This article comes from Nutrition Action. We don't accept any paid advertising or corporate or government donations. Any products we recommend have been vetted by our staff and are not advertisements by the manufacturers. 

It won't break the bank. It's at home in dozens of dishes. It packs far more fiber than brown rice, yet cooks in a fraction of the time.

Who knew that unassuming bulgur could do all that? Fact is, when you want a break from rice or pasta, you can't do much better than nutty-tasting bulgur. Here's why:

It's versatile

Tabbouleh—a Middle Eastern bulgur salad with parsley, mint, scallions, and tomato—is only the beginning. Say hello to your new go-to grain for pilafs, salads, grain bowls, and soups. It's also a great whole-grain sub for couscous.

Tired of oatmeal? Heat up some bulgur with cinnamon, apples or pears, and walnuts or pecans. Mmm.

It's a timesaver

Bulgur—dried cracked wheat that's been steamed or parboiled—is a breeze. Just add boiling water, cover, soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain. That's for a "fine" or couscous-size grind; a coarser or "medium" grind like Bob's Red Mill Red Bulgur needs a simmer or a longer soak.

It's a superstar

A serving of bulgur (about 3/4 cup cooked) has roughly 5 grams of fiber, plus a decent dose of the vitamins and minerals you'd expect from a whole grain—magnesium, iron, zinc, and a bunch of B vitamins. Nice!

Don't feel like hunting down a recipe?

The Healthy Cook's Pistachio Citrus Bulgur is a simple, knock-your-socks-off place to start.

Tags

Topics