Easy Turkish Bulgur Pilaf

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This Turkish bulgur pilaf recipe is a healthy side dish made with lots of vegetables and spices. Ready in 25 minutes, it makes for a deliciously filling alternative to rice or bread, and is often served with kebabs and grilled meat in Middle Eastern cuisines.

What You Need to Know About Bulgur Wheat

Bulgur is a staple in the Turkish kitchen and the bulgur pilaf is one of its best-known recipes.

The process of making bulgur from wheat originated in the Anatolia region of modern Turkey, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. 

Bulgur comes in different sizes and these serve different purposes. These are fine, medium, and coarse.

• The finest bulgur is used for salads like tabbouleh or meatballs. It is usually soaked in hot water, not cooked.
• The medium-sized bulgur is more suitable for kisir.
• The biggest and most coarse bulgur is most useful for pilaf.

Bulgur is usually pre-cooked, meaning it takes less time to cook when compared to whole wheat. It has a nutty taste and makes for an excellent side dish to the main course, particularly grilled meat.

It is sometimes confused with cracked wheat. However, cracked wheat is made from wheat when it’s not par-boiled (par-boiling is the initial first cooking step that involves partial or semi-boiling the food).

Why You Should Try This Recipe

• It’s one of the tastiest side dishes you’ll eat. There are so many flavors hidden within this bulgur pilaf that take it to the next level. The warmth of the harissa, the minty and citrus-laced tones of thyme, the sweetness of the carrot – they all come together in a big way.
• It’s easy to make and ready within 30 minutes. You only need one pan and there’s no faffing about. You just cook the ingredients, simmer in water for 15 minutes, let it dry out for 10 minutes, then serve. Easy peasy! All the ingredients are ones you’ll most likely have on hand already. 
• It’s super healthy. If you’re just using potatoes, rice, or bread, there isn’t as much nutrition contained within them. This bulgur pilaf contains carrots that add an extra vegetable serving, whilst the chickpeas add a good protein boost to them. Bulgur is also a grain that can hold its own on the health front — it contains 2x the fiber of rice and is far richer in minerals such as magnesium and phosphorus.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Turkish bulgur pilaf: 

• Extra virgin olive oil – we’re big fans of using extra virgin olive oil rather than olive oil, since it less refined and healthier. However, any oil can be used, such as canola oil or sunflower oil.
• Onions + garlic
• Tomato puree – you can also use tomato paste instead.
• Harissa paste – this adds a spicy kick to the bulgur. 
• Carrot – this adds some sweetness to the dish and gives an extra health kick.
• Bulgur wheat – this is the heart of the dish, but you can substitute it for other grains like rice, couscous, cracked wheat or quinoa if you want. 
• Chickpeas – chickpeas add the health kick and protein to this recipe, as well as a great texture.
• Water – you can substitute vegetable stock or chicken stock for water for extra flavor, but note that this will increase the sodium content. 
• Spices – we’ve dried mint and thyme in this recipe, which provide and sweet, yet tangy taste. You can also use spices such as parsley or cumin.
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Turkish Bulgur Wheat (Step-by-Step)

Step 1 – Add olive oil and butter and heat at a medium heat. Cook the onions for about 7 minutes or until translucent.

Step 2 – Add the garlic, tomato puree and tbsp harissa paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the spices are fragrant.

Step 3 – Add the carrots, bulgur, carrot, chickpeas dried mint, thyme pepper, and salt to the pan and mix everything together until the bulgur is well coated. Cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4 – Add water, then let simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Step 5 – Turn off the heat, cover the pan with paper towels, add the lid, and then let rest for 10 minutes. This will absorb the moisture.

Step 6 – Add the bulgur wheat to a bowl with a plate on top facing. Flip then remove the bowl.

Variations

Bulgur pilaf is an extremely flexible recipe. If you have any ideas that you think will work, then by all means give them a try – it’s tough to mess this recipe up.

• Add extra vegetables: If you want to add my vegetables into your diet, then an easy way is to add them to this recipe. You can add bell peppers, corn, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant – the list is endless.
• Use broth: vegetable stock instead of water can help add some extra flavor.  
• Switch up the spices: we’ve used a combination of tomato puree, harissa paste, garlic, dried mint, and thyme, but you can easily add other herbs and spices. Try including cumin for more earthy flavors, and parsley.

What to Serve with Turkish Bulgur Pilaf

Bulgur pilaf is a delicious grain that works with all kinds of recipes, but it particularly works well with grilled meats, fish, and vegetables. Here are some ideas you can try:

• Mediterranean Salmon Traybake
• Mediterranean Lasagna
• Mediterranean Eggplant Tomato Bake
• Tavuk Shisk (Turkish Chicken Kebab)
• Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables
• Beek Kofte

Yield: 6

Turkish Bulgur Pilaf

Print

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 small carrot
• 1 cup (180g) bulgur
• 1 cup (160g) chickpeas
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Add olive oil and butter and heat at a medium heat. Cook the onions for about 7 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the garlic, tomato puree and tbsp harissa paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the spices are fragrant.
3. Add the carrots, bulgur, carrot, chickpeas dried mint, thyme pepper, and salt to the pan and mix everything together until the bulgur is well coated.
4. Add water, then let simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
5. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with paper towels, add the lid, and then let rest for 10 minutes. This will absorb the moisture.
6. Add the bulgur wheat to a bowl with a plate on top facing. Flip then remove the bowl. Serve with grilled meat or another recipe of your choice

Notes

• Combine olive oil and butter: if you want to add extra flavor, add 1 tbsp butter with the oil, then add the onions when it browns.
• Add extra vegetables: If you want to add my vegetables into your diet, then an easy way is to add them to this recipe. You can add bell peppers, corn, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant - the list is endless.
• Use broth: vegetable stock instead of water can help add some extra flavor.  
• Switch up the spices: we've used a combination of tomato puree, harissa paste, garlic, dried mint, and thyme, but you can easily add other herbs and spices. Try including cumin for more earthy flavors, and parsley.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

6
Amount Per Serving Calories 252Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 423mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 11gSugar 5gProtein 10g

Want More Delicious, Mediterranean Style Recipes?

If you’ve cooked this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or review! But if you’re looking for more:

1. Find more Mediterranean-style recipes on our website.
2. Try our free 7 day Mediterranean diet plan with 20 recipes.
3. Get our 4-week Mediterranean diet plan, Med in 28 plan, that makes following the Mediterranean diet a breeze!