Turkish Tomato Bulgur Pilaf

Bulgur is a staple ingredient in Turkish cuisine. Our two favorite bulgur wheat dishes are bulgur salad called kısır and vegetarian cig kofte.

What Is Bulgur Pilaf?

Pilaf is a dish that involves cooking the grain in stock or broth along with other aromatic and flavorful ingredients. Traditionally, pilaf is made with white rice, but in certain regions, various kinds of wheat are used. Bulgur wheat pilaf is one of the most favorite dishes in Turkey.

So, what is bulgur pilaf or bulgur pilavı as we call it in Turkish? It is like the traditional substitute for rice pilaf. Turkish white bean stew is served either with rice or bulgur wheat pilaf. Rice has always been more expensive than bulgur in Turkey, so average people often make bulgur wheat pilaf either as a side dish or a main dish. So we can call it bulgur rice as well.

Coarse or very coarse bulgur wheat is used to make pilaf. This pilaf can even be a side dish for kabobs served as a main dish too.

To make bulghar wheat pilaf, there are mainly three different methods in Turkey. The first method uses only green lentils but isn't very common despite being delicious. Please see a picture of it below.

To make bulgur wheat pilaf with green lentils, cook the lentils first or just use canned cooked green lentils. Omit peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste and spices in this recipe and cook bulgur wheat with onions and green lentils. You can even top this pilaf with chickpeas or fava beans.

The second method incorporates orzo, a type of rice-shaped pasta. Very similar to our delicious rice orzo pilaf. And if you love pilaf as a side dish, you might want to see our rice pilaf with raisins recipe too.

The third and final method, and the one we will be making today, is made with tomatoes and onions. This is the most famous and common way of making bulgur pilaf in Turkey. As we love the combo of bulgur and lentils, we often serve this tomato bulgur wheat pilaf with cooked green lentils on the top.

Alternatively, we sometimes combine bulgur pilaf and chicken in a pan to serve a complete meal. Check out our chicken wings with bulgur to see how.

Ingredients

This delicious Turkish bulgur recipe only uses a few basic ingredients, making it extremely easy to adjust.

The most important ingredient is bulgur. For this recipe, we use coarse bulgur but medium or very coarse bulgur work fine too. But we never use fine bulgur to make pilaf. Fine bulgur is perfect to make bulgur lentil patties.  

The second most important ingredient is tomatoes. Use fresh ripe tomatoes and make sure to cook them long enough for the acidity to soften.

The onions and green pepper help balance the flavors and add a ton of nutritional value.

Although this is a traditional bulgur pilaf recipe, it is possible to enrich it with additional vegetables or even spices. Have a look at our tips and tricks section to get some ideas!

How To Make

This is an extremely easy, delicious, and healthy recipe. It uses only a few basic ingredients which are all very easily interchangeable.

First, combine and sauté the ingredients. Start by sautéing the chopped onions and green pepper together until they’re soft.

Second, add the tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes while stirring.

Third, add the tomato paste, coarse or very coarse bulgur, and spices.

Fourth, stir the ingredients together and allow them to toast for roughly 2 minutes.

Fifth, add the water and cook. Pour hot water over the ingredients, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest and cook the pilaf for 15 minutes, keeping it covered.

Remove the bulgur pilaf from the heat and allow it to rest for another 15 minutes before serving.

Optionally, top the pilaf with green lentils and freshly chopped parsley.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not cook the bulgur over high heat. The water will be fully absorbed before the bulgur has been fully cooked, which may also cause the bulgur to burn at the bottom.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting. Remember to keep your lid on the pot to prevent moisture from evaporating.
• You cannot use fine bulgur for this pilaf recipe. Pilaf has to have some texture otherwise it turns out more like couscous. Medium, coarse or very coarse bulgur will work best and give a nice mouth-feel.
• Allowing your bulgur to rest before serving it is another essential step, especially for coarse and very coarse bulgur. This allows the grains to continue cooking without losing additional moisture.
• Green beans, fresh peas, zucchini, eggplant, and cabbage all make healthy and tasty additions. This recipe uses only simple ingredients so that you can easily add others.
• The green lentil garnish is also not a traditional serving style, however, we love the texture and flavor it adds to the whole dish, especially if the pilaf is served as a main. Alternatively, you can garnish your bulgur pilaf with beans or chickpeas.
• If you like, you can make this pilaf plain; without tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. To do this, cook onions in olive oil, add in bulgur and salt, cook for 2 minutes, pour water and let it simmer until all the water is gone. Optionally, add in cooked green lentils, chopped parsley and gently stir before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Turkish bulgur can be served on its as a meal on its own with a bowl of yogurt, cacik or salad.   

It is also served as a side dish for various other recipes. We love to serve this tomato bulgur pilaf alongside some of our favorite recipes, like delicious rich lamb kebabs or next to kofte meatballs.

Bulgur pilaf also goes great with chicken dishes like our garlic chicken thighs, or vegetarian dishes like these green beans with tomatoes recipe.

Other Bulgur Recipes

• Bulgur Breakfast Bowls
• Turkizh Boza

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