Search
by Ingredient

Bulgur with Buried Treasure

Empty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty star

Submitted by teepee10

Middle Eastern lamb and bulgur pilaf with chickpeas, whole pearl onions, butter, and cinnamon. One-skillet comfort food served with cool yogurt on the side.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

30 min

READY

45 min

The “buried treasure” is the lamb, chickpeas, and whole onions hidden underneath a mound of cooked bulgur. This is a rustic Middle Eastern one-skillet dish where the grain absorbs all the cooking liquid from the meat and beans, soaking up flavor as it simmers.

Cubed lamb stew meat gets browned in butter first, then small whole onions go in and cook until pale yellow. Using whole pearl-sized onions rather than chopped gives you sweet, intact bites scattered throughout the finished dish.

Dried chickpeas soaked overnight cook alongside the lamb until both are tender. The chickpeas add earthy, nutty bites and absorb the lamb drippings as they simmer. Canned chickpeas would work in a pinch, but dried ones have a firmer texture that holds up better in this kind of long-cooked dish.

The bulgur goes in last, cooking in the remaining liquid over low heat until fluffy. A touch of cinnamon stirred in at the end adds a warm, unexpected sweetness. Serve with a generous dollop of cool yogurt on the side for contrast.

Pro Tips

  • Use coarse-grade bulgur, not fine. Fine bulgur turns mushy when cooked this long. Coarse holds its texture and stays chewy.
  • Soak the chickpeas overnight. Unsoaked dried chickpeas will still be hard when the lamb is done.
  • Brown the lamb in batches if needed. Crowding the skillet steams the meat instead of searing it.
  • The yogurt isn’t optional. Its cool tanginess is what balances the rich, buttery grain.

Variations

  • Beef version: Swap the lamb for beef stew meat. The cooking time stays the same but the flavor shifts to something heartier.
  • Pine nut garnish: Toast pine nuts in butter and scatter them over the top before serving for a traditional Middle Eastern finish.

Ingredients

1 453.6
POUND G LAMB STEW MEAT
cubed *
¼ 59
CUP ML BUTTER
12 12
SMALL SMALL ONIONS
walnut-sized
2 ½ 591
CUPS ML WATER
½ 118
CUP ML CHICKPEAS (GARBANZO BEANS)
dried, soaked overnight
2 473
CUPS ML CRACKED WHEAT (BULGUR)
coarse grade
1 ½ 7.5
TEASPOONS ML SALT
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML CINNAMON
1
X YOGURT
to taste *

Directions

In skillet, sauté meat in 2 tablespoons butter until browned.

Remove meat.

In same skillet, sauté whole onions in butter until pale-yellow.

Return meat to skillet.

Add water and dried garbanzos.

Cook until meat and garbanzos are tender.

Remove some of meat and onions.

Add bulgur and cook over low heat until done.

Return meat, onions and garbanzos and stir in remaining butter.

Add salt and cinnamon.

Serve with yogurt.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 475g (16.8 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 460 25% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 1082mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 27%
Dietary Fiber 18g 71%
Sugars g
Protein 25g
Vitamin A 7% Vitamin C 28%
Calcium 9% Iron 15%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 

Email this recipe