Well, except there is no beast in this story, so really the title should just be “Bulgur”… but that’s much too boring, don’t you agree?
Normally, I’m a huge fan of simple, quick-to-prepare meals. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, this statement probably doesn’t surprise you. I love to eat… but cooking all day is just not my thing. I’d much rather be scrapbooking, reading, exercising, playing sports, cake-decorating, or hanging out with my friends and family.
Every so often, however, the Cooking Bug will bite me, chasing me into the kitchen! A few months ago, the aforementioned Bug showed his face and inspired me to create a bulgur pilaf. It’s super-healthy, and my whole family loves it. I’ve made the recipe twice now (it freezes well, too).
Since I owe this dish’s existence to the Cooking Bug, I named the creation after him. 😉 And so, I give you:
Bug-A-Boo Bulgur Pilaf
(Makes four Katie-sized servings… in other words, four large servings)
1 cup vegetable stock or Imagine No-Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tbsp  fresh, grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 zucchini, chopped
5 green onions, cut into about 1-inch pieces (don’t use the roots)
2 medium carrots, finely diced
3 cups bok choy or spinach (I’ve made this recipe twice now, once each way. Both work well.)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups cooked bulgur (It works best if you chill the cooked bulgur in the fridge for a few hours before using)
In a bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Set aside. Preheat a pan or wok over medium-high heat and saut̩ the carrots and zucchini in your saut̩-liquid of choice. Add in about 1/4 of the stock mixture. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the green onions, bok choy (or spinach), garlic, and another 1/4 of the stock mixture, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add the bulgur and the rest of the stock mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. When my mom eats this dish, she puts her own spin on the recipeРshe mixes the pilaf with a can of pineapple tidbits for a tropical flair.
fruity says
mmm, those dishes look delicious!
The worst part about cooking is washing the dishes after!
Erin says
Such a versatile, yummy looking dish! I have some bulgur to use up soon, don’t know if I’ll get to it though…
Jenn says
Mmm, I’m loving the Katie-sized portion – extra big and filling makes me a happy camper :o)
just me says
mmmm…that dish looks delicious!
and so many things to pair it with!
Healthy eating blog says
im RIGHT with ya! i LOVE when the cooking bug bites me, and wish he would do it more often (twice a day would be nice :o) ) and you my dear are SUPER creative! i just love your yummy looking meals, and crazy concoctions/recipes! is their anything you CANT DO!? ill answer it for you. no their isnt, you can do EVERYTHING! <3 ya! have a great day!
Mark Salinas says
Great looking recipes!
Lauren says
I don’t think I’ve ever had bulgur.. but your plates look so delicious! I’ll have to try your recipe out soon! 🙂
ashley says
MMM, bulgur! I love throwign a bunch of things in a skillet like this. These meals are usually great reheated. I’ll try your version!
Bianca says
That sounds great! I love bulgur! I should try this for sure.
I love the Katie-sized portions and that smoked tofu looks lovely! It amazes that you can eat bulgur with chopsticks.
Jackie says
Thanks for the great recipe. I have a packet of bulgar and was wondering what to do with it as I have only cooked it once before about two years ago.
You appear to be becoming a pilaf expert whether you like cooking or not 🙂
Katy says
Katie, me messing up the cauliflower was NOT your fault. I used garlic powder, when your directions call for minced garlic. A tsp. of minced garlic would have been perfect. You have a great recipe and you don’t need a disclaimer at all. So don’t feel bad! I’m definitely going to make it again, but next time I’ll actually follow your directions! 🙂
That bulgur looks fabulous!
Chandra (Eating to Live) says
oooh, I totally know what you mean about loving to eat but being lazy with cooking. I’m the same way, I love easy-to-prepare things.
But great job on the ‘pilaf’! it sounds so gourmet, haha. And looks delicious 🙂
MTB Vegan says
that looks so very yummy!
jessy says
wow! i love your bug-a-boo bulgur pilaf! it looks amazing! good to know that it freezes well, too! you’ve gotta love making something yummy that you can save for later when you may not have enough time to make the whole dish. that rocks! and i need to get some of that tofu – it looks awesome!
Ricki says
Lovely combo of ingredients–I’m sure you could sub quinoa or some other grain for the bulgur, too. And pineapple?? Go figure!
kindkitchen says
The bulgur dish looks/sounds awesome! I am glad the cooking bug bit you 🙂
shellyfish says
I love bulgur! I could go for a big, bad bowl of your tasty dish right now!!
Nikki Douglas says
I love bulgur – this looks so good.
ChickPea says
Ya know, I think I have a little of that in me too–I LOVE to eat but cooking is kind of a drag sometimes. I am just too impatient for some recipes. This one looks like a winner though!
Emma says
MMmm yummy! I haven’t eaten bulgar in a long time. You reminded me how tasty it can be!
The Voracious Vegan says
I’m glad you got bitten by the cooking bug, I know I’ll be making that pilaf soon. The colours and flavors look and sound just perfect. And I’m intrigued by your mom’s idea of tossing in a bit of pineapple. Might have to try that as well.
Cookiemouse says
I agree with fruity as I hate washing dishes. Keep wanting to be a one bowl shaman.
Vegetation says
Mmmmmm I’ve only ever had Bulghur in Tabouli. It sounds yummy in pilaf!
CeciLiA says
At first, I thought the beast is you (NO!!! NOT that you’re ugly but you know you have a beast-like appetite … just saying) :0)
Wow, DELICIOUS looking dish you have there … I’m bookmarking this recipe now ;0)Your Katie size serving sounds perfect to me!!
Just a question though, is your bulgur – cracked/not cracked … ?!!
One last question, is that strawberries frozen … are frozen fruits yummy?! :0) Hehe, I like to ask weird questions!!
The Lazy Vegan says
Maybe you should call it “Bulgar and the (happy to be left out of the pot) Beast”.
Ive never had bulgar before. I guess I need a good hard bite from this cooking bug of which you speak. Your meal looks delicious!
fruity says
aww, thank you so much for adding me to your blogroll!
Lizzy says
I remembered you had discovered bulgur for yourself a while back when I saw it in the store about a month back. I bought it to try it aswell and boy I LOVED it from the first bite. It gos so well with nearly everything!
Love your dinners! And btw, I’ve been practicing my chopstick skills aswell, ha ha! I’m not perfect and I can’t even hold them right (I feel like my thumb’s too short… but then again even chinese toddlers can do it with their mini fingers =p) but at least I manage to get it all into my mouth before it’s cold 😉
Allison says
You have the CUTEST names for your recipes :0) Sadly, I don’t think I’ve ever tried Bulgur…but your recipe is calling my name! I’m thinking about eating chopsticks with my meals from now on…I NEED the practice, haha…I just can’t get the technique down!
Ahh, I’m so jealous you went to Spiral! PLEASE say you took pictures :0) I might be going out to lunch with my mom today, so hopefully I can convince her to take a little trip over there! OH, and I signed up for their upcoming Protein cooking class! There’s one in August at the Dallas Spiral, as well!!
Ruby Red Vegan says
I love bulgur… and I have a feeling I would love it even more the Katie way, how you have it pictured here! And wow, that is a lot of bulgur! That smoked tofu looks so good too.
I find it so funny that you make elaborate cakes and stuff but like cooking less. Cakes seem really difficult to prepare, but then again, maybe cooking is off-putting sometimes because sometimes it seems like you have to have a million different ingredients to make a variety of foods.
lighterportions says
That looks amazing… I wish the cooking bug would bite you more often as well so you could come up with more great recipes like that one.
Astra Libris says
You must have heard me across blog land, as I stood holding a box of bulgur and wondering out loud, “what new bulgur recipe should I fix with this?” Needless to say, as soon as I read the title of your post I was excited, and now that I’ve read your recipe I’m even more psyched – YUM!! I can’t wait to fix this!
Vaishali says
How delicious the bulgur looks! I love bulgur too- it’s so versatile and healthy.
Vaala says
Ooo, it looks delicious! I love the way you photograph the different ways you serve the same dish. Helps keep those of us continually trying to keep the other half happy and well fed without having to continuously come up with new ideas.
glidingcalm says
yum! I have yet to try making bulgur. I’m nerwvous (says the wabbit)
Theresa says
“With seitan, steamed chard, and sliced strawberries… wow, I just realized there are four “S”s in that description!”
In Australia, chard is called silverbeet, so if you want to go for 5 S’s then use some aussie lingo!
Mihl says
You even eat your bulgur with chopsticks? That’s awesome!
Anonymous says
Swinging back by to say that my INLAWS arrive today.
That these recipes look great to me.
That THEY are not food adventurous.
That it’s MY birthday weekend.
You do the cooking math 😉
MizFit
aTxVegn says
This dish looks really really good and I’ve noticed a few other bloggers enjoying it as well!
Latayy says
I am new to bulgar as a vegan but, I love it and it is very affordable.
I really love this dish and I did a similar palif in my blog but not as nice as this
Barbadian Vegan
Vanilla says
So yummy…
I used mushrooms and zucchini for the vegetables (didn’t feel like having carrot…?) And it was soooo good!! I love bulgur, veggies, and your recipes, so it was a winner!
I ate them with chopsticks 😀
Emily says
This is a delicious recipe!
I added less zucchini an put in some kale instead of bok choy, and used about 1 cup of uncooked bulgur. It turned out delicious!
Thank you for these recipes. You should post more with bulgur and quinoa!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Aw Emily, I’m so excited you tried it! I *heart* bulgur so much and definitely plan to keep using it in recipes. If you missed the breakfast bulgur I posted last week, I can always send you the link. It’s my newest favorite way to eat bulgur :).
Frances says
Wow! I made this recipe a few days ago and I’m making it again today! It tasted like real chinese take-out ( but obviously much cheaper and healthier yay 🙂 I’d nevere even tried bulgar before and now I know I love it I’ll be cooking with it alot more!
Thanks 😉
Phoenix says
This is probably one of the best things that I’ve ever eaten, so wonderful T-T