Quick-Cooking Plant-Based Bulgur Bowl
Protein, fiber and a wealth of plants – these attributes make this bowl a powerhouse meal.
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Most people probably had their first taste of bulgur via a forkful of tabbouleh. Although delicious tossed with mint, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil, this humble whole grain is incredibly versatile and can even be baked into muffins and cookies. It’s also a snap to whip up, mostly because the cracked wheat berries are par-cooked before being dried and packaged. Soak the grain in an equal amount of boiling water, wait 10 or so minutes and then fluff and enjoy its low-cal, high-fiber benefits. In the form of this plant-based, vegan- and vegetarian-friendly Bulgur Bowl, it’s especially tasty.
In addition to bulgur, we’ve added satisfying protein in the form of extra-firm tofu and rounded out the bowl with fresh veggies filled with nutrients. The beets in this recipe are fantastic for heart and brain health, while the edamame and zucchini offer an array of vitamins and minerals, plus a whole lot of fiber. You’ll get a total of 27 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber from this plant-based meal. Plus, the entire dish comes together in under an hour, making it easy to whip up when you don’t have a ton of time to cook.
Want to change up the ingredients, flavor toppings and sauce used to create this satisfying bowl? Check out our guide to mixing and matching a wealth of good-for-you ingredients, and you can customize this bulgur bowl as much as you’d like.
Bulgur Bowl
Ingredients
- 3-4 small beets, peeled and diced into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp sea salt and ground black pepper, divided
- 1½ cups bulgur
- 1 cup edamame, shelled
- 1 12-oz pkg extra-firm tofu
- 1 medium zucchini, grated or spiralized
- ½ recipe Lentil Crisps
- 1 recipe Curry Yogurt Dressing
- 1 red finger chile, thinly sliced
- 4 lime wedges
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread beets out on a parchment-lined baking sheet; drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and one-half of the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Cook bulgur according to package directions. Separately, fill a small pot with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Add edamame; cook for 4 minutes. Drain.
- Slice tofu into 1⁄4-inch slices, wrap in paper towels and press out excess water. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Working in batches, heat one-half of the remaining olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high. Sear one-half of the tofu for 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining oil and tofu.
- Divide bulgur between 4 bowls. Top each with one-quarter of the tofu, edamame, zucchini and Lentil Crisps. Top with Curry Yogurt Dressing, red chiles and a lime wedge.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size ¼ of recipe
- Calories 536
- Carbohydrate Content 71 g
- Cholesterol Content 4 mg
- Fat Content 19 g
- Fiber Content 14 g
- Protein Content 27 g
- Saturated Fat Content 3 g
- Sodium Content 518 mg
- Sugar Content 14 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g