What Is Bulgur?

I’m sick of rice. I’ve had enough of couscous. And don’t even get me started on quinoa! I want some new, exciting carb-y side dish in my life! Something so hearty that it will send me directly into a food sleep with crazy dreams about my second grade teacher’s head on a dog’s body trying to teach me how to write cursive. Wait… what’s this? Bulgur? I hardly know her! Let’s get acquainted and learn the answer to the question: What is bulgur? 

What is bulgur?

Quick agriculture lesson: A wheat stalk has a head at the top with a bunch of kernels on it. Each kernel consists of the outer shell, or bran, and an inner endosperm and germ. When flour is manufactured, the bran is commonly removed and then the inside parts are processed. 

When bread is labeled as “whole grain” or “bran,” that means that the entire kernel, shell included, is ground up and processed into flour. Since the bran contains mostly fiber, whole grain flours are considered “healthier” than processed flour.

It is also possible to eat the kernels whole, forgoing the flour process. This is what bulgur is. Specifically, bulgur is the wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried, and cracked into smaller pieces. There is a similar product you might see in the store called cracked wheat. It’s the exact same thing except it isn’t parboiled, making its final preparation time longer than bulgur.

Bulgur is very popular in Eastern Asian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, and in some Mediterranean cuisines. 

What does bulgur taste like?

Because the bran is still attached, there is a distinctive nutty taste that distinguishes bulgur from other grains. It also has a chewier texture than rice.

Like similar edible grains, bulgur is excellent when used as a base for more elaborate dishes. Perhaps the most popular is tabouli, which appears in many Middle Eastern mezes. 

Bulgur is also used in a variety of pilafs, salads, porridges, and cereals. It even is added to bread dough to create a heartier loaf. Because of bulgur’s versatility, it can replace the grain in any dish and impart a whole new flavor.

Coarse bulgur vs fine bulgur: What’s the difference?

The difference is the amount of bran left on the wheat kernel. Coarse bulgur includes the whole bran, while fine bulgur has some of the bran removed prior to parboiling.

Coarse bulgur and fine bulgur differ in texture. While coarse bulgur is larger and best as a replacement for rice, fine bulgur is better as a replacement for couscous.

Is bulgur a whole grain?

Yep, bulgur is a whole grain. The “whole” part of whole grain means the entire kernel, bran included. Bulgur lives in the same category as other whole grains like oats, farro, barley, and quinoa.

Is bulgur gluten-free?

I’ve said “wheat” about a dozen times in this article so…no, bulgur is not gluten-free.