Do I need to rinse bulgur after cooking? How to cook crumbly bulgur

As a rule, rice or buckwheat grains often appear on our tables. Tired of it? Then today we will tell you how to cook bulgur as a side dish. Many housewives have probably heard about this product, but ignorance of the matter, as they say, forced them to pass by the shelves with this cereal. But it was done in vain.

Let's figure it out and talk in more detail about bulgur. What kind of cereal is it, how to cook it, what products to combine it with, etc. We will also offer several simple but very tasty recipes that even an inexperienced culinary beginner can handle.

What to cook

If you are just starting to get acquainted with such a product, you don’t know what cereal is, how to cook it and for which dishes it is best suited, then let’s look into this issue. Firstly, as we said above, this is an excellent replacement for our usual rice. You can make amazing tasty pilaf from it.

Bulgur is also used to make flavorful flatbreads and bread. You can make hearty pies from bulgur using the grain as a filling. Many housewives use this product when preparing tomato soups with a fairly thick consistency. And bulgur is perfect for salads.

Bulgur goes well with meat. It especially interacts with chicken or lean beef. A very successful combination is bulgur and minced meat. With this mixture you can fill pies and pies, stuff tomatoes and sweet bell peppers, eggplants and zucchini.

By the way, bulgur porridge is an ideal dish for those who are on a diet, fasting or practicing vegetarianism. It can be prepared sweet or lightly salted. Bulgur is crumbly, it goes perfectly with vegetables as a side dish or can serve as an independent dish.

What do you eat bulgur with?

As a side dish, bulgur is served with both meat and fish dishes; it is even prepared with sweet fruits, honey, etc.

? Bulgur is universal, it can be combined with:

with meat, and even replace rice in pilaf with it;
with seafood;
with vegetables, both in salads and in soups, main courses;
with fruits, dried fruits, berries in morning milk porridges;
with chocolate, cocoa, honey, coconut milk in dessert porridges.

If you replace rice with bulgur in the stuffing for cabbage rolls, they will turn out to have a more delicate taste.

Beneficial features

This amazingly tasty cereal, which has a subtle nutty aroma, is very healthy. Bulgur contains a large amount of carbohydrates, and the glycemic index of the product is very low. The nutritional value, if compared, of bulgur is the same as that of pasta made from durum wheat. And they are known to be very useful.

Cereals contain a large amount of vitamins and microelements beneficial to our body. Bulgur is rich in magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorus.

How to cook bulgur

So, let's move on to the main question - how to properly cook bulgur as a side dish? Let's say right away that there are two ways to prepare this dish. Firstly, the cereal can be quickly fried in oil and then quickly boiled. Secondly, you can simply cook it for a long time and get a crumbly porridge, no worse than in the first option.

As a rule, Russian housewives answer the question: “How to cook bulgur as a side dish?” - they will answer that it needs to be boiled. The frying option is often not used in our country, as it requires time and some skill. This option is more often used in the East and Central Asia.

Today we will cook bulgur, as this is a faster and easier option suitable for our housewives. For this you will need:

One cup of cereal.
Two cups of water.
Salt pepper.
A little lemon juice.
Cinnamon stick (optional).

Pour water into a saucepan, add a cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. We take out the stick (it will no longer be needed, since during cooking it has already given up all its aromatic properties to the water). Immerse in water, season with salt and pepper and cook for about ten minutes.

How to cook bulgur as a side dish correctly? As a rule, no one will tell you the exact cooking time. It will range from seven to fifteen minutes. Experienced housewives say that the porridge is ready when all the water has been absorbed into the cereal. See for yourself, observe, calculate your cooking time. Everything will depend on the amount of cereal you cook and on the strength of the fire on which the pan is placed.

After the porridge has absorbed all the water, turn off the heat. Add a little butter there, stir, add lemon juice, stir and leave the dish alone for ten minutes. You can even cover the pan with a thick towel. Or put it in pillows, like my mother did with mashed potatoes when she was a child.

Bulgur with meat

As promised, we tell you how to cook bulgur on For this dish we need a very simple set of ingredients:

One glass of bulgur.
400 grams of beef.
One can of peeled tomatoes.
Butter - 40-50 grams.
Salt and pepper, as well as spices - to taste.

This dish uses two containers at once: a frying pan and a saucepan. Everything is prepared at the same time, which is very convenient and saves time. In a saucepan, as you already understood, we will cook bulgur. We have already described how to do this a little higher. Place the meat, cut into long strips, into the frying pan. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and fry over medium heat for about ten minutes. During this time, the cereal will be cooked. Add the bulgur to the meat, add a little water and simmer for some more time until the water has completely evaporated. You can also add butter. But if you are on a diet, then even without oil the dish will turn out very tasty and satisfying.

You can serve it by garnishing the dish with sweet bell peppers, slices of lemon, fresh tomato or chopped cucumber.

Cooking soup

Soups with bulgur are also very tasty and aromatic. The dish is perfect for those who like “liquid” food for lunch, and capricious children will also like it. But we would like to immediately note that it is not recommended to cook a large pan, as we usually do with borscht. After standing in the refrigerator for a day, this soup will turn from “thin” into an ordinary thick porridge.

To prepare the soup, you will need pre-prepared meat broth. We will add potatoes and frying (carrots with onions) to it. It is recommended to fry the bulgur a little in oil and then add it to the soup. For taste and aroma, add more greens at the end of cooking. This is an excellent dish for children's and dietary meals. The soup turns out rich, satisfying, but at the same time it is easily digestible and does not provide extra calories.

Bulgur pilaf

Pilaf is a favorite dish for many. Making it with bulgur instead of rice is as easy as shelling pears. According to the traditional principle, fry the meat, add carrots and onions. Pour in the bulgur and add water. It should be noted that such pilaf will cook much faster than with rice. It will take you about fifteen minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover with a towel, wait half an hour and you can eat the amazingly tasty and crumbly pilaf.

Bulgur is a grain with a huge number of beneficial properties and is very nutritious. It is obtained by grinding bran-free and dried milk-ripe wheat grains. Bulgur contains a large amount of vitamins B, K, E, beta-carotene, phosphorus, iron, manganese, sodium, selenium, potassium, copper, zinc and other trace elements. Externally, it resembles corn grits and increases several times when cooked. This makes bulgur a very economical product that is not only healthy, but also quite affordable.

Bulgur is a cereal widespread in eastern countries, which serves as an excellent side dish for meat and fish dishes, and is combined with vegetables and fruits. Daily consumption of this cereal strengthens the nervous system and has a great effect on the condition of the skin, hair, nails, and complexion. This culture is not very widespread here, which is a pity. Our housewives hardly know how to cook bulgur deliciously. But it can be used in the preparation of cabbage rolls and stuffed peppers, replacing rice with it, and serving as a side dish instead of potatoes, pasta and cereals - this will make our dishes easier for the body to digest and healthier.

The large amount of plant fiber contained in bulgur perfectly cleanses the body and makes such side dishes indispensable in a healthy diet. And it is especially useful for the category of people who engage in heavy physical labor or sports. This is an excellent balanced product for children's diet. It, like all wheat grain porridges, can be given to children starting from 1.5 years old. However, you should not consume a large amount of this side dish - the calorie content of the product is high compared to other cereals and amounts to 342 kcal per 100 grams. product. Therefore, those who are keen on various kinds of diets consider this product to be a source of extra calories. It should be noted that just a small handful of cereal, boiled in a large amount of water, can saturate the body and satisfy the feeling of hunger for a long time.

How to cook and cook delicious bulgur

Method No. 1

To get a tasty side dish, dry cereals need to be fried with the addition of oil.
Then take 2 parts of water for one part of the cereal and cook for about a quarter of an hour, closing it tightly with a lid. Method No. 2
You can cook porridge in a thermos.
To do this, pour one part of the cereal with two parts of boiling water and leave for about 1 hour. This method is perfect if you plan to use bulgur for filling, making cutlets, and salads. Method No. 3
Place the dishes with cereal in the microwave. Don’t forget about the ability of bulgur to increase its volume by 2-2.5 times when cooked - we take dishes with this in mind. Fill with a little less water than usual and cook at maximum power for 3-4 minutes. Then, without removing the porridge from the microwave, let it brew for another 15-20 minutes.

Method No. 4

You can make a dish that tastes great in a slow cooker.
To get a crumbly side dish, you need to cook it in the “buckwheat porridge” mode, however, for true gourmets, I know a longer, but more tasty way to prepare porridge: 1. Fry the cereal in butter in the “baking” mode. 2. Add spices and salt. 3. Pour boiling water over and set to “simmer” mode for 15 minutes. 4. Then cook for another 10 minutes in “heat” mode. You and your guests will definitely love this side dish! Method No. 5
How can you cook delicious bulgur on a regular stove? Heat a frying pan, add a little oil, fry the cereal until golden brown and smell nutty, then transfer to a pan of boiling water. Make porridge, or use it for soup - this grain is suitable for everything. If you are preparing soup, after you add the fried bulgur, you need to immediately remove the soup from the stove and let it brew under the lid for 10 minutes.

After you have learned how to cook bulgur, it is worth telling what it does not taste well with, and what will enhance its taste.

Bulgur is a cereal that is extracted from durum wheat. In the process, wheat grains are heat treated with water, then dried in the sun and ground to remove the outer shell (bran). Today we will tell you in more detail how to cook bulgur, and how beneficial it is for the body.

During the crushing process, bulgur is divided into 3 degrees of grinding:

Fine/fine grind (koftelik). Mainly used for baking bread, pies, cookies, cakes, muffins and so on. The taste has a nutty hue and an appetizing crunch.
Medium grind. Suitable for preparing porridges, thick soups, and side dishes.
Coarse grind. Most often used for cooking pilaf. As a result, the taste is no worse than traditional rice + it does not boil to mush.

Soak or fry?

To prevent the product in the pan from sticking together and the crumbly cereal to retain its shape, the ground grain must be “filled” in advance. That is, either pre-soak in water or fry in a frying pan with added oil. Let's consider the advantages of each method.

Soaking bulgur

This method helps preserve maximum nutrients. The cereal is placed in a large container, preferably made of ceramic or metal with thick walls, and filled with hot water. There should be about one and a half times more water than cereal. Close the container with a lid, wrap it with a towel and leave for 30 minutes. Only after this can you start cooking.

If you keep the bulgur in water longer, 40–50 minutes, it can be cooled and used without further cooking. In this case, the preparation time for the side dish or salad will be as short as possible.

Roasting bulgur

When fried, the full rich taste and aroma of the cereal is revealed - bulgur acquires nutty notes and is more suitable for meat dishes. This method is most often used to prepare pilaf.

The frying pan needs to be heated over high heat with oil - as a rule, 10-15 grams of butter or ghee are used per 100 grams of cereal. Olive or sunflower can overwhelm the aroma. Pour the cereal into a hot frying pan and stir thoroughly with a wooden spatula. As soon as a golden color appears or the smell of nuts begins to be heard, remove from heat and transfer to a saucepan for cooking.

After this, the chances of properly cooking bulgur in a pan increase significantly. The chosen method does not affect how long to cook the bulgur in the pan.

Bulgur benefits

Cereals contain a large amount of vitamins and microelements: folic acid, vitamins B, PP, E, copper, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron. The calorie content of the ingredient is 347 kcal per 100 grams.

Eating bulgur grains will help:

improve the functioning of the nervous system
restore metabolism
tidy up the condition of nails, hair and skin
lose excess weight, despite the high percentage of calories
cleanse the body of toxins
lowers blood sugar levels
Cereals contain a large amount of fiber, so you will need a small portion to feel full. Such nutrition will not affect your figure in any way.

Contraindications. Cereals can harm the body if:

have an allergy to gluten
increased acidity
frequent diarrhea and flatulence are observed
inflammatory processes in the gastric mucosa have been recorded
have a tendency to overeat

If you notice such symptoms after eating porridge, then consult a doctor to find out the cause.

How to cook bulgur?

bulgur (half a cup)
water (1 glass)
vegetable/butter or olive oil (2 tbsp).

How to cook bulgur?

Take bulgur (some are washed, but then it becomes watery) and add it to a preheated saucepan with vegetable/olive or butter. Simmer for 2-4 minutes, then pour in 1 glass of hot water, add salt, cover and boil for 15-20 minutes. Note: if the water has boiled away quickly (maybe if the cereal is too old or poorly cooked), then pour in another half a glass of water. All is ready!

Cooking Features:

Bulgur is not washed or pre-soaked.
Before cooking, the cereal is first fried in oil (butter, vegetable, olive) to intensify the aroma and nutty flavor, and then filled with water.
Mostly, thick-bottomed dishes are used for cooking.
During the process, the bulgur increases 3 times, so calculate the portions in advance.
proportions of ingredients: water and cereal 1:2. The ideal ratio for obtaining a viscous porridge.

Bulgur cooking recipes

Recipe No. 1 (Bulgur, beans and cheese salad)

Prepare:

cereal (half a cup)
water (1 glass)
green beans (100-150g)
garlic (2 cloves)
cheese (preferably Parmesan) 100g
lemon juice (a few drops)
spices

How to cook bulgur?

Fill the bulgur with hot water, let it brew for 35 minutes and add lemon juice. Dip the beans in salted water and boil for up to 5 minutes. Afterwards, place in a colander, pour over cool water, place in a frying pan, add chopped garlic and after 2 minutes pour in a little water. Remove from heat, add cheese, spices and mix everything thoroughly. Serve the salad warm. Bon appetit!

Recipe No. 2 (Tabbouleh Salad)

bulgur (165g)
tomatoes (2 pcs)
onions (2 pcs)
parsley (bunch)
olive oil (4 tbsp)
salt pepper

Soak the bulgur in water for 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze thoroughly. Next, cut the onion, parsley and tomatoes into cubes. Gently mix all the products, add olive oil and sprinkle with spices. Ready!

Recipe No. 3 (With mushrooms)

bulgur cereal (1 cup)
onion (2 pcs)
any mushrooms (champignons) 450g
water (2 cups)
fresh greens
olive or vegetable oil (4 tbsp)
spices

Finely chop the onion, fry lightly in oil and add mushrooms. After that, add the bulgur, fry for up to 5 minutes, add water, season with spices and simmer for up to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the finished dish with fresh herbs.

Recipe No. 4 (Soup with bulgur and Turkish lentils)

bulgur (half a cup)
red lentils (half a cup)
onion (1 piece)
tomato paste (1 tbsp)
ground paprika (or you can use dried bell pepper) 1 tsp.
butter (melted) 55g
any broth (vegetable/chicken) 2l
spices: pepper, salt

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add finely chopped onion and fry for up to 5 minutes. Then add paprika, pepper and mix. Next, it’s time to add tomato paste and hot broth. We simmer all this for up to two minutes. Next, add bulgur + lentils to the preparation and boil for up to 25 minutes. At the end, season with spices and let it brew for up to 15 minutes.

How to cook bulgur in a slow cooker?

For cooking you will need: butter (45g), bulgur (300g), water (460ml), spices. First, melt the butter in a multicooker, turning on the “frying” mode and add the cereal. Next, fry it for up to 5 minutes, until a delicate nutty aroma appears. Then pour boiling water into the bowl, sprinkle with spices, close the lid and simmer for up to 20 minutes in the “cereal” mode. All is ready! You can also cook

Recipe No. 6 (Eggplant stuffed with bulgur)

eggplants (4pcs)
bulgur (1 cup)
onion + carrot 1 pc.
any minced meat (450g)
tomato sauce or juice (550ml)
salt, black pepper + allspice, sugar for filling (1 tbsp.)

1. How to cook bulgur? Wash the eggplants thoroughly, dry them and remove the pulp using a spoon/knife. Sprinkle with spices and set aside for now.

2. Place chopped onion and carrots in a frying pan with vegetable oil and fry until soft. Then add minced meat, eggplant pulp, mix and fry for up to 7 minutes. Next, add the bulgur, sprinkle with spices, simmer for a few minutes and remove.

3. Take a saucepan, pour in tomato juice/sauce, add spices, peppercorns, sugar and boil. Fill the eggplants with bulgur and vegetables filling, place in boiling tomato juice, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for up to 60 minutes. Bon appetit!

What is the secret of making bulgur porridge? Is it difficult to prepare? Not at all, if you know all the subtleties and follow the basic rules. Learn simple recipes and master the technique of preparing delicious and healthy bulgur dishes.

? Technology for cooking crumbly bulgur

The algorithm for cooking bulgur is simple; even an inexperienced cook will get a flavourful, crumbly side dish.

In a saucepan

The easiest way to cook crumbly bulgur is in a saucepan. To do this, simply follow the step-by-step instructions.

First, the cereal is prepared: fried for 3-4 minutes in vegetable, butter, ghee or a mixture of vegetable and butter. It is necessary to fry with constant stirring until it has a characteristic “nutty” aroma. The grains become translucent. It is more convenient to fry in the same pan in which the bulgur will be cooked, or use a saucepan.
The fried cereal is poured with hot water. For fine-grained bulgur, one and a half parts of water is enough; for medium- and coarse-grained bulgur, take 2 parts of liquid.
When the water boils, salt the bulgur, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. The porridge will be ready when all the water has boiled away, this will take from 10 to 20 minutes. There is no need to open the lid and stir.

If frying as a type of processing is not welcome, then before cooking the bulgur can be filled with hot water (1: 2-2.5) for half an hour.

? Video - recipe for making bulgur

In a slow cooker

In the “Frying” or “Baking” mode, melt the butter or heat the vegetable oil, fry the cereal for 3-5 minutes until translucent and a “nutty” smell appears.
Then pour hot water (1:1.5) over the bulgur and salt it. Close the lid and select the “Porridge”, “Buckwheat”, “Rice” or “Stew” mode, set the timer to 20 minutes. There is no need to open in the middle of the process, stir, or check for readiness.

In order for the cereal to open better and steam, after the end of the program you can keep it for another 7-9 minutes in the heating mode.

In the microwave

Bulgur is cooked in the microwave without pre-treatment. The cereal is immediately placed in a suitable container. A glass saucepan for the microwave or a ceramic pot is better. Add salt, a pinch of sugar if desired, and add warm water (1:2).
Place the container in the oven and cook the porridge for 10 minutes at a power of 800 W. Then the contents are mixed, pieces of butter are laid out on the surface, and run for another 5 minutes at a power of 600 W.

Product Description

Bulgur (burgul) is a grain with a centuries-old history.
It has been used for more than four thousand years. It is believed that it was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Maghreb merchants. Cereals are traditionally used in dishes of Mediterranean, Oriental, Indian, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Chinese cuisines. By the way, the ancient Chinese considered bulgur a sacred culture. Bulgur is a cereal obtained from durum wheat. It is subjected to heat treatment with water and drying. The grains are then hulled (polished) to remove the coarse fibrous outer shell (bran) and to produce an amber color. After which the crushing process begins. Then the cereal is sorted by degree of grinding:

fine fraction (koftelik). Used as an additive when baking various breads, pies, muffins and cookies. This “zest” gives baked goods a delicate nutty flavor and an appetizing crunch;
the middle fraction is ideal for preparing side dishes, cereals, thick soups, as well as snacks and desserts;
large fraction (pilavlik) - used for preparing pilaf. The taste is not inferior to traditional rice. It successfully replaces pearl barley and couscous in recipes without boiling to a mushy state.

The calorie content of the cereal is high - 342 kcal per 100 g.

Benefit

Unfortunately, little is known about bulgur in Russia. Just a few years ago, dishes made from this grain entered restaurant menus. Many people simply underestimate the beneficial properties of porridge. Rich in iron, potassium, vitamins, folic acid and fiber, it has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, helps burn fat and lower blood sugar. The complex carbohydrates contained in the cereal are absorbed slowly, without causing damage to the figure.

Harm

In some cases, bulgur can harm the body. Contraindications to eating cereals are:

gluten intolerance;
flatulence and frequent diarrhea;
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus;
increased acidity;
tendency to overeat.

If atypical symptoms appear after consuming the product, consult a specialist. Perhaps this is a signal of a hidden problem in the body. In this case, the dish will not bring any benefit.

Benefits of bulgur and energy value

Nutritional value per 100 g. cooked product:

proteins – 3.1 g;
carbohydrates – 14.1 g;
fat –0.2 g;
calorie content –83 kcal.

Useful properties of bulgur:

Cleansing the body of toxins and toxic compounds. Eating grains helps reduce weight.
Cereals help to increase metabolic processes in the human body and normalize carbohydrate balance.
When consumed together with fruits or berries, it saturates the body with the daily norm of necessary macro- and microelements; together with meat, it improves the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract.
Beneficial effects on skin and hair, thanks to vitamins A and E.
Improving the functionality of the nervous system due to the content of vitamin B in the cereal.
Strengthening tooth enamel, nails, bone tissue due to calcium.
Preventing increases in blood glucose.
Normalization of intestinal microflora (with regular use).
Reducing cholesterol levels.
Positive effect on brain functionality (improved memory and concentration).

Bulgur can be used as a facial scrub, which helps eliminate flaking skin and blackheads. Also, ground cereal mixed with olive oil can be used to eliminate cellulite from problem areas.

Subtleties of cooking

Bulgur is used to prepare soups, main courses and desserts. Pairs well with meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. In oriental cuisine, cereals often replace traditional rice when preparing pilaf. In Cyprus, bulgur is used for traditional wedding pilaf, and in Turkey it is used to make “bride’s soup” with the addition of lentils. Cooking bulgur has its own characteristics.

The grains are not washed or soaked. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Before cooking, the grains are fried in butter or olive oil. This gives it a pleasant aroma and subtle nutty flavor.
For cooking, use dishes with a thick bottom. A great option is a cauldron or wok. Over low heat, the cereal will simmer in them, but not boil.
When cooked, the cereal increases three times. Before cooking, be sure to calculate the number of servings needed.
The proportions of water and cereal are 1:2. This ratio is ideal for viscous porridge.
Incompatible components. Cereals do not combine with paprika, tomato paste, tarragon and dried fruits. Do not use it with potatoes, cabbage and beets. And there are simply no recipes with eggs.
In a multicooker, bulgur porridge is prepared in the “Buckwheat” mode. During the cooking process, the grain goes through several stages of processing, due to which the finished dish becomes crumbly.

Gourmets advise cooking bulgur in a slow cooker in several modes. First, the grain is fried in melted butter in the “Baking” mode. Fill with water and cook using the “Stew” mode. Bring to readiness in the “Warming” mode.

Preparing bulgur

Cooking bulgur correctly is quite simple, but first you need to pay attention to the preparation. There are several cooking methods, but there are some general rules. For crumbly bulgur you will need:

large saucepan - the cereal swells during cooking and approximately triples its original volume;
the cereal itself - the finer the grind, the shorter the cooking time;
water - the proportion of water to cereal depends on the chosen cooking method.

During the cooking process, you don’t even need salt - all seasonings are added to the finished dish.

Simple recipe

Boiled bulgur will be a nutritious breakfast and an excellent side dish for meat or fish.
The most delicious dish will be on the first day. Do not store prepared porridge for several days. Better make it fresh. You will need:

coarse bulgur - 1 cup;
cold water - 2 glasses;
butter - 2 tablespoons;
salt - to taste.

Preparation

Melt the butter in a cauldron.
Add the cereal, stir, fry for 3 minutes.
Fill with water and salt.
Increase the heat and wait until it boils.
Cover with a lid, reduce heat, cook for 15-20 minutes.
Let it brew for 5 minutes.

The finished dish has a pleasant nutty taste. Serve it with butter.

Original recipes

We suggest preparing a delicious sweet porridge with milk and a dish with mushrooms. The first one is suitable for breakfast, and the second one will be a good choice for dinner.

With pumpkin and apples

A hearty and incredibly appetizing dish is a good way to start the day.
It will charge you with energy and give you a feeling of fullness for several hours. You will need:

bulgur - 1/2 cup;
milk - 1 glass;
pumpkin - 100 grams;
apple - 1 piece;
ground cinnamon - 1 gram;
sugar - 3 teaspoons;
water - 1 glass;
butter - 3 tablespoons;
dried apricots - 50 grams;
mint - 2-3 leaves;
salt - to taste.

Preparation

Fry the bulgur in oil.
Pour in water and milk.
Peel and dice the pumpkin.
Finely chop the dried apricots.
Add pumpkin, dried apricots, sugar, stir, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cook for 20 minutes.
Add salt and remove from heat.
Peel the apples and cut into cubes.
Fry the apples in butter with added sugar for 1 minute.
Place the porridge on a plate, add apples, and pour over the remaining syrup from frying.
Garnish the dish with cinnamon and mint leaves.

Bulgur with milk turns out crumbly, the grains do not stick together. Pieces of pumpkin, dried apricots and caramelized apples increase the usefulness of the dish, saturating it with vitamins and microelements. Spicy notes of cinnamon and mint complete the taste.

With mushrooms

Cereals go well with mushrooms.
Even traditional champignons, which many consider tasteless, will not leave you indifferent. Try a simple recipe for bulgur porridge with mushrooms. You will need:

bulgur - 1 cup;
champignons - 500 grams;
onions - 2 pieces;
olive oil - 4 tablespoons;
water - 2 glasses;
parsley - 6-7 sprigs;
salt - to taste.

Preparation

Fry the diced onion in oil.
Add sliced mushrooms and fry until juice forms.
Add bulgur, fry for 5 minutes.
Pour water, salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add chopped greens.

Bulgur with mushrooms can be served with meat or used as an independent dish.
If you are on a diet or fasting, porridge will diversify your diet. We got acquainted with the basic intricacies of preparing bulgur porridge. Now you can choose the most suitable option that will give you a boost of energy and good mood!

Second courses for every day

If you're tired of regular grains, you should try bulgur, a versatile side dish that can replace rice in all recipes. Try it!

30 min

350 kcal

4.95/5 (20)

The headache of every housewife is what to cook for a side dish this time? Buckwheat or rice again? Are there really no other options? Of course there is, and starting today, you will surprise your family with culinary exotics for the price of wheat porridge. So, if real bulgur has never come to your table, let’s figure out what kind of grain it is and how to cook it.

How to choose the right bulgur?

Bulgur is not a wonderful overseas plant, it’s just crushed wheat grains

, which reach the consumer after a certain heat treatment, giving the cereal a unique nutty flavor. If you want to cook pilaf, choose coarsely ground bulgur, and if your plans include salads or meatballs, opt for finely ground grains.

The benefits and harms of bulgur

Bulgur is very popular in Asian and Mediterranean countries. This cereal is easily digested by the body, while bringing an unprecedented feeling of fullness.

In addition, bulgur contains many beneficial vitamins.

and minerals, in particular potassium, iron, copper and B vitamins, and also helps remove waste and toxins from the body. There is no need to talk about the dangers of bulgur if you consume it in reasonable quantities.

Bulgur, successful combinations and recipes

You can eat bulgur immediately after cooking, adding salt and seasoning to taste. Can be used as an addition to salads. This grain goes well with herbs such as coriander, parsley and mint. Among the spices, white and pink pepper, nutmeg and sesame seeds are suitable for it. By adding meat to bulgur, you can make an excellent hearty dish.

Bulgur with vegetables

The recipe for bulgur with vegetables is an excellent vegetarian alternative to classic pilaf.

To prepare this dish you will need the following food set:

onion – 1 large;
eggplant – 1 pc.;
tomato – 2 pcs.;
carrots – 1 pc.;
sweet pepper – 1 pc.;
bulgur – 1 cup;
spices, herbs, garlic - to taste.

Preparing this dish is quite simple - fry the vegetables in a deep frying pan (you can choose any you have on hand), bring until half cooked. Then add herbs, garlic and spices, add bulgur and fry everything together for a couple of minutes.

Add 2 cups of water and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Check readiness and, if necessary, continue to simmer until the bulgur and vegetables are ready.

Bulgur salad

You can make a delicious hearty salad using bulgur.

Ingredients:

tomatoes – 2 large;
onions – 1 pc.;
bulgur – half a glass;
juice of 2 lemons;
greens - cockerel, cilantro, mint;
salt, spices;
oil for frying.

Prepare bulgur using the standard method, boiling it in a pan after pre-frying. Cut the tomatoes and onions into cubes, add chopped herbs, add the still warm cooked bulgur. Season the salad with lemon juice and salt. Sumac, a specific oriental spice that has a sour taste, goes well with this salad.

To learn how to quickly and deliciously cook bulgur as a side dish, watch the following video.

Author: Yulia Sabinova. Updated 11/08/2020

Undoubtedly, everyone who has tried bulgur porridge at least once will say with confidence that it is very tasty and nutritious, so in this article we will try to understand in more detail how long and how to properly cook bulgur in a saucepan and a slow cooker for a side dish so that it It turned out crumbly and did not stick together during cooking.

How to cook bulgur as a side dish

Kitchen appliances.

In order to cook bulgur as a side dish, you will need a deep frying pan - yes, yes, this time we will do without a pan!

Ingredients

Recipe for making bulgur as a side dish

Video recipe for cooking bulgur as a side dish

If you are still tormented by vague doubts whether it is possible to cook cereal in a frying pan, watch this video and your uncertainty will dissipate like smoke. And if you carefully watch the video to the end, then as a bonus you will learn how to simply and beautifully serve a side dish of bulgur.

To cook bulgur in a slow cooker, cook all the ingredients from the standard recipe in the same sequence in the “Pilaf” mode.

What is bulgur?

Bulgur is a variation of wheat cereal that has become widespread in Asia. The essence of its production is the processing of wheat grains with steam, drying them (preferably in the sun), cleaning and then grinding.

Thanks to this method of preparing cereals, bulgur cooks quickly and retains more valuable vitamins and nutrients.

There are three types of crushed bulgur - fine, medium and coarse. Fine (fine) is used for baking, medium is used for adding to salads, soups and as a side dish, and coarse (coarsely ground) is used in dishes such as pilaf or as a side dish.

Bulgur pilaf

Cooking time:
1 hour.
Quantity:
5-6 servings.
Kitchen appliances.
This pilaf is prepared not in a traditional cauldron, but in a deep frying pan with high sides.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur;
2 glasses of water;
1 chicken breast;
1 onion;

1 carrot;
50 ml sunflower oil;
1 teaspoon of tomato paste.

Recipe for making bulgur pilaf

Video recipe for making bulgur pilaf

There is nothing better than a thorough, consistent explanation of a new recipe received from a master of his craft. This video shows in as much detail and clarity as possible how to cook aromatic bulgur pilaf.

Turkish bulgur soup

Cooking time:
50 minutes.
Quantity:
6-7 servings.
Kitchen appliances.
We will cook the soup in a regular saucepan, and nothing else will be needed!

Ingredients

150 g bulgur;
150 g lentils;
2.5 liters of water;
2 tbsp. spoons of tomato;

50 g dried vegetables;
1 teaspoon dried mint;
1 teaspoon dried basil;
2 tbsp. spoons of dried paprika.

Recipe for Turkish Bulgur Soup

Video recipe for making Turkish bulgur soup

Having trouble remembering the sequence of steps in a recipe? Watch this video and it will become much clearer to you what to put into the pan for what. In addition, you will see in advance what the result of your efforts will look like, and isn’t this the best motivation?

⌚ Bulgur cooking time

How long to cook bulgur
in a saucepan	in a slow cooker	in the microwave
10-20 minutes (depending on the size of the cereal and the selected amount of water)	20 minutes (“Porridge”, “Rice”, “Buckwheat”, “Stew”)	10 minutes (at 800 W) + 5 minutes (at 600 W)

If time permits, bulgur can be prepared by steaming. To do this, pour boiling water (1:1.5-2) over the washed cereals, wrap the container in a thick terry towel or blanket, and leave for two to three hours.

Then all that remains is to salt the porridge, add oil and heat it on the stove for a couple of minutes. You can speed up the process by using a thermos. It will steam the cereal in 40–50 minutes.

How to make bulgur soup, see this link.

Kysir, or Turkish salad with bulgur

Cooking time:
20 minutes.
Quantity:
7-8 servings.
Kitchen appliances.
In this recipe you will have to work with a knife, and that’s all.

Ingredients

2.5 cups small bulgur;
1 bunch of green onions;
1 bunch of parsley;
4 pieces of thin green pepper;
4 tomatoes;
1 bunch of mint;

2 lemons;
0.5 teaspoons each of black and red pepper;
0.5 cups olive oil;
1 tbsp. a spoonful of pepper paste;
1 glass of water.

Recipe for Turkish salad with bulgur

Video recipe for preparing Turkish salad with bulgur

Cooking exotic dishes often confuses us, but that's okay: watch the video and you will not only learn all the intricacies of preparing kysir, but also learn how to serve it beautifully.