Mains & Sides
Lebanese Tomato Bulgur Pilaf
Coarse bulgur cooked with tomato, onion and concentrated tomato paste until fluffy and deeply savoury.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
From Toula's table
Tomato paste gives the dish depth while fresh tomato keeps it bright. The final rest lets the bulgur finish absorbing the liquid without becoming mushy.
Method
Step by step
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a pot and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
- 2
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook 4–5 minutes.
- 3
Add the bulgur, hot water or stock, salt, pepper and allspice. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cover and cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes until the bulgur is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- 5
Turn off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and finish with parsley.
Toula Tip
Do not keep stirring once the bulgur is simmering; leaving it alone helps the grains stay separate.
Serving suggestion
Serve with yogurt, cucumber salad, grilled vegetables or roast chicken.
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat with a small splash of water.
Substitutions
Use fine bulgur only if you reduce the liquid and cooking time; coarse bulgur gives the best pilaf texture.
You may also like
