Bulgur Pilaf

5 from 10 votes

My Turkish-style easy Bulgur Pilaf recipe is foolproof, healthy, full of flavour, and ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 290kcal

Place the bulgur in a fine sieve and rinse it under cold running water. This helps remove any dust and keeps the pilaf cleaner in flavour. Let it drain well before adding it to the pan.
You don’t need to soak the bulgur for this recipe. A quick rinse is enough, as the bulgur will cook in the hot stock.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the vermicelli or orzo and fry until golden brown, stirring often. Keep an eye on it because butter and small pasta pieces can brown quickly.
Add the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped or grated tomato to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste softens and the tomatoes start to release their juices.
Add the drained bulgur and stir until everything is nicely combined. Let it cook for a couple of minutes so the bulgur absorbs some of the butter and tomato flavour.
Pour in the hot chicken stock or vegetable stock, then add the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give everything a good stir and put the lid on.
Bring the pan to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender. Try not to stir too much while it cooks, as this can make the pilaf heavy.
Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat and let the pilaf rest for 10 minutes without opening the lid. Fluff it gently with a fork before serving.

Make sure the stock is hot before adding it to the bulgur.
Use coarse or extra coarse bulgur for the best fluffy texture. Don’t use fine bulgur for pilaf, as it can become mushy.
Rinse the bulgur under cold water before cooking and let it drain well.
Toast the vermicelli or orzo in butter until golden for extra flavour.
When the bulgur is cooked, take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid off.
Fluff the pilaf with a fork rather than stirring it heavily with a spoon.