Bulgur with Caramelized Onion
A deeply savory and comforting middle eastern side dish featuring tender bulgur wheat paired with sweet, slow-cooked caramelized onions.
Ingredients
- •2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- •3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- •1 cup coarse bulgur wheat
- •1.5 cups boiling water or vegetable broth
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •1 teaspoon kosher salt
- •0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- •2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- 2
Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat them in the oil.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions, stirring frequently, for about 20 to 25 minutes until they are deeply browned, soft, and naturally sweet.
- 4
Rinse the coarse bulgur wheat in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water and drain well.
- 5
Add the drained bulgur, ground cumin, and ground cinnamon directly into the skillet with the caramelized onions.
- 6
Stir everything together constantly for 2 minutes to toast the bulgur grains and absorb the aromatic flavors.
- 7
Pour in the boiling water or vegetable broth, add the remaining kosher salt and black pepper, and stir well to combine.
- 8
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
- 9
Cover the skillet tightly with a lid and let it simmer undisturbed for 12 to 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender.
- 10
Remove the skillet from the heat and leave it covered to steam for an additional 10 minutes.
- 11
Fluff the bulgur gently with a fork, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve warm.
💡 Chef tips
- To speed up the process, you can caramelize the onions a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Substitute vegetable broth with chicken-style pareve broth for an even richer savory depth of flavor.
- Store leftover bulgur in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat gently with a splash of water.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish should feature fluffy, tender grains of bulgur infused with warm spices, crowned with jammy, sweet caramelized onions that melt in your mouth.