Bulgur pilaf : your new to – go recipe

01/11/20254passionfood

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: Serve 4 -6 people

Hey there! Today, I’m thrilled to share with you a vibrant and healthy dish : my take on Bulgur Pilaf. This dish is bursting with delightful flavours and textures. It pairs beautifully with grilled meats or fish.

When selecting your bulgur, aim for the medium or coarse varieties. The fine bulgur is great for dishes like kibbeh or tabbouleh, but for this pilaf, we want something with a bit more bite. You’ll also need a sun-dried tomato paste, I get mine from Marks & Spencer. If you can’t find it, Turkish red bell pepper paste works just as well, and honestly, regular tomato paste will do the trick too!

Feel free to make this pilaf your own by tossing in seasonal veggies like carrots, green peas, corn, and bell peppers. You can also add your favorite herbs and nuts.

If you enjoy this kind of dish, you might also want to try this : “baked rice with mint, pomegranate, and green olives salsa ” by Ottolenghi, or the “basmati and wild rice with herbs” from Sami Tamimi and Ottolenghi’s fabulous book, Jerusalem.

Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on these recipes! Happy cooking!

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Bulgur pilaf : your new to - go recipe

01/11/2025 4passionfood

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Serves: Serve 4 -6 people

Ingredients :

For the bulgur :

250 g Bulgur , medium
500 g vegetable broth
1/4 tsp saffron
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp sun dried tomato paste
1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

For the topping :

30 g blanched almonds
30 g cashews
4 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped
4 Tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
olive or neutral oil , for frying the nuts
salt

Method

1)
First, rinse the bulgur under cold water and let it drain.
2)
Heat the broth and add the saffron to infuse; set aside.
3)
In a medium pan (with a cover), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until it becomes slightly golden (about 6-8 minutes).
4)
Add the garlic and cook for an additional one to two minutes. Then, incorporate the previously washed and drained bulgur, along with the tomato paste and sun-dried tomato paste. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir to coat the bulgur with all the flavours from these ingredients.

Pour the vegetable broth (or water) into the saucepan along with the sprig of rosemary.

Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat. Let it simmer for about 12-15 minutes, or until the bulgur has absorbed the liquid and is tender.
Remove the lid, place a clean kitchen towel over the pot, and then cover it again. Let it sit off the heat for 15 minutes.
5)
Meanwhile, fry the almonds and cashews.
6)
After the resting time, remove the lid and fold in half of the chopped herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
7)
Garnish with the fried almonds and cashews, along with the remaining chopped herbs.
Enjoy your meal!

Nutrition

Bulgur Pilaf

Bulgur pilaf : your new to – go recipe