Bulgur Pilaf With Chickpeas and Herbs

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published July 12, 2009

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Rating
4(127)
Comments
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This is the type of satisfying high-protein grain and legume dish that easily occupies the center of your dinner plate, accompanied by vegetables or a salad. Cook the chickpeas, then use the soaking water for reconstituting the bulgur. It couldn’t be a simpler dish to make.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four to six

FOR THE BULGUR PILAF WITH CHICKPEAS AND HERBS

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in 1 quart water for six hours or overnight and drained

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 cup coarse bulgur wheat

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, or a mixture of parsley and dill

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

  • Juice of 1 lemon

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

42 grams carbs; 260 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 233 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. FOR THE BULGUR PILAF WITH CHICKPEAS AND HERBS

    1. Step 1

      Drain the soaked chickpeas, and place in a pot with 1 quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the chickpeas are tender.

    2. Step 2

      Place the bulgur in a 2-quart bowl. Place a strainer over the bowl, and drain the chickpeas so that the hot broth covers the bulgur. Set the chickpeas aside. Cover the bowl, and allow the bulgur to sit until fluffy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and press out excess liquid.

    3. Step 3

      Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the scallions. Cook, stirring, until tender, two or three minutes. Stir in the garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the bulgur and chickpeas. Add the herbs and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and toss together. Remove from the heat, add lemon juice and pepper, taste and adjust salt. Add more lemon juice if desired. Serve hot or room temperature.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can make the pilaf hours ahead of time, but do not add the herbs. Reheat in a microwave or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then stir in the herbs and serve.Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
127 user ratings
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Comments

Guy

This is a different type of Bulgur (bulgur comes in 3 sizes 1, 2, 3 depending on the size you wish to cook), it is a different sort of bulgur called Moghrabeye which is like small round pasta. It has a nice apparence and a fine taste.

RoLo

1 cup dried makes roughly 2 cans of chickpeas.

Colleen

Yummy! I had no chickpeas on hand so I used a can of great Northern beans. I will make this again!

LP

Used canned chickpeas (2 cans for single recipe) and cooked the bulgar according to the package but with the liquid being the chickpea juice and beef bone broth. It turned out really good! You could use any broth and I think it definitely adds to the recipe. Also went a little extra on the lemon to avoid added salt.

Andres Gantous

This is not a good recipe. First of all, the photo of the finished recipe is made with wheat berries or farro and not coarse bulgur. Most importantly though, the proportions of 1 cup dry chick peas and 1 cup of bulgur wheat make this dish very dry and flavourless when following the recipe as is.

Mena

I have made this several times with farro instead of bulgur. Otherwise, followed the recipe. It’s just perfect.

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