This Mexican-style bulgur bowl recipe, with tasty taco-inspired ingredients and a zesty, oil-free cilantro lime vinaigrette, is a delicious meatless bowl that will surely be a family favorite.
This super-satisfying bowl is another example of why bulgur is a popular ground meat substitute in our kitchen. What’s not to love? It’s a quick-cooking whole grain straight from the pantry.
If you aren’t familiar with bulgur, it’s an inexpensive, whole grain that adds texture and flavor to everything from bulgur pilaf with veggies, Asian-inspired lettuce wraps, and stuffed butternut squash.
In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make a great taco vegan ‘meat’ using bulgur and tomato sauce. Another bulgur inspiration? Bulgur taco salad!
Table of Contents
📋 Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Bulgur – the star of the bowl. Bulgur wheat is a cereal grain, groats of wheat, to be specific. It is cracked, parboiled, and then hydrated. This recipe works best with medium or coarse bulgur. Fine bulgur has a texture similar to couscous, so it's not as 'meaty'.
Black beans – I used a can of black beans, but you can use other types of beans, like pinto or red kidney beans.
Flax seeds – Ground flax seeds help thicken the dressing. Use chia or hemp seeds as a substitute if needed. If you end up leaving it out, it will just be a little thinner.
Lime juice – Used in the bulgur sauce and 1 cup for the dressing. Bottled lime juice is just fine if fresh limes are unavailable or too expensive.
Chili powder – I made this recipe with my own chili powder recipe. I recommend it, but it’s not essential. Use your regular chili powder or chipotle seasoning blend.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
🥑 Recipe Variations
If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, consider another delicious dressing like lime and tahini dressing or creamy avocado chipotle dressing. Another quick option I like is mixing cashew sour cream with salsa and lime juice.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blend the dressing ingredients and set aside. It thickens as it sits.
Step 2: Cook the onions and jalapenos for 2-3 minutes to soften them. Then add the garlic and spices.
Step 3: Stir in the tomato sauce, maple syrup, and lime juice. Bring the ingredients to a slow simmer.
Step 4: Add the bulgur and ½ cup of water. Cover and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes or until the bulgur is tender.
🔪 Pro Tips
- Stir the bulgur a few times as it cooks. Add a little water if needed. It will absorb as it cooks.
- It’s optional, but heat the corn and black beans in a separate saucepan if you want a warmer bowl.
Denise’s Tip: If you don't have enough tomato sauce, no worries. Adjust the water. And remember, the longer you cook bulgur, the more the liquid will evaporate.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
One reason to love bowls is that they are fully customizable. If you have ripe avocados, great, use them. If not, mix it up with quick-pickled red onions, fresh mango pico de gallo, or Mexican pickled veggies.
All the ingredients make delicious burritos or stuff a batch of fresh yellow corn tortillas. Yum!
🌡️ Storage and Reheating
Store leftover bulgur taco ‘meat’ in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or freeze for 3 months.
Bulgur can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or stove. If reheating on the stove, add a small amount of water to avoid burning.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Bulgur is cracked, parboiled, and dried whole wheat. Cracked wheat is raw whole wheat berries milled but not precooked.
Bulgur is a whole wheat ingredient and is not gluten-free. The best gluten-free substitute for bulgur for this recipe is quinoa, which takes the same amount of time to cook. Use it in a 1:1 ratio.
Besides quinoa, substitutes for bulgur include barley (½ cup), pearl (Israeli) couscous, or brown rice.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Mexican-Style Bulgur Bowl Recipe
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Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds - ground, see notes)
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1-2 teaspoons chili powder
Bulgur Taco 'Meat'
- 1 medium onion - 1 cup diced
- 1-2 medium jalapenos - deseeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 cups tomato sauce - 18 ounces/500 grams
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup bulgur - medium or coarse
- ½ cup water
Additional Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups black beans - 1 can rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups corn - 10-ounce/325-gram can
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes - sliced
- 1 small lettuce head - chopped, 4 cups
- 1 medium avocado - diced
- ½ cup black olives - sliced
Instructions
- To make the dressing, grind whole flax seeds, if necessary, in a spice grinder. Then add all the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend the dressing until smooth. Set aside to let the dressing thicken.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onions and jalapenos. Cook the veggies for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder and stir to combine everything.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, maple syrup, and lime juice, then add the bulgur and water.
- Mix everything and bring the ingredients to a low simmer. Cover the pot and cook the bulgur for 15 minutes until it is tender. Check after 10 minutes and give it a stir or add more water if necessary.
- To make the bowls, divide the bulgur, beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, black olives, and other toppings into 4 portions in individual bowls. Serve the dressing on the side.
Notes
- Ground flax seeds are an oil-free thickener for the dressing. The best substitute for flax seeds is ground chia seeds or hemp seeds as a second alternative.
- You can make the dressing and bulgur a day ahead. To reheat the bulgur on the stovetop, add ¼ a cup of water to prevent it from scorching on the bottom.
- Make adjustments to the amounts of tomato sauce and water if necessary. You want to use 2 ½ cups of liquid for 1 cup of bulgur. Add more water if all the liquid is absorbed before the bulgur is tender.
- Do not substitute cracked wheat for bulgur. It will take a lot longer to cook. A good substitute for bulgur for this recipe is quinoa or green lentils, although the texture will not be the same.
- Store leftover bulgur and dressing separately for 5 days. Or freeze bulgur taco meat for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Maria
This came out amazing! Great recipe find!
Denise
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this recipe. I made this early on and now you reminded me - we're making it this week. 🙂