How to Cook Bulgur for Maximum Nutrition

How to cook bulgur at home for maximum digestibility and which varieties of wheat make the most nutritious choices for the breakfast or dinner menu.

If you’ve ever wondered what bulgur is and the benefits of eating it, think of it this way. It is essentially wheat’s answer to quick oats and instant rice!

An easily prepared dish that fits nicely on both the breakfast and dinner menu, bulgur is traditional to Middle Eastern cuisines where Durum is historically the most popular variety.

Bulgur is made by first soaking wheat berries for many hours. Ancestral people groups also likely sprouted the kernels. However, it is rare for modern preparation to incorporate this time-intensive step anymore.

Fortunately, this is not necessarily a problem. The long soaking process renders the wheat extremely digestible in a manner similar to germination.

After soaking, the wheat is parboiled followed by drying and cracking for ease of storage and quick preparation at home.

Maximum Nutrition Tips

If you wish to try bulgur for yourself, be sure to buy organic to avoid herbicide residues in conventional wheat.

Another buying tip is to look for brands that make their bulgur from heirloom varieties such as Durum rather than modern ultra-hybridized wheat. Unhybridized einkorn would be the most digestible choice of all.

I always cook my bulgur in homemade bone broth instead of water. It is an easy way to add extra nutrition and flavor to the dish.  If you prefer to buy bone broth, I suggest this brand, which has been vetted for authenticity and gelatin content as well as packaging safety.

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Cooked Bulgur Recipe

Healthiest method for cooking bulgur at home that contains maximum nutrition and digestibility.

Cuisine middle eastern

Keyword easy, healthy, nutritious, traditional

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 1 cup

Calories 340 kcal

Author Sarah

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups bone broth
• 1/2 cup bulgur

Instructions

1. Add bone broth and bulgur to a small to medium sized saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes covered.

4. Remove lid, drain any excess broth, and fluff with a fork. 

5. Add to your favorite Middle Eastern dishes or serve with milk or cultured dairy and whole sweeteners/fruit of choice.

Nutrition Facts

Cooked Bulgur Recipe

Amount Per Serving (90 g)

Calories 340 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 10g40%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 12g24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.