How To Cook Bulgur Wheat

I recently published a post explaining what bulgur wheat is, where I did a deep dive into the types of bulgur, where it originated, how it is different from cracked wheat, it’s nutritional values, and where to find it.

In this post, we are going back to basics again and covering how to cook bulgur wheat. Below you will find details on how to make my basic bulgur recipe based on its type, along with instructions on cooking it on the stovetop, microwave, and rice cooker.

If you are into Mediterranean & Middle Eastern cooking, be sure to check out all my Turkish recipes.

Water Ratio for Cooking:

Before I continue explaining how to cook bulgur I think it is important to provide you with the water to bulgur ratio for cooking my basic bulgur recipe. This ratio works for any type of bulgur regardless of its size, except when cooking it in a rice cooker.

I find that the ratio of 1 to 2, meaning 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water, provides the best-cooked bulgur. 

Do I Need To Wash It Before Cooking?

The answer to this question is that it is up to you.

Growing up, my mom would always wash bulgur before cooking it. When I say wash, I mean she would put it in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water for 30-45 seconds before cooking it.

Nowadays, if I am buying packaged bulgur, I do not rinse it before cooking. The only time I give it a quick rinse is if I am using the bulgur that I purchased from the bulk bin, as it is sold in open containers and can get dusty quickly.

I do not feel any difference between rinsed and not rinsed bulgur after it is cooked in terms of taste.

Cooking Fine versus Coarse Bulgur:

If you have shopped for it before, you know that there are 4 common types of bulgur:

1. Fine bulgur also referred to as Extra Fine, Quick Cooking Bulgur, or #1 
2. Medium Coarse Bulgur or #2 
3. Coarse Bulgur or #3
4. Extra Coarse Bulgur or #4 

While the basic cooking method for any type of bulgur wheat can be done by placing it into a saucepan with water, I prefer cooking fine bulgur differently than other types of bulgur. Because it is so small in size, I do not see any point in boiling it. 

Instead, I soak it.

How To Cook Fine Bulgur?

There is a reason why some people refer to fine bulgur as “quick-cooking bulgur.” Similar to the other types, it has a subtle nutty flavor. Since it is so small, you do not need to cook it on the stove. Instead, just soak it in hot liquid. Here is how:

1. Place a cup of fine bulgur into a large bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling hot water (or vegetable or chicken stock) over it. 
2. Let it soak for 10-12 minutes. The cooking time for fine bulgur should be no longer 12 minutes but feel free to taste and let it sit longer if necessary.

3. Fluff it with a fork and use it in your recipe.

How To Cook Coarse Bulgur Wheat? The Stove Top Method:

Please know that the method of cooking I am listing below would work for medium-coarse, coarse grind, and extra-coarse bulgur. However, the cooking time might be slightly different depending on their size. 

You can find the timing according to the size of the bulgur below.

To Cook Coarse Bulgur on the stovetop:

1. Place coarse bulgur and water into a medium-size saucepan. If you want, you can add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for flavor.
2. Bring it to a boil in medium heat, put the lid on, turn it down to low heat and let it cook until all (or most of the liquid) is absorbed.

3. Let it rest for 5 minutes and fluff it with a fork before using it in your recipe.

One cup of dry bulgur yields approximately 4 cups of cooked bulgur.

Do I need to soak coarse bulgur?

You can if you want. And it will soften as it soaks. 

However, because it takes no longer than 15-20 minutes from start to finish to cook it, I think soaking coarse bulgur is not a necessary step.

How About Cooking Red Bulgur?

If you live in the US and go to a supermarket to buy packaged bulgur, you will find out that the popular Bob’s Red Mill brand sells red bulgur.

The difference between regular yellow bulgur and red bulgur is that the yellow one is made from durum wheat (also known as pasta wheat) (source), and the red one is made from whole grain red wheat.

Compared to durum wheat, red wheat is softer, and because of that, it cooks faster. Therefore, the cooking time for red bulgur is slightly shorter. The cooking process is no different, and it takes about 12-13 minutes for it to cook.

In terms of nutrition and texture, red bulgur has a similar profile of vitamins and minerals and a chewy texture.

As you can see in the image, in terms of size, it is close to medium coarse bulgur (#2), and it takes about the same amount of time to cook.

Microwave Cooking Instructions:

Similar to cooking quinoa in a microwave, the fastest way to cook bulgur is in the microwave. From start to finish, it takes about 13 minutes to cook. 

The method I explain below was tested with medium bulgur (#2) as it is the most widely available in the US. 

The cook time for other coarse types might be 1-3 minutes, depending on the size, and should be adjusted accordingly.

One cup of uncooked coarse bulgur cooked in the microwave yields approximately 3 ⅓ cups of cooked bulgur.

Rice Cooker Cooking Instructions:

I find that cooking bulgur wheat in a rice cooker is convenient as there is no need to tend it. It takes longer, 45-50 minutes, compared to all other cooking methods, but I appreciate the fact that there is no need to babysit it.

I tested the recipe below in my Aroma Rice Cooker (affiliate link), both with medium-coarse and coarse bulgur and the cooking time was not much different. 

One cup of uncooked bulgur cooked in a rice cooker yields approximately 3 ½ cups of cooked bulgur.

How To Cook It Turkish Style?

Even though I am sharing a detailed post on how to cook bulgur like rice, I never cooked it this way until I moved to the US. 

My Turkish mom always cooked it like rice, and we called it Bulgur Pilaf. It is what she served as a side dish with almost every meal.

I wrote a whole detailed post on how to cook Turkish Bulgur Pilaf and use bulgur as a rice substitute, so be sure to check that out for more information on cooking it like rice.

What if I am Cooking it for tabouli?

In Turkey, we use extra fine bulgur for tabouli salad (aka fresh herb and bulgur salad widely popular in Middle Eastern cuisine). This is not to say you can not use other varieties, but that is just how my mom (and many other Turkish cooks) did/does.

As it is with any other grain, while cooking fine bulgur, you can use any type of liquid you want to match your recipe’s flavor profile.

For example, if you are cooking bulgur wheat for tabouli, you can mix in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and salt into the boiling water and soak it in that mixture. This way, your tabbouleh salad will have a nice tomato-ey flavor that carries throughout the whole dish.

The same goes for soaking it in chicken or vegetable broth. The important thing here is to make sure that the liquid is boiling hot so that bulgur will cook quickly.

You can soak it in non-boiling liquid, but it will take longer to soften/cook.

Freezing Instructions:

You might ask, can you freeze cooked bulgur. The answer is yes, and here is how you can do it:

1. Bring cooked bulgur wheat to room temperature.
2. Line a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread the cooked bulgur evenly in a single layer.
3. Place the sheet in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours or until frozen. 
4. Remove and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag (just be sure to remove the air from it)

Should Bulgur Wheat Be Crunchy?

No, it should not. Instead, it should be soft and slightly chewy similar to brown rice.

What Is A Good Substitute?

My favorite substitute for bulgur is quinoa, especially if you are looking for a gluten-free alternative.

While they taste quite different, I like that they offer a pretty similar texture when used in recipes. Therefore, recipes like the popular tabouli can be made with quinoa.

Wheat berries, farro, and barley can also be a great substitute for bulgur. If you need more substitution ideas, be sure to check our article on Bulgur Substitutes.

Do you have a favorite bulgur brand you recommend?

I usually buy bulgur from a local Turkish supermarket. However, if I don’t have time to go there, I usually order it online. Below are brands that I use and recommend. Please know that these are affiliate links:

• Duru – Fine Bulgur (#1) to make tabbouleh
• Reis – Coarse Bulgur (#3) to using in basic bulgur recipe.

Both of these brands offer various types of bulgur you can use in your cooking. I have used and continue to use and recommend them.

Recipe Ideas:

Now that you have some cooked bulgur, here are a few ways to use it in recipes:

1. Basic Seasoned Bulgur Bowl: The most straightforward way to serve is to place this basic bulgur recipe in a bowl, drizzle it with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If you have it, you can also sprinkle it with chopped flat-leaf parsley and or fresh mint. You can serve it with a drizzle of yogurt dressing or a bowl of Tzatziki sauce on the side.
2. Serve it as a side dish: I usually serve it with Ina’s Pot Roast, Chicken Fricassee, and even with my Orange Chicken with Fennel.
3. Add into salads: Add a cup of cooked bulgur into any of your favorite salad recipes as a grain to make it more filling and meal-worthy. This Butternut Squash and Bulgur Wheat Salad is a great example.
4. Use it as stuffing vegetables: One of my favorite vegetables to stuff is stuffed peppers. This Middle Eastern Stuffed Peppers recipe is one that I make often.
5. Add it in soups, stews, and stir-fries: One of my favorite ways to use bulgur is by adding it to vegetarian/vegan recipes to mimic the texture of meat. This Vegan Chili recipe is an excellent example of this.
6. For Breakfast: Try this Bulgur Breakfast Bowls recipe from my friends at Give Recipe.