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    Cooking Gorgeous » All Recipes » Side Dishes

    Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Pilaf)

    Published: Aug 16, 2021 · Modified: May 24, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Bulgur Pilavi or Turkish Bulgur Pilaf is a healthy side dish that pairs perfectly with grilled meat or chicken, kebabs, casserole dishes and hearty stews. This Turkish cuisine staple is very easy to make with only a few ingredients. There are many different variations of Bulgur Pilav and the one with tomatoes is one of our favourites along with the Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf.

    Bulgur Pilavi served with mix pickled vegetables
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • Bulgur vs Quinoa
    • How to Make Bulgur Pilavi?
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Related Recipes
    • Top Tip From the Chef
    • Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Pilaf)

    Bulgur wheat is widely used in Turkey for salad, soup, kofte and pilafs. It is delicious as well as being nutritious. It is available in a variety of grinds such as fine, medium, coarse and extra coarse. The coarse and extra coarse is perfect for making pilaf, and fine / medium is good for soup, salad and koftes.

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • This recipe is very easy to follow with step-by-step instructions and pictures.
    • You only need a few pantry ingredients you might already have in hand.
    • It is healthy yet delicious and a perfect side dish to serve with grilled meat or casserole dishes.
    • You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.
    • Suitable for a low-calorie diet.
    • You can substitute the butter with olive oil and use vegetable stock to make it vegan friendly.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Ingredients for tomato bulgur rice pilaf
    • Bulgur - It is widely used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. Use coarse or medium-coarse bulgur for the best results.
    • Butter - It adds extra flavour and nuttiness to the pilaf. You can use olive oil for the vegan version.
    • Tomatoes - Use nice fresh and ripen tomatoes. You can substitute them with a tablespoon of tomato paste.
    • Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavour to the dishes as well as a bright red colour. You can find it from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it from Amazon .
    • Sun dried tomatoes - You can omit and add extra fresh tomatoes. It adds umami flavour to the pilaf.
    • Vermicelli or Orzo - Short type of pasta that is used for rice dishes or soups in Turkish cuisine. You can omit and add the same amount of extra bulgur wheat. You can buy online Arpa Sehriye (Orzo) or Tel Sehriye (Vermicelli) from Amazon as well as from large supermarkets/Turkish shops.
    • Stock - I prefer using Easy Chicken Stock (Bone Broth) or Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock but you can use stock cubes if you don't have any stock in hand. Make sure you don't add too much salt as ready-made stocks and stock cubes contain salt already.

    Bulgur vs Quinoa

    Although these two nutritious and popular ingredients look quite similar, they are different in many ways. Bulgur is pre-cooked wheat and contains gluten. It is higher in fibre and has lower calories than quinoa but quinoa is richer in minerals and vitamins. It is also an antioxidant regarding the latest research in Turkey. Bulgur is originally from the Middle East and is widely used in Turkey, Balkans and Middle Eastern countries. Quinoa is a seed and is gluten-free. It is originally from South America and is widely used in the US and South American countries.

    How to Make Bulgur Pilavi?

    This is a very simple, straightforward recipe and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

    • Use the right type of bulgur - Use coarse or very coarse bulgur for a fluffy and chewy texture. Using fine bulgur would make the pilaf mushy. Wash the bulgur under running cold water in a fine sieve. That’s a necessary step for getting rid of any dust or preservatives. Let the bulgur drain before cooking.
    medium coarse bulgur wheat
    • Use butter with orzo or vermicelli- Cook the bulgur pilaf with butter for an even nuttier taste. Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat and add orzo or vermicelli. Fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Butter burns quick, so keep an eye! Stir in the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the bulgur to the pan and sauté for a few minutes until it's dry.
    Saute the orzo or vermicelli in butter
    add the tomatoes and cook for few minutes
    add the bulgur to the pan

    Add hot chicken or vegetable stock, and combine all nicely. Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat and gently simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes or until the bulgur is soft.

    give it a stir before adding the stock
    add the stock and cook on low heat until it absorbs all the liquid
    • Let the pilaf rest before serving - When the bulgur is cooked, take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid off. Gently stir with a fork to make the bulgur fluffy before serving.

    Serving Suggestions

    Turkish Bulgur Pilaf with Tomatoes complements most of the delicious Mediterranean dishes such as Lamb Shish Kebab, Turkish Chickpea Stew (Nohut Yahni), Inegol Kofte, Izmir Kofte (Smyrna Meatballs) or Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps). You can also serve this versatile dish as a main meal with a side of salad, a bowl of yoghurt or mixed pickled vegetables.

    bulgur pilaf served with Izmir Kofte
    Delicious Tomato Bulgur Rice Pilaf served with Izmir Kofte (Smyrna Meatballs)

    Related Recipes

    Love bulgur? For other great bulgur recipes why not try:

    • Turkish Bulgur Pilaf with Lentils
    • Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls)
    • Ezo Gelin Corba
    • Tabbouleh Recipe
    • Kapuska (Turkish Cabbage Stew)
    • Kisir - Turkish Bulgur Salad
    • Sulu Kofte - Turkish Meatball Soup
    • Fellah Koftesi
    • icli Kofte (Turkish Kibbeh)
    What is bulgur wheat?

    Bulgur wheat is a whole grain made from cracked wheat and is widely used in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines for many dishes.

    What is bulgur rice good for?

    Bulgur rice is packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, and it's great for weight loss as it will make you feel fuller.

    What does bulgur taste like?

    Bulgur has a light and nutty taste with a crunchy texture when raw and a chewy texture when cooked.

    Top Tip From the Chef

    Chicken Stock or Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock are great flavourings for pilaf. Make sure the stock is hot before adding to bulgur.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this tasty side dish Bulgur Pilavi as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    bulgur pilaf with tomatoes

    Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Pilaf)

    Ayla Clulee
    Healthy and delicious side dish that is very easy to make with a few pantry ingredients.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish
    Servings 4 People
    Calories 324 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 Rubber spatula
    • 1 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups
    • 1 Measuring Spoons
    • 1 Sauce pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 tablespoon butter (40 grams)
    • 50 g vermicelli or orzo (2 ½ tbsp)
    • 1 large tomato (grated or finely chopped)
    • 40 g sundried tomato (finely chopped)
    • ½ tablespoon tomato paste
    • 270 g coarse bulgur (1 ½ cup)
    • 540 ml chicken stock or vegetable stock (hot) (3 cups)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Wash bulgur in a fine sieve with cold water and let it drain.
    • Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
    • Add orzo or vermicelli and fry until they turn golden brown.
    • Add the bulgur and stir until nicely combined for a few more minutes.
    • Add the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped tomato, sauté for a few minutes.
    • Pour in hot chicken stock or vegetable stock, add the seasoning and give it a good stir.
    • Put the lid on and bring to a boil.
    • Let it simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
    • Let it rest for 10 minutes without opening the lid.
    • Stir it with a fork to make the rice fluffy before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 12gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1184mgPotassium: 786mgFiber: 15gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 803IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    FOOD SAFETY

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    « Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. julia

      September 11, 2021 at 6:49 am

      5 stars
      So delicious and simple to make

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        September 11, 2021 at 7:09 am

        Thank you Julia, it is indeed !

        Reply
    2. Ben Merriman-Johnson

      November 09, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      5 stars
      I didn’t have all the ingredients however the directions and the finish was superb. Definitely going out to get all the ingredients. For a great tasting meal.

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        November 09, 2021 at 4:38 pm

        Hi Ben
        I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nick

      April 20, 2022 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Very good and easy to make!

      Reply
    4. Christine

      April 24, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      This is a great idea for a side dish! I love bulgur and this looks delicious. Can't wait to try your recipe.

      Reply
    5. Ruby

      May 11, 2022 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      Awesome! This was so delicious that we started eating it without the side dishes!

      Reply
    6. Cara

      May 17, 2022 at 4:23 pm

      5 stars
      Such a fantastic bulgur pilaf! I absolutely love that colour from the tomato and all the tips to help make it perfect.

      Reply
    7. Sharon

      June 08, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and even enjoyed by my fussy kids! Thank you.

      Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    More about me →

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