Dominican Bulgur Salad — Tipili
Tipili, a Dominican Bulgur Salad adapted from traditional Tabbouleh. A simple colorful salad that is loaded with fresh herbs and citrus.
Something I will never forget during my vegan journey is the kindness of my Tio (uncle) Daniel. He was one of the first family members to not automatically judge my decision to go vegan. If anything, his first reaction was to find something for me to eat.
So he made me Tipili (Tipile), a really delicious Dominican Bulgur Salad. “Wheat, wheat, wheat!” That’s what he would say excitedly when he would share this salad. And he made it for me everytime I came over. I just hope he knows how much that act of kindness meant to me. So let me keep spreading that kindness to you too by sharing this delicious dish.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- It’s quick and easy to make
- You just need one bowl
- It’s a great way to use up some extra vegetables and herbs you may have
- The perfect side dish for entrees or to bring for a gathering
- Made with a complex grain that is high in protein and fiber
Tipili, A Dominican-Style Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a Levantine salad made of finely diced tomatoes, parsley, onion, and mint mixed and soaked together with bulgur. Syrian and Lebanese immigrants who came to the Dominican Republic and other parts of Latin America introduced this herby dish. It has since been incorporated into the country’s culinary heritage.
As you can imagine, variations of this salad exist. Those closer to their Middle Eastern descendants usually prepare versions closer to the traditional tabbouleh that is mostly parsley and little bulgur. And more local adaptations usually include a higher ratio of bulgur to parsley. You can also find versions that will include other vegetables like peppers.
What is bulgar wheat?
Bulgur is a grain made from cracked wheat that’s been parboiled. So technically, it doesn’t need to be cooked. It can be soaked until rehydrated. As for flavor, it has a light, nutty flavor.
One important note, bulgur can come in different grind sizes. The chunkier the grind, the more time it will need to soak.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bulgur Wheat: This cheap grain can be soaked or cooked up really quick. You can find bulgur wheat sold in various grinds, so follow the package instructions for rehydrating. This recipe is based off of the Whole Foods 365 Bulgar Wheat.
- Tomatoes: Firm, ripe Roma tomatoes are what I aim to use for this salad, but when tomatoes are not in season I like to go for Campari style tomatoes as they are very flavorful. Cherry tomatoes also work really well.
- Red Onion: Gives this salad a nice bite and tang. I do not recommend replacing this ingredient.
- Bell Pepper: I personally like to include pepper in my preparation. You will see variations of this recipe with or without peppers, so use them as desired and choose the colors
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley is best. Finely mince it to make sure it blends in well with the salad.
- Mint: This is optional, but versions of this that are closer to the traditional Tabbouleh preparation will use mint.
- Citrus Juice: I recommend using both lime and lemon juice, but if needed feel free to use two of the same citrus juice.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps to keep the salad fresh and also provides a great amount of flavor too.
How to Make a Dominican Tabbouleh Salad
Cook your bulgur according to the package. Alternatively, you can also soak your bulgur for at least 2 hours until it’s tender. Drain the bulgur really well of any excess water and set to the side as you dice up and prepare your vegetables and herbs.
Add the bulgur to a bowl with the diced peppers, tomatoes and herbs. Top with the citrus juice, oil and salt then give everything a really good toss to evenly combine. Cover the bowl and then place in the fridge to marinate before serving.
Expert Tips
- Finely chop your vegetables and herbs. This will ensure a uniform salad and flavor throughout your salad. It might seem tedious, but since we don’t have a long list of veggies to chop, this should still be simple to do.
- Drain your bulgur of any excess water before adding to your salad bowl. After cooking, I like to place it in a large sieve to drain and cool while preparing the vegetables.
- Use firm, but ripe tomatoes. You don’t want your tomatoes to be too juicy or they will make your salad too wet.
- To add more protein to this salad, serve your salad with a high protein side like baked tofu or mix in 1/4 cup of hemp hearts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bulgar wheat is not gluten-free and is not suitable for individuals with Celiac’s Disease or dealing with gluten intolerance. If you’d like to make this tabbouleh gluten-free, swap the bulgur for some cooked quinoa or millet.
This grain is surprisingly nutritious! It contains 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving. And it’s something easy that you can incorporate into salads and soups for an extra nutrition boost.
Yes! It actually will taste even better if you give it a day or two to sit and marinade. You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
How to Serve
This bulgur salad is a great side that can be paired with a plant protein. If you need some ideas for what to enjoy this salad with, try any of the following:
More Vegan Dominican Recipes
- Vegan Asopao Dominicano
- Moro de Guandules
- Air Fryer Tostones
- Chofan Dominicano
- Vegan Pastelitos
- Vegan “Pollo” Guisado
Dominican Bulgur Salad — Tipili
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: One Bowl
- Cuisine: Dominican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Tipili, a Dominican Bulgur Salad adapted from traditional Tabbouleh. A simple colorful salad that is loaded with fresh herbs and citrus.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry bulgur wheat
- 5 Campari Tomatoes or 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 6 leaves of mint, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp or more of salt to taste
Instructions
- Add your dry bulgur to a large bowl with enough water to completely cover your bulgar and soak it for at least 2 hours to soften it. You can also cook the bulgur according to package if you need to prepared faster. Drain the bulgur really well of any excess water and set to the side to dice up and prepare the remaining vegetables and herbs.
- Add the bulgur to a bowl with the diced tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
- Top with the lemon and lime juice, oil and salt. Toss everything in the bowl well to evenly combine.
- Cover the bowl and then place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Finely chop your vegetables and herbs. This will ensure a uniform salad and flavor throughout your salad. It might seem tedious, but since we don’t have a long list of veggies to chop, this should still be simple to do.
Drain your bulgur of any excess water before adding to your salad bowl. After cooking, I like to place it in a large sieve to drain and cool while preparing the vegetables.
Use firm, but ripe tomatoes. You don’t want your tomatoes to be too juicy or they will make your salad too wet.
To add more protein to this salad, serve your salad with a high protein side like baked tofu or mix in 1/4 cup of hemp hearts.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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