Healthy Bulgur Side Dish Recipes

The EatingWell Test Kitchen takes lean ground beef and combines it with whole-grain bulgur, egg noodles and a creamy tomato sauce in a baked casserole topped with Cheddar. With less fat and calories than the original skillet meal, this dish is sure to become a new family favorite.

This pilaf, made with nutty bulgur, gets plenty of bright flavor from fresh dill, mint, parsley, ginger and lemon.

Serve this tart, parsley-dominated tabbouleh at your next backyard gathering.

This Ethiopian buttery grain porridge recipe is often served for breakfast, but you can also top it with other dishes like messer wot (spiced lentils) or gomen (Ethiopian-spiced collards) for lunch or dinner and eat it in place of the traditional flatbread, injera.

This tabbouleh recipe with chickpeas has lots of parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers. Toasting brings out the flavor in the cumin, and cinnamon adds a subtle depth to the flavors. Bring this tabbouleh recipe as a side to a party or serve as a one-dish supper for 6 instead of 8.

Think hummus meets tabbouleh in these vegetarian stuffed grape leaves, bursting with chickpeas, parsley and bulgur tied together with a lemony, garlicky sauce. The grape leaves will seem soft when just finished cooking, but will firm up as they cool. We prefer these at room temperature or cold--perfect for bringing to work for lunch.

Grilled vegetables add a layer of rich, complex flavors to the popular Middle Eastern salad of bulgur and herbs. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread or use as a sandwich filling.

Asparagus and pomegranate seeds are a fun addition to this easy tabbouleh recipe. Serve this healthy whole-grain side with chicken kebabs, tzatziki and pita bread for a Middle Eastern-inspired dinner.

The pleasantly sweet-and-sour pomegranate molasses in the tangy vinaigrette here is made by reducing pomegranate juice into a syrup. Look for it at well-stocked grocery stores and Middle Eastern markets.

Bulgur is ubiquitous in Middle Eastern cooking but also pairs deliciously with Asian seasonings. This simple side dish is perfect with beef, lamb or poultry. For variations, substitute toasted sesame seeds for the almonds, or carrot juice (it is surprisingly good and certainly nutritious) for orange juice.

The bulgur in this salad is inspired by kishk, a crumbly cheese made by fermenting bulgur in buttermilk and yogurt. Chef Reem Assil, owner of Reem's California in Oakland, prepares this quicker version by skipping the fermentation and using labneh or Greek yogurt instead. If you want extra tang, let the bulgur mixture sit for 24 hours before making the salad. Crumbled goat cheese can be swapped in for the bulgur mixture if you prefer.