To bring more diversity to grain sides, Milk Street swapped out rice for bulgur, a form of wheat grain that’s been parboiled and dried so it cooks fast yet still retains all the benefits of whole grains. Earthy mushrooms pair well with the hearty grain and packs even more of a nutritional punch. For big mushroom flavor, choose widely available cremini mushrooms plus a ¼ ounce of dried porcini, to add nice depth.
Just a dash of soy sauce boosts the mushroom’s umami flavor even further and gives the dish a rich mahogany color. Sauté the mushrooms with an onion, then add the bulgur and the cooking liquid (a combination of water and broth) and simmer it until tender.
After removing the pot from the heat, place a dish towel underneath the lid (which helps absorb moisture) and let the bulgur steam gently for 10 minutes, which results in perfectly tender, chewy grains.
NOTES: When shopping, don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. Use vegetable or mushroom broth instead of chicken stock if you want to keep it vegetarian.
Bulgur Pilaf with Cremini Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- ¼ oz. (7grams) dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
- Salt and pepper
- 8 oz. cremini mushroom, stemmed and quartered if small or cut into 6 pieces if large
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
- ¾ cup homemade chicken or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Our bulgur pilaf became the companion dish for Ginger-Curry Grilled Chicken Kebabs.
Directions
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and ¼ 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 mushrooms have released their liquid and begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in bulgur, broth, water, and soy sauce and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until bulgur is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat, lay clean folded dish towel underneath lid, and let bulgur sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff bulgur with fork, stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Recipe from Americas Test Kitchen
Accounting for Taste 