Bulgur pilaf or bulgur pilavi as we say in Turkish is one of the most popular side dishes in Turkey. It makes a fantastic and flavorful accompaniment to any dish – it even makes an amazing main!
If you love healthy grain-based dishes, this tomato bulgur pilav is just for you! If you aren’t sure what bulgur is, first have a look at our post on how to cook bulgur in the simplest way. Choose one dish from our best bulgur wheat recipes list and include it in your diet.
Burgul is a staple ingredient in Turkish cuisine. It is quite popular in the Middle East, where it is known as burghul bi banadoora. Our two favorite bulgur wheat dishes are bulgur salad called kısır and vegetarian cig kofte.
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What Is Bulgur Pilavı?
Pilav is a Turkish dish that involves cooking the grain in stock or broth along with other aromatic and flavorful ingredients. Traditionally, pilav 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 bulgar pilav 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 burghul pilav 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 or vermicelli. 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.
Ingredients
This delicious Turkish bulgur pilav recipe only uses a few basic ingredients, making it extremely easy to adjust.
The most important ingredient is bulgur, also known as bulgar or burghul. 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 Recipe
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 pilavı can be served on its as a meal on its own with a bowl of yogurt or cacik. Also, salads like piyaz or shepherd salad make a perfect match.
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
FAQs
Bulgur is higher in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals compared to rice – so bottom line, yes it is nutritionally more valuable.
A good alternative for coarse bulgur in this recipe would be quinoa or buckwheat. You can follow the exact same instructions and use the same ingredients as well.
Bulgur pilaf is very easy to store. Simply place the finished dish inside an airtight container and store it inside the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Once you are ready to reheat the pilaf, add a splash of water to the mix to prevent the grains from drying out. You can either heat the mixture in a microwave or on the stovetop over low heat.
As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!
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More Recipes Like This
📖 Recipe
Bulgur Pilavı
Spicy tomato bulgur pilaf with lentils is ready in about 30 minutes. Makes a perfect side for chicken, beef or any dish you like.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
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2 tablespoon olive oil
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1 medium onion, finely chopped
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¼ cup green pepper, chopped
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½ cup tomatoes, diced
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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1 cup coarse bulgur
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 teaspoon dried mint
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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1 and ½ cup hot water
Optional topping:
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½ cup cooked green lentils
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2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Cook chopped onion and pepper together until soft.
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Add in chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add in tomato paste,bulgur, salt, dried mint and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Pour hot water over these. Bring it to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to the lowest and cook it covered for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
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Remove from heat and let it rest for at least 15 min. before serving.
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Top with green lentils and parsley when serving.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 2.1g
- Sodium: 399.3mg
- Fat: 5.1g
- Carbohydrates: 31.2g
- Protein: 7.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
mn says
I spent a month in and around Istanbul in 2014. The simple bulgur pilaf I got hooked on included a small amount of bieber salcasi, which is the secret imo. I can't find the extremely simple version of the recipe which includes onion and tomato paste. I 'm no longer sure if I'll recognize the name if I see it. It's a simple side served with a lot of things at the low end lunch places. What is it called?
Anika says
Stumbled upon your beautiful recipes last week. Today I have made the tomato bulgar pilaf for a family dinner. It is so simple to prepare and the taste is so delicious. My fiancé & I love Turkish food so I will be making my way through all your recipes.
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Anika,
Glad you enjoyed our bulgur pilaf. It is a staple side dish for us. We pair it with any main course.
Really easy to make. We are so happy to hear that you two liked it too.
Cheers!
Meryl says
I made this pilaf for a potluck party the other day and it was a hit! I garnished it with cherry tomatoes and serve with lettuce leaves. YUM!
samir says
this is a staple dish of the levant( lebanon,syria,palestine,jordan) ..it is also made with rice instead of bulgar..
Zerrin says
Nihal- Mersin'de de sık yapılan bir pilavdır bu ama dediğin gibi pekçok kişi bilmez.
Mediterranean Turkish Cook says
Ne guzel mercimekli bulgur pilavini eklemissin. Pekcok Turk yemek bloglarinda gormuyorum bunu pilavi. Belki de bilinmediginden dolayidir. Hatay'da cok yapiliyor bu pilav ve ben de cok seviyorum.
Daily Spud says
Mmm, I do like pilafs made with bulgar, this is a nice variation to try!
Tangled Noodle says
A great alternative to rice pilafs (which is what I'm most used to). This looks delicious and the addition of cinnamon sounds so intriguing!
lisaiscooking says
It looks so delicious in your photo! This sounds like a perfect combination.
OysterCulture says
Two flavors that taste so good separately can only be that much better together. Can you hold off on these yummy recipes for a bit - my husband is going surfing in Nicaragua and I cannot eat these dishes by myself - I am going to be backed up with wonderful ideas! Just kidding =) As always - it looks fantastic.
Diana says
I bought bulgur the other day, now I have a recipe to use it in, thanks.
Sara says
This looks like a great pilaf, I love the flavor and texture of green lentils!
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says
Great pilaf recipe and I love your presentation!
Lauren says
that pilaf looks wonderful! very similar to what I ate last night!
Nurit - 1 family. friendly. food. says
Wow, this looks great. I think I’ll try and make this at home.
Great pics.Sound delicious!