How long and how to cook bulgur in a saucepan?

Benefits of bulgur for the body

Bulgur is a grain rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates. If you are trying to lose weight, this product can be a great substitute for rice or pasta.

Compared to other grains, cereals have a fairly low index after eating them; blood glucose levels do not increase very much, so such cereals are an excellent source of carbohydrates for people suffering from diabetes.

Bulgur contains much more fiber than pasta and white rice. This property leads to rapid saturation (smaller portions are eaten). The presence of a large amount of fiber cleanses the body.
B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin) promote good metabolism and normal functioning of nerve cells, which improves brain function.

In addition to these elements, bulgur contains vitamin E, which ensures the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, improves the condition of the skin and hair, and helps restore a healthy complexion.

A high content of potassium and phosphorus, a significant amount of minerals (iron, magnesium and zinc), as well as trace elements (selenium, which has an antioxidant effect) - all these beneficial substances have a systemic effect on the body. Long-term consumption of bulgur helps reduce and normalize high blood pressure.

How long does it take to cook bulgur?

The average cooking time for bulgur grains is the same as for most other grains, only the cooking process itself differs slightly:

How long to cook bulgur for a side dish in a saucepan? On average, bulgur should be cooked in a pan for 20 minutes after the water boils in the pan.
How long does it take to cook bulgur in a slow cooker? In a multicooker, bulgur needs to be cooked for 20 minutes in the “Stew” or “Porridge” mode, after which it is left in the multicooker for another 8-10 minutes in the heating mode so that it “cooks”.

Having found out how many minutes to cook bulgur, we will next consider how to properly cook it in a saucepan so that the porridge turns out crumbly, tasty and aromatic.

How to cook bulgur as a side dish in a saucepan?

One of the key phases of cooking crumbly bulgur in a pan is preparing it for cooking, so let’s look at the entire cooking process step by step from preparation to cooking itself:

Measure out the required amount of bulgur for cooking (based on the proportion of 1 cup of cereal for 4 servings).
Using a sieve, rinse the bulgur with cold water and after the water has drained from the grain, transfer it to a heated frying pan (pre-melt 2 tablespoons of butter, vegetable or olive oil in the frying pan).
Over medium heat, fry the bulgur in a frying pan until a pleasant smell appears (on average 5-7 minutes). Roasting helps improve the taste and aroma of the porridge, and also prevents the grains from sticking together during cooking.
Place the fried bulgur in a saucepan and pour boiling water over it (based on the proportion: 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water). Add salt to taste (0.5 level teaspoon).
After boiling the water in the pan again, reduce the heat to minimum (the water should not boil too much) and cook the cereal for 20 minutes until tender. Cover the pan with a lid during cooking.
At the end of cooking, remove the pan from the heat and let the bulgur porridge steep for 10-15 minutes.
That's all! Boiled bulgur for a side dish - ready! Now it can be served to the table.

Bulgur pilaf

Pilaf is a favorite dish for many. Making it with bulgur instead of rice is as easy as shelling pears. According to the traditional principle, fry the meat, add carrots and onions. Pour in the bulgur and add water. It should be noted that such pilaf will cook much faster than with rice. It will take you about fifteen minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover with a towel, wait half an hour and you can eat the amazingly tasty and crumbly pilaf.

Cereals occupy an important position in the healthy diet of every person. This is a key source of complex carbohydrates that satiate for a long time, a storehouse of vitamins and microelements. The most famous cereals are oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley, millet, and rice. Few people have heard about bulgur, but even fewer people understand how to cook it correctly.

How to cook bulgur for a side dish

And yet, using innovative gadgets in relation to wheat cereals is not entirely correct. It is better to resort to one of the simpler and more traditional options for processing the product:

In a thermos. Initially, bulgur was simply poured with boiling water, kept warm with blankets or towels, and waited for the mass to swell to the desired state. Today this approach has become a little simpler. Pour one part of the cereal into a thermos, fill it with two parts of boiling water and seal it tightly. Leave the workpiece for 40-50 minutes. Add the finished product and season with spices. It is this approach that is recommended to be used when making salads and cold cutlets based on bulgur.

On the stove. Wash the cereal and lightly dry it. In a deep cauldron or wok, heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Place the wheat in them and begin to fry, stirring constantly. There is no need to press on the grains; they should retain their original shape. How long to keep the product on the fire depends on the desired state of the composition, but experts believe that it would be correct to stop processing when a distinct nutty aroma appears. Then we either put the workpiece in the soup, or fill it with boiling water and boil it to the desired state. Regardless of the approach, it is recommended to wrap the finished dish in towels and keep warm for at least 10 minutes.

Bulgur only seems to be a universal product, but in practice it is better not to combine it with eggs, raw potatoes, cabbage and beets. The abundance of dried fruits in cereal porridge can trigger fermentation processes in the intestines, which can lead to unpleasant sensations and digestive problems. The product should not be included in the diet of people suffering from intolerance to cereals.

What is Bulgur?

Bulgur is nothing more than a grain obtained from durum wheat, subjected to heat treatment with water and further drying. Afterwards, the outer shell of the grains is removed by grinding (this gives the grain an amber tint), and then crushed into three fractions:

Thin. This grain is used in the preparation of pastries, bread, and cookies. Bulgur gives the baked goods crunch and nutty flavor.
Average. Various culinary dishes are prepared from it, from salads and appetizers to side dishes and soups.
Rude. This type of cereal is used instead of rice in pilaf, which significantly affects the calorie content of the dish (it is reduced).

Bulgur recipes

Many housewives do not have recipes for cooking bulgur. In the East they prepare “dolma” with it - an analogue of our cabbage rolls, only to prepare “dolma” they use grape leaves instead of cabbage. The tabbouleh salad and all kinds of side dishes prepared with bulgur are widely known.

Mussels with bulgur

Ingredients (for 4 people):

Bulgur – 1 cup (170 gr.);
Red bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
Salt;
Olive oil – 4 tbsp. l.;
Peeled mussels – 500 gr.;
Tomatoes – 2 pcs.;
Green onions – 4 pcs.;
Pepper;
Dill – 0.5 bunch.

Boil the mussels in salted water. Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, dill and lightly sauté in a frying pan using half the olive oil. Add a little water and leave to simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.

Add the mussels to the frying pan, leave to simmer for 1 - 2 minutes and pour the bulgur into the frying pan. Add 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and cook (over low heat). Just before finishing, add salt, pepper and remaining olive oil.

Tabbouleh salad

Ingredients (for 4 people):

Bulgur – 1 cup (170 gr.)
Tomatoes – 2 pcs.
Olive oil – 4 tbsp. l.
Pepper
Parsley – 1 bunch
Onions – 2 pcs.
Salt.

Soak the bulgur for 30 minutes, drain the water and squeeze the grain well. Finely chop the onion and parsley, cut the tomatoes into cubes. Mix all ingredients carefully and add olive oil, pepper and salt. Tabbouleh is ready!

Bulgur with mushrooms and chicken

1.5 tbsp. bulgur "Bravolli"
300 g chicken breast (fillet)
200 g fresh champignons
1 sweet green pepper
100 g frozen peas
1 red onion
1 carrot
3 sprigs thyme
bunch of parsley or cilantro
3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt - to taste.

Pour Bravolli bulgur into boiling salted water and cook over low heat with the lid closed for 20 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onions and carrots until soft.
Add chicken, cut into pieces, mushrooms, cut into slices, and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Original recipes

We suggest preparing a delicious sweet porridge with milk and a dish with mushrooms. The first one is suitable for breakfast, and the second one will be a good choice for dinner.

With pumpkin and apples

A hearty and incredibly appetizing dish is a good way to start the day.
It will charge you with energy and give you a feeling of fullness for several hours. You will need:

bulgur - 1/2 cup;
milk - 1 glass;
pumpkin - 100 grams;
apple - 1 piece;
ground cinnamon - 1 gram;
sugar - 3 teaspoons;
water - 1 glass;
butter - 3 tablespoons;
dried apricots - 50 grams;
mint - 2-3 leaves;
salt - to taste.

Preparation

Fry the bulgur in oil.
Pour in water and milk.
Peel and dice the pumpkin.
Finely chop the dried apricots.
Add pumpkin, dried apricots, sugar, stir, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cook for 20 minutes.
Add salt and remove from heat.
Peel the apples and cut into cubes.
Fry the apples in butter with added sugar for 1 minute.
Place the porridge on a plate, add apples, and pour over the remaining syrup from frying.
Garnish the dish with cinnamon and mint leaves.

Bulgur with milk turns out crumbly, the grains do not stick together. Pieces of pumpkin, dried apricots and caramelized apples increase the usefulness of the dish, saturating it with vitamins and microelements. Spicy notes of cinnamon and mint complete the taste.

With mushrooms

Cereals go well with mushrooms.
Even traditional champignons, which many consider tasteless, will not leave you indifferent. Try a simple recipe for bulgur porridge with mushrooms. You will need:

bulgur - 1 cup;
champignons - 500 grams;
onions - 2 pieces;
olive oil - 4 tablespoons;
water - 2 glasses;
parsley - 6-7 sprigs;
salt - to taste.

Preparation

Fry the diced onion in oil.
Add sliced mushrooms and fry until juice forms.
Add bulgur, fry for 5 minutes.
Pour water, salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add chopped greens.

Bulgur with mushrooms can be served with meat or used as an independent dish.
If you are on a diet or fasting, porridge will diversify your diet. We got acquainted with the basic intricacies of preparing bulgur porridge. Now you can choose the most suitable option that will give you a boost of energy and good mood!

When buckwheat or rice groats that regularly appear on the table begin to get boring, you should turn your attention to the original version of wheat porridge - bulgur. This aromatic, tasty, satisfying, but not heavy on the stomach side dish is perfect for meat, fish and vegetable dishes. And milk porridge with bulgur is an excellent choice for a child, because this cereal is nutritious and rich in vitamins, magnesium and phosphorus.

Cooking bulgur in a bag:

1. Bulgur, which is sold packaged in bags with small holes, takes up 1/4-1/5 of the contents of the package. When cooking, it should be taken into account that after cooking, the entire volume of the bag will be filled with ready-made cereal.

2. Since bulgur does not need rinsing, take a convenient wide pan and place the bag in it. It should be placed in an even layer, without bends.

3. Fill the cereal with drinking water until the bag is completely covered. Don't skimp on water, because... During cooking, the cereal will absorb a lot of liquid.

4. Add salt to the container.

5. Place the pan on the stove and boil.

6. Bring to a boil over high heat.

7. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook the bulgur for half an hour.

8. After this time, remove the pan from the stove. As you can see, the cereal has increased in size several times and has absorbed most of the liquid.

9. Transfer it to a sieve without removing it from the bag for 5 3-5 minutes until all the liquid drains.

10. After cutting the bag, transfer the cereal to a plate with a spoon, season with butter and start eating. You can also use it for further preparation of various dishes, for example, stew with fried mushrooms, vegetables or meat. In addition, if you do not want to cook the cereal in a bag, you can remove it raw and cook it in your usual way.

See also the video recipe on how to cook bulgur?

The materials and articles contained in the magazine may include information intended for users over 18 years of age, in accordance with Federal Law No. 436-FZ of December 29, 2010 “On the protection of children from information harmful to their health and development.” 18+.

Bulgur is a crumbly grain with a pleasant, delicate taste. You can eat it on its own or add it when preparing various dishes. Its homeland is the Middle East, but over time, bulgur fell in love with residents from different countries.

Preparing cereal is as easy as shelling pears, but there are some peculiarities. How much and how to cook bulgur so that it turns out crumbly; advice from chefs and experienced housewives will tell you about simple cooking methods.

Bulgur - how to cook

It is not recommended to wash grains called bulgur. If you think that this is contrary to the rules of cooking, then it is better to fry the cereal in a dry frying pan (4-5 minutes) or keep it in the microwave (2-3 minutes). In the second case, set the power to maximum and stir the bulgur once. Bulgur can be cooked in two ways.

In a saucepan

Pour one part of the cereal into a saucepan and fill it with two parts of hot water or broth. Add salt to taste and place the future dish on the lowest heat. Cook the bulgur covered for 10 minutes. Do not stir the cereal while cooking. To avoid burning, use a pan with a thick double bottom for cooking. Leave the finished bulgur under the lid for another 10 minutes - during this time it will completely swell.

In a thermos

Bulgur is very easy to prepare in a thermos. Put the same one part of bulgur in it and add salt to it. Pour boiling water over the cereal (2 parts) and close the lid tightly. In 5-6 hours you will have fresh steaming porridge with a nutty taste and aroma on your table. Instead of a thermos, you can use a saucepan, but then first wrap it in several layers of newspaper, and then wrap it in a warm blanket.

A little about bulgur, benefits and harm

Bulgur is obtained from wheat cereals, pre-treating it with water steam and further drying it. Then it is ground, resulting in small grains: they boil well and contain nutritional elements in the composition. Krupa has several grinding variations:

coarse grinding for preparing pilaf, side dish;
medium grind for adding to soup, salads;
fine grinding for filling in baked goods.

In terms of its composition, bulgur is rightfully considered one of the healthiest cereals. It contains vitamins B, E, nicotinic acid, a large number of microelements beneficial to health: magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, phosphorus. If you include bulgur in your diet, then after a few weeks the following positive changes will occur in the body:

cholesterol levels decrease;
the condition of the skin and hair improves;
the amount of toxic compounds and wastes decreases;
glucose decreases;
the digestive process improves.

Among the negative factors, the possible occurrence of an allergic reaction due to the gluten content in cereals is noted. Nutritionists do not recommend including cereals in the daily diet for people suffering from bloating, diarrhea, or peptic ulcers.

What dishes is bulgur used in?

Due to the preliminary heat treatment of the grain, the cereal has a very subtle nutty aroma - this is why housewives love it. Bulgur comes in three types: fine, medium and coarse. This difference allows you to prepare completely different dishes from it:

The finest grains can be added to dough for bread, muffins, and cookies.
It is recommended to prepare porridge from medium-ground bulgur.
Large bulgur replaces rice in pilaf and is good in vegetable salads or fruit casseroles.

Preparation and cooking

Before you start cooking, the cereal must be properly prepared. To cook the side dish you will need a large deep pan or cauldron made of a thin layer of metal. Small saucepans and saucepans with a volume of 2-3 liters are not suitable: during the cooking process, the grains increase several times, so the small volume may not be enough, and the grains will go through the top of the pan. In addition to the choice of pan, there are several other factors that influence cooking:

the smaller the size of the grains, the faster they will cook;
all spices and even salt are added only at the end of cooking, to the boiled grains.

To ensure that the finished dish has a rich taste, chefs offer 2 options for its preparation:

soak the cereal in water in advance;
fry in a frying pan.

Preparation methods differ not only in the principle of preparation, but also in the resulting taste.

Soak

If the main goal is to prepare the most healthy dish while preserving its beneficial qualities, then bulgur must be soaked. Any deep cup made of ceramic or heat-resistant glass is suitable for soaking. The material of the cup should retain heat for a long time; dishes made of plastic or with thin walls will not work. Soaking is carried out as follows:

pour the bulgur into a cup;
pour hot water, you need to take 1.5-2 times more water than the cereal itself;
Cover the cup with a lid and wrap it in a towel.

How to deliciously cook bulgur in a slow cooker

Porridge prepared from this cereal in a slow cooker always turns out tasty, crumbly and does not lose its beneficial qualities.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cooking time: 1 hour.

Calorie content: 97.71 kcal.

Step by step process:

Fry grated carrots and pressed garlic in the bowl of a kitchen appliance, add cereal, add water and salt;
Set the “pilaf” mode and wait for the sound signal.

A simple, healthy and incredibly quick dish is ready.

Use in cooking

For meat lovers, bulgur can easily replace regular rice, since it is not inferior in satiety and taste. There are a large number of variations in preparing bulgur pilaf with pork. The cereal goes well with shrimp, red fish, and seafood. It can be prepared as an independent dish for breakfast, you can add dried fruits, nuts, and fresh fruits to it. Below are the most popular and delicious recipes for making bulgur.

Bulgur with vegetables

For vegetarians or people who follow a healthy diet, a recipe for making porridge with vegetables is suitable. You can take any vegetables; ready-made cereals harmonize well with everything. Cooking time takes 30 minutes. The recipe with photo is for 2 servings.

a glass of bulgur;
large onion – 1 pc.;
one large carrot;
tomato – 1 pc.;
bell pepper – 1 pc.;
herbs, seasonings, garlic - optional.

Pour some oil into the pan for frying. Wash the vegetables, remove the skins from the onions and carrots, grate the carrots, and chop the onion with a knife. Transfer the vegetables to the oil and fry until lightly golden.

Peel the bell pepper and cut it into squares. Remove the stem from the tomato and then cut into the same pieces as the pepper. Transfer the vegetables to the onions and carrots, continue frying for another 5-7 minutes. If you like garlic flavor, take a garlic clove, chop finely and add to the contents of the pan.

When the vegetable mixture is almost ready, add a glass of cereal to it, fry a little, just a couple of minutes. Then pour 2 cups of regular water into the frying pan and cover with a lid. After boiling, cook the porridge for 15-20 minutes over low heat without stirring.

When the time is up, taste a couple of grains. When the dish is ready, turn off the heat. Add any spices and salt the dish to taste. Keep the porridge for another 20-30 minutes under the lid so that it is properly saturated with the taste and aroma of vegetables, and then put it on plates and serve. Bon appetit!

Bulgur salad

Using the usual methods, you can not only cook bulgur as a side dish, but also make a nutritious salad with it. Surprise your household with something new: make a simple but very healthy salad based on bulgur and vegetables. It will take no more than half an hour to prepare.

a couple of large tomatoes;
onion head – 1 pc.;
100-120 g bulgur;
2 lemons;
a bunch of parsley, cilantro, mint;
a couple tbsp. oils for frying.

Pour oil into a frying pan, heat it a little, and then transfer the grains into it. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until a pronounced nutty aroma appears, then remove the pan from the stove and let the contents cool and cook in water until fully cooked.

Cut the tomatoes into medium-sized pieces into a deep cup and chop the onion with a knife. Tear or chop the greens with your hands and mix with vegetables. Then transfer to a salad bowl and add boiled bulgur. Mix the ingredients well.

Recipes for dishes with bulgur

The most popular salad with bulgur remains the classic Tabbouleh. To prepare this salad you will need 150 grams of cereal, 2 tomatoes (for example, red and yellow fruit) and a bunch of parsley. Boiled bulgur is mixed with finely chopped tomatoes and chopped parsley. The salad is dressed with a mixture of lime juice, olive oil, spices and sea salt.

Bulgur soup is easy to prepare: add finely chopped potatoes and grits fried in oil to pre-cooked meat or chicken broth. If desired, you can add grated carrots or finely chopped onions to the soup, and greens for taste. This soup is also suitable for a children's table, since it is hearty but light.

Bulgur grain is an interesting and healthy product that has recently appeared in stores.

How to cook it correctly and tasty and is it worth it? This question is asked by those who have not tried porridge yet. Definitely worth it!

And from our article you will learn about the benefits of this product and how to prepare bulgur as a side dish.

This cereal has an interesting history

and in its nutritional qualities it is in some ways superior to the notorious rice and buckwheat. Bulgur is a wheat grain and therefore contains a lot of vitamin B6, folic acid, thiamine and niacin.

The content of selenium, potassium, phosphorus and iron is also high. At the same time, it retains these vitamins and microelements during heat treatment, which makes it indispensable in the diet.

And the taste of dishes made from this cereal differs from the usual ones; it has a slight nutty flavor

and very crumbly. At the same time, it is quite easy to prepare.

When making cereals, wheat is crushed and thus three varieties of bulgur are obtained: the largest fraction (coarsely ground bulgur) is used for cooking and preparing soups, porridges, pilaf, and salads. And medium and small grains can be used as food after soaking, and used as a side dish.

Take note of the various dishes made from this cereal: , s , s , .

The easiest way to cook bulgur as a side dish is to soak finely ground grains

in water without boiling.
The result is a truly dietary dish, since 100 grams of dry cereal contains
:

only 342 kcal;
58 grams of vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates;
cellulose.

When the croup swells, it increases in size three times.

To prepare 100 gr. we take the side dish:

30 grams of finely ground bulgur cereal;
200-250 grams of plain water, to which you can add a little lemon juice;
ceramic bowl, preferably with a lid;

Preparation:

With this raw porridge you can serve vegetables, meat, fish, mushrooms, and seafood. Pleasure and benefits are guaranteed!

Also, raw soaked cereal is part of the famous oriental salads “tabouli” and “kisir”. Food for beauties from the Arabian Nights, rich in vitamins and very delicious in taste

The abundance of vitamins and minerals allows this raw porridge to be used in cosmetology. You can make a mask from soaked cereals, and use the water in which the bulgur was soaked to rinse your hair. The effect will be very good. Dry cereal can be used as a scrub.

But if you want to prepare more high-calorie dishes from bulgur, you can use universal methods.

This video will help you prepare bulgur as a side dish correctly:

For cooking we use coarse grains

, butter, water, salt. You will need a small saucepan with a thick bottom.

Calories 100 per gram

– 454 kcal.

Ingredients:

coarsely ground bulgur cereal – 100 grams;
butter – 15 grams;
water – 250-300 ml;
salt – 2 grams.

Preparation:

The porridge turns out aromatic and crumbly. It can serve as an independent dish or with various additives.

During its preparation, cereals undergo heat treatment and fermentation, so nutrients and vitamins saturate the entire thickness of the grain, and their loss during cooking is negligible

Historically, the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia had bulgur in their pilaf and still use it more actively than rice. The fashion for rice came from the East, but ordinary people did not have the money to buy this product, and growing wheat in the steppes is much easier than rice.

So rice became the food of the rich, while wheat remained in the diet of ordinary people. This is associated with the undeserved “forgottenness” of bulgur and the use of rice in modern European recipes when preparing pilaf.

For coarse grains, you must first fry them

in heated vegetable oil with spices, then add carrots, garlic, onions, tomatoes and add water. Add salt and stir until done.

How to cook bulgur pilaf in Turkish, you will learn from the video:

Additional ingredients can be eggplant or meat. If the pilaf is traditional, you first need to fry the meat (lamb on the bone is best, but pork, beef, chicken can also be used), and then add cereal to the oil

and all other ingredients.

And if vegetarian, then the eggplants should be added along with the vegetables, after frying the bulgur.

Another way to use cooked cereal is to add it to minced meat.

. Traditional cabbage rolls and stuffed peppers will take on a completely new accent if you add bulgur grains, cooked until half cooked, to the meat instead of rice.

By the way, in Armenian culture the traditional “dolma” - cabbage rolls made from grape leaves consists of a mixture of meat and wheat cereal.

pour oil into the bottom;
add carrots, onions, garlic;
add the washed cereal;
fill with water;
add seasonings to taste;
turn on the “pilaf” mode

You can cook bulgur in a slow cooker in different ways
. The regimen depends on the recipe. Sometimes you need to change several - fry, stew, etc.

Watch the video of cooking bulgur in a slow cooker:

The approximate amount of water for preparing porridge is in the ratio 1:2. But when cooking porridge in a bag, it is better to pour a lot of water
and turn on the “soup” mode.
Bulgur also goes well with mushrooms, fish, sweet bell peppers, eggplants, pumpkin, cheese, nuts, as well as milk and sweets
.
Festive kutia made from bulgur with poppy seeds, raisins, honey and dried fruits will decorate the Christmas table
.
You can also prepare milk porridges based on this cereal. The cooking technology is completely ordinary
: cook the porridge;
pour milk;
boil;
add honey, vanilla, nuts, fruits to taste.

Wheat grains are steamed and polished during the production process, so bulgur grains do not need to be washed and sorted
. However, this does not prevent you from rinsing it before use.

Wheat has always been the most important cereal crop in terms of its nutritional value and effect on the health of the human body. Not everyone knows that a large number of cereals are made from wheat, for example, semolina, couscous, bulgur.