Hearty summer grain salads are ALL THE RAGE RIGHT NOW.
Could you tell I was using my best car salesman voice? Actually they would say, “GIT YER BULGUR SALAD BEFORE IT’S GONE GONE GONE.”
Why do car sales people repeat words? “I’m sorry honey, I know we were in the middle of fertilizing the flower beds, but the man riding a dragon in a parking lot screamed that EVERY LAST ONE of their cars has hail damage and need to be sold FAST FAST FAST. No, he said it three times. We have to go.”
Speaking of, I need a new car. Mine like, won’t start. I’ve been stuck at so many places over the last few days it’s only a little bit hilarious. It starts sometimes on the first key turn, but most of the time, the 67th or 2,113th. It doesn’t exactly rule. RULE RULE RULE.
So yeah, grain salads! Bulgur is a funny word. And you most definitely need to say it with an authoritative accent. COMETH FORTH WIDTH THE BULGURRRRR. Oh wait! A king car salesmen, omg. COMETH DOWN TO THE LOT AND I SHALL GRANT YOU THE BULGUR BULGUR BULGUUUR BEFORE IT’S GONE GONE GONE.
I should switch to decaf.
Alright so basically what we have going on here IS: nutty bulgur, velvety spinach, garlicky sautéed asparagus, toasted pine nuts, softened goat cheese and buckets of fresh lemon juice. And ribbony basil. Sweet Lawd.
But you know a king car salesmen would be really funny. PATENT PENDING.
Bulgur Salad with Spinach, Pine Nuts and Asparagus:
What it took for 4 (as a side dish) or 2 (as the main entree):
* 1 cup bulgur
* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into a dice
* 4 cups baby spinach
* 1/4th cup pine nuts, toasted
* 3 oz softened goat cheese
* 1 lemon
* 1/4th cup fresh basil, sliced thinly
* coarse salt and pepper
Pour two cups of water and the bulgur into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until tender. There shouldn’t be any water left.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and bloom 30 seconds. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender and it pops in color, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the bulgur to the skillet and stir in the spinach. Toss everything to combine. Give a good squeeze of lemon juice over the whole mess. Taste it. Throw in some more salt and pepper.
Serve on a big platter dolloped with the goat cheese and garnished with the pine nuts and thinly sliced basil. And more lemon. Oh yes.
This salad is B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L! Love this Bev!
gimme gimme gimme! methinks i may swoon over the goat cheese it there…it’s been missing from my diet for waaaaaaaaaay too long (you know, like a week or something)
Good gracious this looks tasty. If it’s got goat cheese, Imunna eat it.
obsessed with grain salads right now, this looks fab
Summer on a plate!
Yummy, yummy! It looks so appealing!
Grain salads make the absolute perfect lunch. I’m in.
Dude. I need this in my life STAT. My summer salad roster suddenly feels woefully incomplete. Sad day.
Yeah…this needs to appear on my plate NOW! Yum!
Ha – love bulgur! This looks nice and healthy for summer!
Before I got my new car (which isn’t that new…this was like 3 years ago) – I used to get stuck EVERYWHERE. I feel your pain, sista.
And I’d like some bulgur salad…please, please please!
You had me at “Bulgur Salad” LOVE
This salad is full of my favorite things! It sounds amazing.
How fresh! I’m always looking for new ways to cook grains.
This looks amazing, as all of your recipes do!
RE: the car – sounds like a starter motor – ha some experience with that kind of problem – just sayin’
wow, this is gorgeous. a salad i’d love to devour. bulgar reminds me of bulgaria LOL..is that mean?
Warm grains with goat cheese are a match made in heaven. I want this salad in my belly!
Yes, please! Minus the goat cheese, of course.
Love, love, love those flavors!
adore those serving utensils!
hope u get annew car fast fast fast. loved this salad:)
Mmm, I have a bag of bulgur wheat waiting to be used – this could be the perfect way to do it!
A salad that’s full of flavors! I love the combination of everything in here! This is my first time to prepare salad perfectly, my wife is the one who always cook for us because she have with her gourmetrecipe which she always rely on when cooking!
I just made this as our side dish for balsamic herb salmon. They came together very well–both really appealing to the eye and palette–and even by itself the salad was delicious! Will definitely be adding this as one of my go-to recipes. Thanks so much for sharing!