This simple bulgur pilaf is made with sautéd onions, vegetable stock, and bulgur wheat. It is served as a side dish, or with sautéd vegetables. My favorite way to enjoy it is with eggplant ratatouille.
If you’re not familiar with bulgur, then you are in for a treat! It is something I quite literally grew up on!
Bulgur is often used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Depending on the country, the recipe for bulgur pilaf varies. There are two main types of recipes, one that uses tomato paste, and one that does not. The Lebanese version uses tomato paste, while the Turkish version does not.
This recipe is more closely resembles Turkish cuisine. This makes sense since my family is from Armenia which is close to Turkey.
This is a recipe my family has been making for decades!
An Armenian feast in our house would not be complete without this bulgur pilaf recipe. It has a nutty taste and chewy texture. She made pilaf two ways, the one I’m sharing with you today, is made with bulgur wheat. The other variety she made was with long-grain white rice and thin noodles.
Bulgur pilaf is served as a side dish. It is an accompaniment to shish kabab, or for me, (always the vegetarian), grilled vegetables, and tofu kebabs!
We also enjoyed this dish with my mom’s favorite eggplant ratatouille.
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and Easy
- Substitute for rice
- Fast Cooking Time
- 3 Ingredients
- Vegan-Friendly
- High in Fiber
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Bulgur Wheat: You will need one cup of bulgar wheat. You can buy different varieties. I suggest the medium coarse texture.
Vegetable Stock: When my mom made this recipe she always used chicken broth, but when I became vegetarian she switched to vegetable stock. It’s a simple switch that makes this recipe vegan-friendly without losing any flavor. I recommend using a low-sodium broth. I also use the vegetable stock to sauté the onion instead of using oil or butter. This cuts back on the extra calories and fat and keeps this recipe whole food plant-based. As an alternative, you can sauté the onions in 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Onion: Finely chop one small onion or about ½ a cup of onions chopped.
Tools and Equipment
Medium Saucepan: You will need a medium-sized saucepan. The same type of pot that you would use to make rice.
Cutting board and chopping knife to chop your onion.
A spoon or fork to fluff your bulgar when it’s done.
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock on medium heat until onions turn transparent.
Step 2: Add one cup of bulgur and two cups of broth to the saucepan. Stir to combine. Increase to medium-high heat, and bring to a boil uncovered.
Step 3: Once the broth comes to a boil, reduce the heat. Cover with lid and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until tender.
Step 4: Remove from the heat, and let sit covered until all of the broth has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve!
What are the health benefits of bulgur?
- Low in Calories and Fat: A serving of bulgur wheat is only about 75 calories, and less than 1 gram of fat!
- High in Fiber: Whole grains, such as bulgur wheat is an excellent source of fiber. One serving has 4 grams of fiber which is about 15% of the daily recommended value. Fiber helps you feel fuller longer, so you eat less. It also helps with healthy digestion, and helps to manage blood sugar levels.
- High in Protein: Bulgur is a good source of plant protein, with 3 grams per serving.
- High in Vitamins and Nutrients: In addition to being high in fiber and protein, bulgur is also a good source of manganese, iron, folate, vitamin B6, niacin, and magnesium.
RECIPE FAQS
Bulgar is cracked whole grain kernels of wheat that are parboiled before drying and packaging. The parboiling process helps bulgur to cook more quickly than other varieties of wheat. It’s a very inexpensive grain.
While making bulgur pilaf is one way to enjoy this grain, you’ll also find it added to salads, like tabbouleh.
I buy it in the bulk section of my local health food store. You can likely find it at Whole Foods, or other specialty grocery stores as well. When I was growing up we always bought it from a Middle Eastern market. If shopping at a large chain grocery store look for bulgur where you would buy rice, or in the ethnic food aisle. If you cannot find it in your local grocery store, you can purchase it online.
When you bring your bulgur home from the store, transfer it to an airtight dry container. Keep it stored in a cool dark place. I use airtight canisters to store my flours, and grains in my pantry.
It takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. You start by bringing it to a boil, then reduce heat, simmer, and finally take it off the heat to fully absorb the liquid before fluffing with a fork.
Yes, there are several different varieties. Bulgur comes in fine, medium, and coarse textures. The finer your bulgur the more quickly it will cook.
No, unfortunately, it is not gluten-free. It comes from wheat so it does contain gluten.
Expert Tips
- Don’t add too much liquid to this Turkish bulgur pilaf. Stick to the 1:2 ratio. Too much vegetable stock will result in wet and sticky bulgur, rather than light and fluffy.
- Use low-sodium broth.
- There are different types of bulgur. Before you prepare your recipe, check the type that you have bought. The different sizes range from fine, medium, to coarse. Fine bulgur will only take 5 minutes to cook while coarse bulgur wheat will take 20 minutes. The directions for this recipe is for medium coarse bulgur. If you’re not sure what type you have, just keep an eye on it, and remove it from the heat when you notice most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Variations and Substitutions
Tomato Bulgur Pilaf: The Lebanese version of this recipe adds tomato paste, chopped fresh tomatoes, red pepper, and green pepper. If you’d like to make it this way, add the chopped vegetables to chopped red onion, add then add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste with the vegetable broth.
Fresh Herbs: Finely chop your favorite fresh herbs and fold them into your pilaf before you’re ready to serve. Parsley adds a nice fresh flavor.
Top with Chopped Nuts: For added crunch top with toasted pine nuts, or slivered almonds.
Garlic: If you’d rather not use onion, or you’d like a little garlic flavor, add 2 cloves of minced garlic when sautéing the onions.
Main Dish: Make this into a main dish by adding a protein such as lentils or chickpeas, and chopped fresh vegetables like green bell peppers, and green onion, then top with a dollop of yogurt (vegan or Greek).
How to Store, Keep, and Reheat
Store: Allow cooked bulgur to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.
Keep: Bulgur stored in the refrigerator will keep for 3-5 days.
Reheat: When ready to reheat, transfer it to a microwave-safe container. Cover and heat for 30 seconds or until warm.
More Mediterranean Recipes!
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Bulgur Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cups vegetable stock plus 2 tbsp to sauté onions
- 1 cup bulgar wheat medium coarse
Instructions
- Sauté onions in 2 tbsp of vegetable stock on medium heat until onions turn transparent.
- Reduce heat. Add one cup of bulgar and two cups of broth to the saucepan. Bring to a boil uncovered.
- Once the broth comes to a boil, reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and let sit covered until all of the broth has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve!
Video
Notes
- Don’t add too much liquid. Stick to the 1:2 ratio. Too much vegetable stock will result in wet and sticky bulgar, rather than light and fluffy.
- Use low-sodium broth.
- Before you cook your bulgar, check the type that you have bought. Fine bulgar will only take 5 minutes to cook while very coarse bulgar will take 20 minutes. The directions for this recipe are for medium-coarse bulgar. If you’re not sure what type you have, just keep an eye on it, and remove it from the heat, when you notice most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Allow cooked bulgur to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave covered in a microwave-safe container until heated through.
Nutrition
This reminds me so much of quinoa and how it takes on the flavor of the broth that it’s cooked in! So tasty!
This looks so delicious and yummy! My husband is going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to give this a try!
I love the sound of this, so simple and delicious! I’m definitely going to be making this as a side to one of my meals.
Wow what a simple and comforting recipe. Thanks for all those variations and tips also.
I’ve been enjoying bulgar since the 90’s and I’m always looking for new recipes! This looks fantastic!