Delicious recipe for bulgur as a side dish

Wheat is the raw material for the production of several types of cereals, in particular semolina, couscous, and bulgur. The latter is common in the East. Bulgur is produced by steaming and crushing wheat grains. The result is cereal that cooks quickly, retains almost all the beneficial properties of wheat, and saturates well. Dishes made from it are ideally combined with meat dishes and are often served as a complement to meat and products made from it. If you know how to cook bulgur as a side dish, you can add many tasty and healthy dishes to your family menu, the creation of which does not require much time and effort.

Cooking features

Cooking bulgur as a side dish is no more difficult than cooking rice or pasta. Even an inexperienced cook can cope with it if he knows the following.

Bulgur comes in fine, medium and coarse grinds. Small grains are added to cutlets, desserts, and casseroles, just as many of our compatriots add semolina to them. Such finely crushed cereals are not suitable for preparing side dishes. For side dishes, use medium or coarse grinding; in the latter case, delicious pilaf is obtained.
Bulgur is not washed before cooking, but it can be fried in a dry frying pan or, even better, with the addition of a small amount of butter or vegetable oil. This allows you to reveal the unique nutty notes that bulgur has.
The technology for preparing bulgur depends on the size of its grinding. Small bulgur is not boiled, but only steamed. You can also not cook medium-ground bulgur, but pour boiling water over it, wrap it up and leave for an hour and a half so that the grains steam, swell and soften. If you cook medium-sized bulgur, it will be ready in 10–15 minutes or even earlier. Cooking time for large bulgur in a saucepan is 15–20 minutes. In a slow cooker, bulgur is cooked for 30 minutes, regardless of whether it is coarse or medium grind.
When cooking bulgur, a ratio of cereal to water of 1:2 is usually used, although experienced cooks claim that a ratio of 1:1.8 will be more successful. Water can be replaced with broth; the same amount will be required. When using juicy vegetables, you may need slightly less liquid than when preparing bulgur without vegetables. To prepare food in a multicooker, liquid sometimes requires more than normal. By adhering to the proportions recommended in the recipe, you will avoid mistakes and get the expected result.

Bulgur will taste better if flavored with butter. Also, various spices and herbs and vegetables are often added to it. There are many options for side dishes made from this cereal.

A simple recipe for making bulgur as a side dish

bulgur (medium grind) - 180 g;
water - 0.4 l;
salt - to taste;
refined vegetable oil - 40 ml.

Pour a little oil into the bottom of a cauldron or thick-walled pan.
Warm it up. Add bulgur. Fry it, stirring with a spatula, until you smell a pleasant nutty smell.
Boil water, mix with salt. Pour over the bulgur.
Reduce heat, cover the cauldron with a lid. Cook the bulgur over low heat for 15–20 minutes until you see that the grain has absorbed all the water.
Remove the cauldron from the stove, wrap it and wait 20 minutes. During this time, the cereal will steam and become even tastier.

This bulgur is suitable as a side dish for meat and poultry. When serving, it can be supplemented with fresh vegetables and sprinkled with chopped herbs.

What do you eat bulgur with as a side dish?

Despite the variety of dishes made from this type of wheat existing in modern cooking, many housewives are not at all eager to stock up on this quickly cooked and incredibly healthy cereal. For them, the answer to a basic question remains a mystery: what does bulgur go with, and as a side dish does it go perfectly with:

meat (especially pork/beef);
fish;
fresh/stewed/baked vegetables.

Bulgur side dish with onion and tomato

coarsely ground bulgur - 0.2 kg;
water - 0.4 l;
onions - 100 g;
tomato paste - 20 ml;
refined vegetable oil - 60 ml;
salt, spices - to taste.

Peel the onion and cut into small cubes.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or cauldron. Place onion in it and fry until golden brown.
Add tomato paste to the onion, continue to fry it together until the paste darkens.
Add bulgur, fry it along with onions for 5 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, add hot boiled water. Stir.
Cook the bulgur for 20 minutes over low heat.
After removing from heat, leave the food to steep under the lid for 10–15 minutes.

This bulgur looks bright, has a pleasant taste and goes perfectly with meat.

Bulgur with vegetables as a side dish

Compound:

bulgur – 180 g;
water – 0.4 l;
sweet pepper – 150 g;
carrots – 90 g;
eggplant – 0.2 kg;
tomatoes – 0.2 kg;
salt, spices, herbs, garlic - to taste;
refined vegetable oil – 60 ml.

Calorie content of the dish: 1312 kcal, per 100 g: 103 kcal.

Cooking method:

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut the tomato pulp into small pieces of arbitrary shape.
Peel the pepper from seeds and cut into squares no larger than 1 cm.
Peel the carrots and chop them on a grater with medium-sized holes.
Peel the eggplant, cut into cubes about 1–1.5 cm in size. Prepare a salt solution by mixing a tablespoon of salt with a liter of water. Dip eggplant pieces into the solution. After 10 minutes, drain the water, rinse the eggplants to remove excess salt, and dry with a napkin.
Pour oil into the bottom of a non-stick pan. Warm it up. Place carrots, eggplants and peppers in the pan. Fry them for 5 minutes.
Add bulgur. Fry it with vegetables for 3-4 minutes.
Add tomatoes, finely chopped garlic, salt and spices. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Pour preheated water into the pan with bulgur and vegetables. Cook food over low heat until cooked. After boiling the water in the pan, this will take about 20 minutes.

A side dish of bulgur with vegetables is more juicy, colorful and tasty than one made from one grain. It is so good that it can be served as a separate dish; this idea will certainly appeal to vegetarians.

Side dish of bulgur with onions and carrots in a slow cooker

coarsely ground bulgur - 180 g;
water - 0.45 l;
onions - 50 g;
carrots - 50 g;
ground red pepper, salt - to taste;
butter - 50 g.

Place oil in the multicooker bowl.
Scrub the carrots, wash and dry with a napkin. Grind on a grater with small holes.
Remove the skin from the onion and cut it into small pieces.
Boil the water.
Turn on the device by activating the “Frying” program. If your multicooker does not have a frying function, select the “Baking” program, it will also work.
When the butter is melted, place the onions and carrots in the multicooker bowl. Fry vegetables for 5 minutes.
Add bulgur and spices to the vegetables, fry the products together for 5 minutes.
Add salt and add hot water. Change the “Frying” or “Baking” program to the “Stewing” program. Set the timer for 30 minutes.
Stir and leave on warm mode for another 10 minutes.

This bulgur is well suited as a side dish for poultry. The main course can be prepared with it. To do this, you can cut the chicken fillet, coat it with sauce, place it on the grill of a steamer, and place the grill itself in the multicooker immediately after the bulgur is filled with water.

Bulgur side dish for cutlets

It’s unlikely that anyone will refuse a dinner in the form of delicious, still sizzling cutlets with mashed potatoes or porridge. Although, why not bring something new to the everyday menu and boil an unusual, but very healthy cereal? After all, to cook delicious bulgur as a side dish for cutlets, you don’t have to be a wizard, you just need to follow the detailed cooking instructions.

Ingredients:

bulgur – 1.5 cups;
boiling water – 3 cups;
butter – 50 g;
carrots, onions – 1 pc.

Preparation:

Fry the cereal in melted butter for 3 minutes.
Pour boiling water over, add salt and cook for 15 minutes.
Separately, fry small onion cubes and coarsely grated carrots.
The finished porridge is mixed with the fry and laid out on saucers.

What is bulgur

Bulgur is nothing more than a grain obtained from durum wheat, subjected to heat treatment with water and further drying. Afterwards, the outer shell of the grains is removed by grinding (this gives the grain an amber tint), and then crushed into three fractions:

Thin. This grain is used in the preparation of pastries, bread, and cookies. Bulgur gives the baked goods crunch and nutty flavor.
Average. Various culinary dishes are prepared from it, from salads and appetizers to side dishes and soups.
Rude. This type of cereal is used instead of rice in pilaf, which significantly affects the calorie content of the dish (it is reduced).

What can you cook from bulgur?

In the national cuisine of many countries of the East, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and India, where cereals have been loved since ancient times, a wide variety of dishes are prepared from bulgur. These are soups, salads, main courses and desserts.

A side dish of it goes wonderfully with fish, seafood, vegetables and meat. Masters of oriental cuisine know that if you replace traditional rice when preparing pilaf, then in some cases the dish will even benefit. For example, in Cyprus, bulgur has long been the basis of wedding pilaf, and in Turkey they prepare “bride soup” with it. Lenten dolma is popular among Armenians. Instead of minced meat, a mixture of beans, lentils, bulgur with carrots and onions is placed in it.

Unusual bulgur dishes - recipes

Spicy stew with bulgur

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:

6 cups vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1 can (425 g) chickpeas
½ cup bulgur
½ cup yellow lentils
11/2 cups diced sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander

Cooking method:

In a soup pot, saute onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons vegetable broth.
Pour in the remaining vegetable broth, add pre-washed, drained chickpeas, bulgur and lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat with the lid loosely closed for 15 minutes.
Add sweet potatoes and seasonings. Continue cooking for 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender.
Serve immediately.

Steamed meat with bulgur garnish

Required Products:

300 g beef
1 carrot
1 onion
450 ml water
160 g bulgur
vegetable oil
butter

Cooking method:

Wash the onions and carrots, peel, chop, place in a multicooker bowl, pour in vegetable oil, then add bulgur. Pour water over everything, add salt and stir. Rinse the meat, cut into portions, place in a steaming tray over bulgur. Cook in Buckwheat mode. Add butter to the prepared cereal.

Warm salad of quinoa, bulgur and vegetables

Ingredients:

Quinoa - ½ cup
Bulgur - 1 cup
Carrots - 1 pc.
Celery stalk - 1 pc.
Greens (basil, cilantro, thyme, green onions)
Bell pepper - ½ pc.

Cooking method:

Boil the quinoa and bulgur (I cooked it together), and when ready, drain into a colander. Let the water drain and dry the cereal
Chop the carrots and peppers, fry them in a frying pan without oil, or do the same in a saucepan with the bottom moistened with water so as not to burn. Fry/simmer.
When the carrots have become soft, add cooked quinoa, bulgur, as well as chopped celery, basil and thyme to the vegetables. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
When everything is ready, put the mixture on a plate and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Bulgur pilaf

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

Onion - 2 pcs.
Bulgur - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 4 pcs.
Tomato puree - 1-2 tablespoons
Eggplant - 2 pcs.

Cooking method:

Finely chop the onion. Wet the bottom of the saucepan with water, then add the onion and begin to fry. After 3-4 minutes, add bulgur (hard grain) and then fry for 2-3 minutes.
Then add peeled and chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Pour in 2 cups of water and cover with a lid. Cook until all the water has boiled away.
Chop the eggplants, then fry or stew.
When the bulgur is ready, mix the bulgur and fried eggplants, add parsley. Mix everything and eat.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh (or tabouli, as you prefer) is a cold appetizer originally from Arab countries, according to the European classification it falls under the category of salads. And what, tell me, is not a salad - bulgur wheat with herbs and fresh vegetables, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice? Cucumbers are not included in the basic recipe, but I see no reason not to add them - they turn out to be very appropriate in tabbouleh. In the absence of bulgur, it can be replaced with couscous, which must first be cooked and cooled.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

½ tbsp. bulgura
2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 large bunch of parsley
2 green onions
3 tbsp. olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
black pepper
salt

Cooking method:

To prepare bulgur, pour 1 cup of boiling water over it, cover with a lid and set aside for 8-10 minutes (unless another cooking method is indicated on your bulgur package). Then stir the bulgur and let it cool before adding the vegetables.

While the bulgur is cooking, you will have time to chop them: chop the tomatoes and cucumbers not too finely, and even finer the parsley (leaves only) and green onions. Place the slightly cooled bulgur with vegetables and herbs in a bowl, add olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, stir well and serve. An excellent dish, especially for hot summer days, when its refreshing taste is most welcome, but no less tasty the rest of the year.

Bulgur - recipe for side dish with chicken

Chicken meat is perfectly savored with crumbly cereal. The bulgur side dish for chicken is practically no different from the traditional one according to the cooking principles. The proportions remain the same, but for a richer flavor it is recommended to add garlic, which is best removed after cooking, and also season the porridge with spices. With them, the dish will become much tastier and acquire a beautiful color.

Ingredients:

bulgur – 1 cup;
boiling water – 2 cups;
garlic – 1 clove;
curry, khmeli-suneli - 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:

Bulgur is poured into a frying pan.
Fill with water, season with spices, stir.
Add a garlic clove cut in half and cover with a lid.
Boil bulgur as a side dish for meat for 20 minutes. from the moment of boiling.

How to cook bulgur as a side dish

The recipe for preparing bulgur as a side dish, for salad and a simple version of morning porridge is surprisingly simple. Take medium-ground grains and then perform several simple steps:

Pour one part of bulgur into two parts of hot water and cover the container to evaporate for 40 minutes. Many people steam cereal in a thermos with a wide neck - it’s very convenient.

Bulgur porridge - recipe

The previous option for preparing bulgur for a side dish is the simplest version of porridge. To fully reveal the creamy taste of the dish, I advise you to pre-fry the grains.

How to cook porridge:

Heat butter or olive oil in a frying pan, add the cereal there and fry for 5-10 minutes.
Pour water (2:1) directly into the pan and continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes. Don't forget to stir the porridge, especially at the end.
Leave the porridge to brew for a while without opening the lid.

How to cook bulgur for a PP side dish

People who monitor the size of their figure or those who adhere to the principles of a healthy diet are unlikely to like porridge soaked through with a copious amount of oil. And this is not a reason to deny yourself pleasure! But how long should you cook bulgur for a side dish so that it retains its beneficial properties? You won't have to mess around for long. Twenty minutes is enough.

Ingredients:

bulgur – 1 cup;
water – 2 glasses.

Preparation:

The cereal is filled with water and salted.
Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Subtleties of cooking

In order not to spoil the dish and make it perfect, you need to remember a few tips:

Bulgur does not need to be rinsed before cooking. This way it will retain its unusual nutty aroma. However, if you bought cereal that requires processing, after rinsing it needs to be thoroughly dried in a frying pan.
The cereal can be used to prepare pilaf; it will also be ideal in milk porridge. This porridge can be fed to children from 1.5 years old.
Important! Bulgur does not go well with all ingredients. Thus, in no case is it recommended to cook cereals with beets, cauliflower and white cabbage, and eggs.
Bulgur grains come in different sizes. Thus, medium-ground bulgur is used in porridges; you can prepare pilaf or soup based on it. Finely ground grains are often used in salads.
For some dishes, bulgur does not need to be cooked. For example, it is enough to soak finely ground cereal in a large volume of cold water. This possibility is due to the fact that before grinding the wheat is doused with hot steam, and it is already slightly prepared.
It can work wonders thanks to the huge amount of vitamins and minerals it contains, and everyone will appreciate its unusual nutty taste.

Delicious bulgur in a slow cooker - it's easy!

What do you need to know so that the cereal does not stick together during cooking in a slow cooker, but turns out crumbly? The step-by-step preparation technology is as follows:

Add 2 tbsp to the cereal (250 g). spoons of any sunflower oil and mix thoroughly.
Place the resulting mixture into the multicooker bowl.
Set the mode on the display - frying and time - 5 minutes. This operation will better reveal its taste and enhance the nutty aroma inherent in bulgur.
Next, add water (500 ml), salt, spices and mix again.
After this, we switch to stewing mode and cook for 25 minutes. If you are preparing porridge with milk, limit the time to 20 minutes.

The finished cereal can be supplemented with any ingredients! Those with a sweet tooth will love bulgur with dried fruits and nuts, topped with honey or fruit syrup. And meat-eaters will appreciate pilaf with lamb and vegetables.

No. 1. Turkish bulgur on the side - a classic

bell pepper - 2 pcs.
cereal - 1 cup
broth/water - 1.5 cups
onion - 1 pc.
tomatoes - 2 pcs.
butter - 70 gr.
garlic cloves - 4 pcs.
tomato paste - 15 gr.
spices

Since there are many different ways to prepare bulgur as a side dish, let’s start with the classics. Recipes with vegetables are very popular.

1. Crush the garlic and chop the onion into cubes or half rings. Grate the tomatoes or use a sieve; you only need the pulp.

2. Place oil in a cauldron, add onion and garlic. After 5 minutes of frying, add half rings of sweet pepper.

3. After 3 minutes, add tomato pulp and tomato paste. Salt and add your favorite spices. Stir.

4. Simmer for 7-10 minutes, pour in water, add cereal. Assess the taste and add salt if necessary.

5. Time a quarter of an hour, turn off the stove. After infusion for half an hour, take a sample.

No. 2. Bulgur with crab sticks, cheese and egg

hard cheese - 70 gr.
water - 0.2 l.
crab sticks - 6 pcs.
egg - 3 pcs.
canned peas - 75 gr.
cereal - 0.1 kg.
butter - 40 gr.
greens - 30 gr.
mayonnaise - in fact

1. Before preparing bulgur, you need to sort out the grains for the side dish and heat them in a frying pan with oil for 3 minutes. It will turn out very tasty.

2. Next, move the mixture into a saucepan, add water and simmer for a third of an hour. Let the porridge cool and move on to other ingredients.

3. Cut the crab sticks first lengthwise, then crosswise to get pieces of the same size. Boil and chop the eggs.

4. Remove excess liquid from peas and mix into chopsticks. Add eggs, chop the greens.

5. Add bulgur and grated cheese to a common bowl. Add salt to your taste, season with mayonnaise and taste.

No. 3. Bulgur with prunes and beets

beets - 1 pc.
carrots - 1 pc.
butter - 50 gr.
water - 0.35 l.
cereal - 0.15 kg.
lime juice - from 1 fruit
prunes - 10 pcs.

We tell you how to deliciously prepare spicy bulgur grains as a side dish.

1. Pour the cereal into a dry frying pan and pierce it for 5 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan, mix with the water according to the recipe, add salt, and simmer until tender.

2. Rinse and soak the prunes. Peel and grate the beets and carrots, transfer these vegetables to the sizzling oil and fry for 3 minutes.

3. Dilute lime juice with water in equal proportions and pour into a frying pan. When the vegetables have softened, remove them from the stove.

4. Add boiled cereal to the pan. Cut the prunes, mix with melted butter and add to the main composition.

Bulgur - recipe for a side dish with vegetables

The recipe for bulgur as a side dish with vegetables consists of the usual set of vegetables that can be found at the nearest market or in the supermarket. When purchasing components, you should pay special attention to the choice of cereals. It should be coarsely crushed or whole, which is usually indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.

Ingredients:

bulgur – 1 cup;
boiling water – 2 cups;
champignons – 6 pcs.;
tomato, onion, carrot – 1 pc.;
parsnip – ½ piece;
butter – 50 g;
dill, parsley, cilantro - 5 branches each;
pepper: black, red, allspice - to taste;
head of garlic.

Preparation:

A delicious recipe for bulgur as a side dish starts with frying vegetables in melted butter.
Cut carrots and parsnips into large cubes and fry for 5 minutes.
Add onion into strips, unpeeled garlic cloves, fry for 7 minutes.
Add mushroom slices and fry for 3 minutes.
Add the cereal and fry for 2 minutes.
Pour boiling water over, add salt and season with a mixture of peppers.
Boil until the liquid evaporates completely, leave for 15 minutes.
Mix with peeled tomato cubes, chopped herbs and serve.

No. 4. Bulgur as a side dish in a slow cooker

water - 0.45 l.
carrots - 0.5 pcs.
onion - 1 pc.
butter - 40 gr.
cereal - 0.15 kg.
seasonings

Since you can cook bulgur in a slow cooker, we recommend using this recipe. The cereal as a side dish turns out very tasty.

1. Turn on the “Frying” program on the device, add oil and melt. Fry onion half rings and grated carrots on it.

2. Add bulgur, fry and stir for 5 minutes. Add spices and water.

3. Set the “Extinguishing” function for 40 minutes. After the timer signal, you can start tasting.

No. 6. Bulgur with vegetables and corn in a slow cooker

canned corn - 120 gr.
cereal -0.25 kg.
carrots, onions - 1 pc.
bell red pepper - 1 pc.
tomatoes - 2 pcs.
water - 0.5 l.
spices

We figured out how to cook bulgur. In this recipe we will make a delicious side dish of cereal with vegetables and corn.

1. Cut the carrots into circles, the onion into cubes. Chop the peppers and tomatoes into large pieces.

2. Treat the multi-bowl with oil and add the cereal and vegetables. Set the “Frying” mode. Add spices and stir.

3. After 10 minutes, turn on the “Extinguishing” program and pour in water. After 40 minutes, add the drained corn.

4. Knead and simmer for another 10 minutes. If desired, add finely chopped herbs and garlic.

Bulgur with chicken in a slow cooker

Cooking time: 1 hour.
Number of servings: 2-3.
Kitchen appliances and utensils: multicooker, board, knife, bowl, spoon.

Ingredients

Chicken	0.5 kg
Bulb	1 PC.
Carrot	1 PC.
Tomato paste	30 g
Bulgur	200 g
Vegetable oil	30 g
Spices	taste
Bulgarian pepper	1 PC.
Water	200 ml

Step by step recipe

To begin, remove all unnecessary veins, fatty layers, film from the chicken and cut it into uniform cubes. Turn on the multicooker, select the “Frying” mode, pour in vegetable oil and fry the chicken until golden brown.
Remove the meat and place in a separate plate. After this, fry the vegetables.
After this, pour the washed bulgur into the multicooker bowl and select the “Porridge” mode, the time will set automatically.
When half the time has passed, add tomato paste, prepared chicken pieces and add water.
Wait for the process to complete.

Serve bulgur with chicken cooked in a slow cooker hot, garnishing it with fresh herbs or vegetables.

Video recipe for cooking bulgur with chicken in a slow cooker

In this video you can follow the sequence of cooking steps and see the final result.

No. 7. Bulgur with mushrooms

champignons - 0.5 kg.
garlic cloves - 5 pcs.
cereal - 0.5 kg.
butter - 70 gr.
cream - 50 ml.
milk - 0.2 l.
spices

1. Place the cereal in a saucepan and pour in 2 times more water. Boil until tender over low heat.

2. Wash the mushrooms and remove the skin, cut into large pieces. Fry in oil until bronzed.

3. Pour in the milk and set the stove to minimum power. Simmer the mushrooms until the liquid evaporates. Pour in the cream.

4. Add spices and garlic pulp, stir. Wait a few minutes and turn off the burner. Cover with a lid.

5. In a common dish, mix the prepared cereal with mushrooms. Serve with meat. Everyone will love this fragrant side dish.

We figured out how to cook bulgur. As a side dish, cereal turns out more tasty if it is made with additional products. Experiment and choose the most successful variation for yourself. In any case, bulgur goes well with fish and meat dishes.