Spicy Bulgur and Eggplant Pilaf, Vegan
Bulgur wheat is a cereal food most commonly eaten in the Middle Eastern cuisine. ( Also known as bulghur, burghul or bulgar.) It is also found in Greece, Turkey as well as many other countries around the world. Bulgur are precooked wheat berries, it is what is left after wheat kernels have been steamed, dried and crushed.¹ In the Middle East Bulgur has been a staple due to the inexpensive price as well as for the health benefits.
Bulgur is a great food to add to your diet. It is high in fiber and nutrients, and a great source of low-fat protein. So a perfect food to add to your diet when trying to eat healthier or attempting to loose weight. The high fiber helps your digestive system keep healthy but we also know that high fiber foods make you feel fuller faster. The protein will help keep you fuller longer so preventing in between meal snacking. Bulgur is also a low Glycemic index food which helps keep your blood sugar down, another great benefit. Oh and did I mention that Bulgur is low in fat and calories?
Pilaf is a term that describes rice that is cooked in a seasoned broth.( It is also know as pilaf, pilaf, pilaf and/or pilaw.) Additionally meats or vegetables can be added to the pilaf. Recipes and variations of pilaf are as vast as the countries in which the dish is commonly found. This recipe is a pilaf in that the rice substitute, Bulgur was cooked in a seasoned broth. However, I cooked the vegetables separately to make sure the eggplant was to the soft consistency my husband likes. But feel free to experiment and cook all ingredients together if you like.
- 1 cup or 180g coarse Bulgur
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic
- salt to taste
- 2 cups or 500 ml low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant, finely diced
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 1 red chile, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus if needed
- ½ tsp. whole cumin seed
- dash of sweet paprika for color
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper, ¼ tsp.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan, one warm add the bulgur and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Next pour the broth and salt into the saucepan. Stir and simmer for about 15 minute or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn the heat off, cover the pan and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
- While the bulgur is simmering and sitting off to the side cook the vegetables. Heat the oil then add the onion and chile and saute for 3 minutes. Next add the cumin seed and garlic and cook for another minute. Next add the eggplant, salt, pepper and mix all the vegetables well. Add the dash of paprika and again mix ingredient. Cover and allow to cook until eggplant is soft about 15-20 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are soft combine them with the cooked bulgur. Stir to make sure the vegetables are well distributed throughout the bulgur. Serve warm as a side dish for 2 or as a vegan meal for 1.
Bulgur is a great grain to substitute for rice. In fact my personal opinion is that Bulgur tastes and works better than rice in many recipes. This recipe today I’ve made both with white rice and Bulgur. Both hubby and I agree that Bulgur tastes better. You can buy Bulgur at Middle Easter, Turkish, Greek, organic or health food stores. Though Bulgur has become quite popular so you may want to check your local grocery store before the others. Make sure you read the package for the different grain grades. I’ve used a coarse grade Bulgur, if you use another cooking time will vary.
¹ Source Discovery Fit & Health
Other great Bulgur recipes:
– Cajun Bulgur Salad by A Couple Cooks
– Bulgur Chili (Vegan) by Naturally Ella
– Bulgur with Chicken, Zucchini, Parsley and Lemon by Lucullian Delights
– Veal, bulgur cauliflower & orange [in german] by E Pluribus Unum
– Chicken Cardamom with Bulgur Pilaf by My Home Diary in Turkey
Have a great weekend everyone! YBR signup post will go up on Sunday, see you then:)
I love bulgur and eggplants, so your dish is particularly appealing to me! A great combination.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa! Have a great weekend :)
I would diffinitely try this one. I love everything in it and the picture is calling me!
Thank you Claudia, have a great weekend :)
Hmm…. you make this bulgur rich of flavor.. looks scrumptious with all those ingredients you mix.
Thank you Citra! I also loved your recipe.
Really fantastic recipe. I have got to use more Bulgar in replace of rice. I only use Bulgar when I make tabbouleh so now I have more reasons to use it. Have a great weekend! :)
Thank you Ramona! Now you are making me crave tabbouleh, yum. Have a great weekend too :)
Looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you!
I love bulgur! I had no idea it was a low fat protein. This looks like the perfect side dish to baked salmon!
Hi Julie, Oh yes baked salmon and bulgur sound great together :)
I love bulgur, and eggplant goes so well with it. This pilaf looks beyond delicious :)
Thank you Kiri!
What a great combo! Sounds so yummy and of course looks amazing!
Thank you Katie :)!
I first learned to love bulgur when I lived in the Middle East and I find I can never have enough ways to use it. Thanks for sharing this one. It looks great! And the photos…so lovely.
I also feel the same way about Bulgur, it’s so yummy. Thanks Vicki!
love this pilaf and gorgeous clicks! bulgur is definitely better than plain carb white rice. thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Richa!
mmm wow, so healthy! good work inspiring me with healthy recipes…i’ll never stay on track otherwise! :)
Thanks Anna :)
What a healthy and tasty side dish. I love eating grains and feel so good afterwards. It’s always nice to have various recipes to try. Thanks for sharing this one. I’ll look forward to trying it.
Thank you Vicki. I too love all sorts of grains. Sometimes I think they are easily overlooked and not much experimenting with them is done, myself included. But experimenting is a way to keep things fresh.
Delicious, healthy and stunning photos….as always!
Thank you Ann :)
Your photos are amazing! Your lighting is perfect!
Thanks Ray!
NICE!!! This bulghur dish looks more like paella or risotto. I like… :)
Thank you Jen :)
what a hearty platter and the pics are stunning Nancy
Thank you Priya!
delicious looking way to make eggplant pilaf with bulgur we usually make it with rice
looks wonderful
Thank you, now I’m craving eggplant pilaf with rice too :)
What a wonderful idea! I have not used bulgur often, but I happen to have some in my pantry :) Gorgeous dish and photos!
Thank Alisha! I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful dish with it:)
Very nice version of bulgur… I like this one…
Danke! I also liked your recipe very much.
So pretty! <3
Thanks!
This looks good enough to present for dinner this week but I will probably substitute couscous for the bulghur since that’s my husband’s favorite grain.
Hi Suzanne,
Yes, it would be great for dinner or even a party. Though I like couscous the taste wouldn’t be the same, I’m sure still delicious.
This looks good, but I’m confused… Do you mean 1 cup of uncooked bulgur? That seems like it should serve way more than two for a side or one as a main… one cup of uncooked bulgur makes 3 cups cooked…??
Hi Emily! Yes, the recipe calls for uncooked 1 cup or 180g coarse bulgur, then it gives you the cooking instructions.
Thank you for catching the typo. When I cook this recipe it makes enough for two of us as a main dish, as a side dish it’s 4 servings.