What Can I Do With Bulgur Wheat?

Perhaps the more effective question to ask is what can’t you do with bulgur wheat? Bulgur is so much more than a simple pilaf, or a hastily-considered side like rice. What is so practical and attractive about bulgur is what it can become with the right ingredients––and most importantly––a hefty dose of love.

In my family, bulgur is like that sparkly-eyed aunty that shows up at every family occasion with gifts for everyone, the finest wine, and squeaky-clean jokes for the kids. She’s an absolute pleasure to be around, and she’s always bedecked with glittering jewels and nice-smelling perfume. She’s a ray of light in the family.

If you’ve had a chance to check out my book Recipes With Bulgur, then you might remember my opening story about how bulgur came to be such a cherished food in my family. Indeed, I remember that all our holiday celebrations and family lunches and dinners––breakfasts even!––included bulgur as one of the main foodstuffs. And how fortunate we were for it.

Every autumn when that beautiful, bulging bag of bulgur wheat arrived, I’d dip my hand in, lift a few fresh kernels to my nose, and give it the good ‘ole sniff test, just like my mother and aunts did. They’d ask me what it smelled like. (Boy, did that make me feel like a proper grown up!) “Like sunshine,” I’d say, “it smells like sunshine,” because it most certainly did.

What can you make with something that smells like sunshine? Pretty much anything your talented mind can imagine! If you love cooking experiments (my favourite form of therapy) then consider including bulgur in your next one. There are a ton of recipes in my book, all centered around bulgur, and a few here on my website too.

Savoury pilafs, delicious breakfast porridge, hearty casseroles, chunky soups, crisp and chewy patties, and more! Sprinkle salt-and-peppered bulgur on top of an otherwise ordinary salad to “beef” it up.

If you’re short on time, I included a few recipe summaries below so you can craft your own versions of my beloved original recipes. Experimentation is great, and a little guidance in the right direction never hurts. Think of it like that sparkling, nice-smelling aunty waving her magic wand and tap-tap-tapping your imagination in the right direction!

Bulgur Salad (aka Kisir)

This one is quick, easy, and flavour-filled. Eat it warm or cold, as a side or a main––it’s up to you!

Follow these tips:

• Soak, strain, and stir in the following (and whatever else tickles your fancy):

  • Cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper

  • Tomato paste to taste

  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Chopped garden veggies like cucumber and tomato, and herbs like parsley and mint

  • Drizzle with high-quality olive oil

Click here for the full recipe.

Bulgur & Lentil Patties

Moist little mouthfuls of marvellous nom nom––these are a big hit in my family!

Follow these tips:

• Red lentils are best, but if you can’t find them, green are just fine

• Use a 1:1 ratio of cooked fine grain bulgur to lentils

• Add a generous spoonful of tomato paste

• Include garlic, onions, pepper, and salt

• Chop up and mash in some parsley, mint, and onion

• Form patties and fry them up with a high quality olive oil

• Serve fresh!

Click here for the full recipe.

Bulgur Stuffed Veggies (aka Bulgur Dolma)

Hollow-out zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers, and dig how well bulgur fills these babies up! Or roll it up in grape leaves or collard greens. These are a delicious, belly-warming cool-autumn-day food.

Follow these tips:

• Mix everything in a skillet on low heat

• Add your favourite blend of heating spices to about 2 cups of cooked bulgur, such as: cayenne

• Use tomato or pepper paste and as much hot water as necessary to bind

• Toss in some chopped onion, garlic, and fresh herbs

• Stuff your chosen veggie, and squeeze fresh lemon over top

I’m so happy to share my love for bulgur with you! Do you have a favourite bulgur recipe or is there something more you’d like to know about it? If so, feel free to leave a comment :)

Kitchen Is My Therapy is a one-woman enterprise born of love, passionate encounters with food, and wholesome, feel-good food therapy. If you have any questions, ideas, or inspirations you wish to share, feel free to reach out anytime.

Blessings,

Ginger Kroeze