Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad

This fresh & light pesto tabbouleh summer salad is perfect for the season. Filled with parsley pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes and cool crisp cucumber, it’s flavorful, healthy and satisfying. Serve as a side or topped with a protein of choice. Dairy free and vegan.

A white bowl filled with Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad and a wooden spoon.

With temperatures soaring, all I can think about lately is salad. And pasta salad. And light, fresh meals.

Which brings us to this pesto tabbouleh summer salad!

Now, let’s just get it out of the way that this is not authentic tabbouleh. But! It is inspired by the classic dish. And oh my, is most certainly delicious.

We have bulgur tossed with a parsley / arugula / walnut pesto. We have plump juicy cherry tomatoes. Cool crisp cucumber. A touch of mint and green onion. A handful of extra arugula to pump up the green factor.

We toss it all together in a big bowl and then dig in. It’s fantastic served right away or after chilled in the fridge. Totally up to you.

It’s also pretty darn pretty. Which, well, just makes my heart happy.

A glass bowl with bulgur, cucumber, arugula and tomatoes and a bowl of pesto to the side.

Tips & Tricks For This Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad

  1. First up, let’s talk how to prep the dish. Get the bulgur cooked. As it is cooling down to room temp, prep everything else. You’ll have PLENTY of time to make the pesto and chop all the other components that get tossed into the salad. The prep time listed below includes that cool down time for the bulgur – only about 15 to 20 minutes is actual hands-on time.
  2. Next up, you can really adjust just about anything in this salad to your own taste / what you have on hand. Aren’t feeling the arugula? Use another green, like baby spinach. Don’t like mint? Leave it out and add some basil. This is one of those recipes that I feel is more of just a guide – do your own thang.
  3. If serving this as a main, I like to top / serve with some kind of protein. It goes exceptionally well with BBQ-y type things. Or grilled things. Or really anything. So versatile.
  4. If serving this up as a side, it will give you about 6 to 8 servings. <— Just an FYI, not really a tip!

Side angle view of Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad in a white bowl with a wooden spoon.

Additional Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Healthy & satisfying, this pesto tabbouleh summer salad is perfect for the season! With flavorful pesto, cherry tomatoes and crisp cucumber!

Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad

Yield: about 4 servings, as a main
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

This fresh & light pesto tabbouleh summer salad is perfect for the season. Filled with parsley pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes and cool crisp cucumber, it’s flavorful, healthy and satisfying. Serve as a side or topped with a protein of choice. Dairy free and vegan.

Ingredients

For the bulgur:

  • 1 cup medium grind bulgur
  • 2 cups water

For the pesto:

  • 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 ½ cups lightly packed baby arugula
  • ⅓ cup raw walnuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • about ¼ cup olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups chopped english cucumber (or regular)
  • ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, to taste
  • 1 cup lightly packed baby arugula, roughly chopped

Instructions

For the bulgur:

  1. Add the bulgur and water to a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, turn down the heat and simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. If needed, drain off any excess liquid.
  2. Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature (about 30 to 40 minutes).

For the pesto:

  1. Add the parsley, arugula, walnuts, garlic and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
  2. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the lemon juice and olive oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. If you want to thin out the pesto, add in additional olive oil a little at a time (I only use the ¼ cup here - it’s not over the top thick, but not really thin either).

For the salad:

  1. To the large bowl with the cooled bulgur, add the pesto. Toss until well combined. Add in the tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, mint and arugula. Toss again until combined.
  2. Taste and season with salt and pepper (I usually add about ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.