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Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley

Simple Grain Side Dish

This simple bulgur wheat recipe is one of those grains sides that works with just about anything, and is equally good warm or at room temperature.   When it’s being featured as a hot side, it actually is a very good base for all sorts of things from chili to chicken cooked with a pan sauce to stew – these grains are mildly nutty and soak up all kinds of juices and sauces beautifully. 

The only real ingredients in this grain dish besides the bulgur are some sweet caramelized onions and some fresh parsley, so you really don’t have to worry that the flavors will clash or compete with whatever else is on the plate.

Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley

Serve the Bulgur Hot or Cold

If you don’t cool the bulgur, but rather toss it while hot with the onion/parsley mixture it would be a fabulous side dish for just about any protein you could think of, from a holiday roast to a grilled chicken breast to a pan-seared steak to a poached filet of fish.

A simple grain side dish that works with just about anything, and is equally good warm or at room temperature.

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Here it accompanies some simply Roasted Cod with a lemony Yogurt Sauce, plus roasted carrots with green olive tapenade and some Parmesan Brussels Sprouts.  A pretty plate.

Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley

And here is snuggles up to some Yogurt Marinated Chicken with an assertive bitter lettuce salad, and those darn carrots again – I love these roasted carrots.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken

More Rice and Grain Side Dish Recipes:

Also Read: How to Cook Perfect Bulgur Wheat on the Stove.

Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley

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Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley

A simple grain side dish that works with just about anything, and is equally good warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 4 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup bulgur wheat
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 cup less sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed
  • 2 Vidalia or other sweet onions diced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

  • Cook the bulgur according to package directions or click here to see how, using the water and the vegetable broth. Once cooked, fluff with a fork, then if you are planning this to be a room temperature side spread the hot bulgur on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. If you want it to be a hot side, then keep the lid on until the onion is cooked and everything is ready to be tossed together.
  • While the bulgur is cooking heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are tender and caramelized. Adjust the heat so that the onions are cooking and browning quite slowly – that’s how they will get even sweeter and gently caramelized. Stir in the parsley.
  • In a large bowl stir the cooled bulgur with the onion-parsley mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add more olive oil by the tablespoon if the mixture seems dry.

Notes

If you don’t cool the bulgur, but rather toss it while hot with the onion/parsley mixture it would be a fabulous side dish for just about any protein you could think of, from a holiday roast to a grilled chicken breast to a pan-seared steak to a poached filet of fish.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.

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Comments

  1. Step 2 – caramelizing the onions is way too simplified. Caramelizing onions, as I found out, takes very low heat (after an initial burst of heat) and takes a much longer time. Following the directions in the recipe lead to a pan of burnt onions, which all got thrown out. The bulgur was pretty much nothing without them. For me, this recipe didn’t work. A little more specificity on step 2 would have helped (and might help others that aren’t a whiz already in the kitchen.)

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