To achieve bulgur with good chew and flavor, we simply soften the grains in lemon juice and water.

Bulgur Salad with Carrots and Almonds
SERVES 4 to 6 VEG
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Bulgur is a staple ingredient across the Mediterranean for its nutty flavor and versatility, acting as a nutritious, hearty medium for delivering big, bold flavors. To bulk up this simple cereal into a satisfying salad, we started by softening the bulgur in a mixture of water, lemon juice, and salt for an hour and a half until it had the perfect chew and was thoroughly seasoned. Fresh mint, cilantro, and scallions made our salad crisp and bright, and cumin and cayenne added depth of flavor to our simple lemon vinaigrette. Sweet shredded carrots nicely accented the rich, nutty taste of the bulgur, and toasted almonds provided complementary crunch. We also decided to develop another version of our salad with sweet, juicy grapes and tangy feta. When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.

1½ cups medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup water
6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons)
Salt and pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 carrots, peeled and shredded
3 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine bulgur, water, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature until grains are softened and liquid is fully absorbed, about 1½ hours.
2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, oil, cumin, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add bulgur, carrots, scallions, almonds, mint, and cilantro and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

VARIATION
Bulgur Salad with Grapes and Feta
SERVES 4 to 6 VEG
When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.
1½ cups medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup water
5 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons)
Salt and pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
6 ounces seedless red grapes, quartered (1 cup)
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1. Combine bulgur, water, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature until grains are softened and liquid is fully absorbed, about 1½ hours.
2. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, oil, cumin, cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add bulgur, grapes, ⅓ cup almonds, ⅓ cup feta, scallions, and mint and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and remaining feta before serving.

Bulgur Pilaf with Cremini Mushrooms
SERVES 4 VEG
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We wanted to pair bulgur with bold and flavorful mushrooms in an easy pilaf-style dish. For big mushroom flavor, we chose widely available cremini mushrooms plus a small amount of dried porcini, which underscored the mushroom flavor and provided depth to the dish. Sautéing an onion with the mushrooms offered complementary sweetness; we found it was important to cook the mushrooms until they had released their liquid and begun to brown to deepen their flavor and ensure the best texture. A combination of water and broth gave the bulgur and mushrooms the most well-rounded flavor. Once the bulgur had simmered to tenderness, we removed the pot from the heat, placed a dish towel underneath the lid, and let the bulgur steam gently for an additional 10 minutes, which resulted in perfectly tender, chewy grains. When shopping, don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
Salt and pepper
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed, halved if small or quartered if large
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
¾ cup water
¼ cup minced fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cremini mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until cremini release their liquid and begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in bulgur, broth, and water and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until bulgur is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
3. Off heat, lay clean dish towel underneath lid and let pilaf sit for 10 minutes. Add parsley to pilaf and fluff gently with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Bulgur with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Za’atar
SERVES 4 to 6 VEG
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This dish combines creamy, nutty chickpeas and hearty bulgur with the clean, vegetal punch of fresh spinach. To boost the flavor of this simple side we decided to add the aromatic eastern Mediterranean spice blend za’atar , with its fragrant wild herbs, toasted sesame seeds, and tangy sumac. We found that incorporating the za’atar at two distinct points in the cooking process brought out its most complex flavor. First, to release its deep, earthy flavors, we bloomed half of the za’atar in an aromatic base of onion and garlic before adding the bulgur, chickpeas, and cooking liquid. We added the remainder of the za’atar along with the fresh spinach, off the heat; the residual heat in the bulgur was enough to perfectly soften the spinach and to highlight the za’atar’s more delicate aromas. The finished dish was a great accompaniment to fish or meat entrées and was even robust enough to serve as a vegetarian main dish. We prefer to use our homemade Za’atar , but you can substitute store-bought za’atar if you wish. When shopping, don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons za’atar
1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
¾ cup water
3 ounces (3 cups) baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and 1 tablespoon za’atar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in bulgur, chickpeas, broth, and water and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until bulgur is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
3. Off heat, lay clean dish towel underneath lid and let bulgur sit for 10 minutes. Add spinach, lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon za’atar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and fluff gently with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.