Mexican bulgur bowls

Mexican bulgur bowls are brimming with tasty taco-inspired flavors including, spicy, quick-cooking bulgur, black beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, olives, and zesty lime vinaigrette.  

This super-satisfying bowl is another example of why bulgur is such a popular ground meat substitute around our kitchen. What’s not to love? It’s a quick-cooking whole food that you can keep in the pantry, so it’s always on hand when you need it.

What is bulgur?

Bulgur wheat is a cereal grain, groats of wheat to be specific. It is cracked, parboiled, then hydrated. The processing makes bulgur cook up in about 15 minutes, without the loss of nutrition. That’s because bulgur contains all three elements of grain – the germ, endosperm, and bran.

Full of nutrients and high in heart-healthy fiber, bulgur is a nutritious and tasty vegan option if you're looking for a grain that's low in carbohydrates. It’s also healthier than rice. And because it's lower in calories and cost than quinoa, bulgur is worth keeping in stock if you want an easy super-grain.

Bulgur is whole wheat, therefore, it is not suitable for anyone following a gluten-free diet. If this describes you, then this is a case for quinoa. You can follow all the recipe steps using equal amounts and make it gluten-free. Green lentils can also be used, although they will take twice the time to cook.

How to make it

1. Heat a medium pot or skillet. Be sure it is something with a lid. Then sauté the onions and jalapenos.

2. Add the garlic and the spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder). Mix it in for no more than 30 seconds. You don’t want the garlic to scorch.

3. Pour in the tomato sauce and add the maple syrup and lime juice. Be sure to stir so that you pick up any onions or spices stuck to the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the bulgur and ½ a cup of water. Be sure to combine everything so that the bulgur isn’t just sitting on the top of the pan.

5. Bring the pan to a low simmer, and cover. Bulgur takes about 15 minutes to get tender. The best way to check for doneness is to taste it.

Lime vinaigrette

There are two 'must haves' for these bowls. The first, the spicy bulgur and the other? The dressing. This is a vinaigrette and is a bit on the lighter side.

The vinaigrette will get thicker as it sits. For this reason, you may want to make it first. Be sure that you use ground, not whole flax seeds. Use a spice grinder to pulverize whole seeds. Each tablespoon of ground flax seeds requires 2 tablespoons of whole flax seeds.  You can keep ground flax seeds for months in a jar or sealed container.

Not a fan of cilantro?

No worries. Try our spicy chipotle dressing as an alternative. It takes minutes to make and is equally delicious. If you want a thicker dressing, try our cilantro-lime dressing.

Pro Tips

• Be sure to pre-heat the skillet before you add the onions and jalapenos. This helps prevent the onions from sticking. If they do start to stick, add a tablespoon of water. If the bulgur sticks to the bottom of the pan before it’s tender, give it a good stir and add ½ a cup of water and allow it to cook down.
• Bulgur takes about 15 minutes to cook, so you may want to prepare all the rest of the bowl ingredients before you begin cooking.
• Don’t get concerned if you don’t have quite enough tomato sauce or too much. Make adjustments with the amount of water you add. The longer you cook bulgur, the more the liquid will evaporate.
• Consider wearing gloves when working with hot chilis such as jalapenos. Remove the seeds and inner core to help reduce the heat of fresh chilis. 

What’s in your bowl?

One reason to love bowls is that they are fully customizable. We usually serve ours with black beans, corn, lettuce, and tomatoes. If we happen to have a ripe avocado or black olives, yippee! Here are some related recipes that you might enjoy with your bowls.

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