its vibrant pink color, the salad is a showstopper on any buffet. It’s a perfect side for any barbecue! But it also shines year-round as a light vegetarian meal or side dish. And since it’s so easy to prepare, it’s also a great candidate for salad jars to take on the go.
So don't wait for the next barbecue and rather try this incredibly harmonious combination as soon as possible. If you like beets, you're going to love this bulgur salad.
And if you’re a skeptic? Even then, this salad is worth giving beets one last chance. Ideally when it's made with freshly roasted beets.
If you still don’t like beets in this form, then you might as well give up… it doesn't get better than this 😉
Everyone else can be sure to discover a lasting favorite with this. And spend a lot of time enjoying.
Bulgur Salad with Beets, Arugula, Feta and Walnuts
You don't have to be a big fan of beets to love this salad.
Ingredients
- 4 Beets*
- 200 g (1 cup) Bulgur
- 200 g Feta Cheese**
- 125 g Arugula
- 100 g Walnuts
- Some fresh or dried parsley (optional)
- 4 Tbsp. Oliven Oil (Extra Virgin)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- ½ Tsp. salt
- ¼ Tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F. Wash beets and remove greens and roots, then wrap in aluminum foil and roast for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the bulgur according to the instructions on the pack and prepare the other ingredients: wash and dry arugula and cut into bite-sized pieces. Coarsely chop the walnuts and the parsley, and crumble up the Feta cheese.
- After 45 minutes, carefully open one of the beet packs and probe the beet with a fork. If it goes in all the way easily, take the beets out of the oven, open the foil and let them cool. Otherwise, add another 15 minutes cooking time. Peel the cooled beets (use gloves!!) and cut them into cubes.
- Combine bulgur, beet cubes, arugula, Feta and parsley in a large bowl.
- Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to make a dressing and pour over the salad.
- Mix well and enjoy warm, or leave in the fridge to enjoy later.
Notes
* If using pre-cooked beets, there is of course no need to bake them. If the fresh beets are bigger than a fist, only use two or three.
** use a vegan Feta alternative to turn this into a fully vegan dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 799mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 13g
These nutritional values have been automatically calculated and are only for informational purposes. Do your own calculations if you have a medical condition or other dietary needs that require exact nutritional values.