Tomato Bulgar Pilav

This tomato bulgar pilav is a wonderful side dish to accompany kebab or any meat dish, particularly if you’re looking for an alternative to rice. Sometimes in our house we’ll eat it with soup and salad and it’s really enough food for our entire meal. My kids will eat a small bowl as their meal by itself.

Bulgar is packed with protein and fiber among other nutrients (like manganese and iron). It’s also very filling so a little bit goes a long way.

There are a lot of ways to prepare bulgar, some of which are simpler than this. However, if you’re a tomato fan then you’re going to love this recipe.

A note on the ingredients, pepper paste is usually something found at mediterranean markets. We use a pepper paste that is spicy, but if I am making this with my kids in mind I will use tomato paste. You can choose to use canned or fresh tomatoes, sometimes I will use both.

Here’s what you need:

• 1.5 cups of bulgar, rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsp your preferred cooking oil/butter/ghee
• 1 small onion (or ½ larger onion)
• 2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste or pepper paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• 3 cups warm/hot water

Start warming 3 cups of water in a kettle. Add oil to a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat. When heated, add in the onion and garlic and let cook until they start to brown a little bit. Then add the tomatoes, paste, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 2 minutes.

Next, add the bulgar and mix for 1-2 minutes before adding the warm/hot water. When boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes. 

When the bulger is finished cooking you should be able to see the bottom of the pan with no juice when you insert a large spoon.

Finally, remove the pan from the heat. Remove the lid and cover the pan with a paper towel, then replace the lid. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Happy cooking!

Print Recipe

Tomato Bulgar Pilav

Small Bites – Mediterranean

By Janice Yucel – Serves: 6

Prep Time: 10 MInutes – Cooking Time: 25 Minutes – Total Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of bulgar, rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsp your preferred cooking oil/butter/ghee
• 1 small onion (or ½ larger onion)
• 2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste or pepper paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• 3 cups warm/hot water

Instructions

1

Start warming 3 cups of water in a kettle.

2

Add oil to a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat. When heated, add in the onion and garlic and let cook until they start to brown a little bit.

3

Add the tomatoes, paste, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 2 minutes.

4

Add the bulgar and mix for 1-2 minutes before adding the warm/hot water. When boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes. 

5

When the bulger is finished cooking you should be able to see the bottom of the pan with no juice when you insert a large spoon.

6

Finally, remove the pan from the heat.

7

Remove the lid and cover the pan with a paper towel, then replace the lid.

8

Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.