I often have half a bag of bulgur in my cupboard, left over from making tabbouleh. This spring-y green bean salad recipe with fava beans and snow peas puts the nutty whole grain to use—but wild rice or quinoa would make good substitutes as well. The honey vinaigrette is the real star of this salad; you may want to make a double batch to drizzle over salads and grains all week.
This recipe keeps salt in check for those who are watching sodium levels; if sodium isn’t a medical concern for you, feel free to salt to taste.
This recipe was medically reviewed by Edith Yang, RD, CSR, CLT, FAND for hyperkalemia, diabetes, and heart health. Be sure to check with your health provider about whether it’s right for you.
Recipe information
Total Time
55 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Add 1 cup coarse bulgur and 2 cups water to a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender, 18–22 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast 4 oz. raw hazelnuts (heaping ¾ cup) on a sheet pan until fragrant and deeply golden, 10–12 minutes. Let cool on pan.
Step 3
Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath with a strainer that fits in the bowl. Cook 4 oz. shelled fava beans, fresh or frozen (¾ cup), until crisp-tender and peels start to separate from beans, 1 to 2 minutes if fresh or 2 to 3 minutes if frozen (or per package instructions). Drain and immediately transfer to strainer in ice water bath. Let cool, then remove from ice bath and pat dry.
Step 4
Repeat blanching, draining and chilling process, cooking 5 oz. green beans (1 cup) for 3 to 4 minutes and 5 oz. snow peas (1 cup) for 1 to 2 minutes. Gently peel off rubbery skins from fava beans, slice green beans and snow peas on the bias into thirds, and add all to bowl of bulgur.
Step 5
Roughly chop hazelnuts and add to bowl with bulgur and vegetables.
Step 6
Add 1 lemon, zested and juiced, to a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 shallot, finely chopped, 1 garlic clove, finely grated, 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tsp. runny honey, 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 1 tsp. Dijon mustard until well combined.
Step 7
Add dressing and ¼ cup mint leaves, torn, to salad and toss to combine. Top with freshly ground black pepper and remaining ¼ cup mint leaves, torn, before serving.
Recipe notes
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