Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Asparagus

Bulgur wheat risotto, with new season asparagus, peas and smoked pancetta. A tasty dish that is simple and quick to prepare, making it a great mid-week dinner for all the family.

Bulgur wheat risotto is a favourite dish in my home and a regular feature on my families dinner table. Bulgur wheat is a really tasty grain, full of flavour and with a nice texture.

However, it is one of those grains that people often forget about, or don’t now how to cook. Which is a pity as it is a really great tasting grain and very simple and straightforward to cook with.

As a grain, bulgur wheat has a nutty flavour, which makes it an ideal pairing with vegetables and cheese.

What is bulgur wheat?

Bulgur wheat is a grain, a cracked wheat that originated in the Mediterranean. A staple food, commonly found in both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.

It is used as the base grain in many dishes, including tabbouleh. This fibre rich, whole grain has a lovely nutty flavour that works great in dishes like this risotto.

However, once cooked it can also be cooled and added to salads. Mix it with some crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs like parsley and tarragon, and a lemon dressing and you have a wonderful, fresh tasting salad.

Bulgur Wheat Risotto – recipe steps:

How do I cook bulgur wheat?

Unlike some grains, bulgur wheat cooks really quickly. in approximately 15 minutes in either water or stock. However, this versatile grain and can be eaten hot or cold, it makes a great salad.

Think of it as being similar to rice or couscous, use it in similar style dishes.

Recipe Ingredients:

Asparagus:

New season’s asparagus is one of the highlights of the food calendar in my opinion. Fresh, British grown, asparagus is an utter joy to eat and I ensure I eat plenty of this delicious green vegetable when it’s available.

It works really well in this dish with the nutty bulgur wheat, the sweet tpeas and the smoked pancetta. These flavours marry together really well.

Frozen Garden Peas:

We have used frozen peas in this recipe as it’s something most of us will have in our freezers. However, I am a great fan of using frozen peas in my cooking. In fact I rarely use anything else!

Frozen peas are frozen within hours of being picked so the process retains their fresh, sweetness. Too often I’ve bought bags of fresh peas from the supermarket only to find they have a bitterness to them.

Of course, the best peas are those I pick straight from my garden, but in all honesty they never make the pan either and are usually shelled and eaten straight away!

Pancetta:

Pancetta is a salt-cured and dried pork belly, used in Italian cooking to flavour soups, stews, risottos. A great alternative would be to use a smoked streaky bacon.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

This recipe, as is the case with most risottos, is best eaten immediately. There is a freshness to the dish and this wouldn’t be the case if the dish was reheated. That’s not to say that any leftovers can’t still be reheated and enjoyed. It just won’t have the lightness.

Adapt the recipe for vegetarians:

This recipe is very simple to adapt to a meat free recipe, suitable for vegetarians or anyone looking to include a few meat free days in their diet. Firstly remove the smoked pancetta from the dish. It will change the flavour, but the risotto will be no worse for it.

Secondly, substitute the Parmesan with a suitable vegetarian cheese.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our other dishes:

• Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Asparagus
• Mediterranean Vegetable Bake
• Chicken Pilaf
• Roast Chicken with Chorizo & Butterbean Stew
• Ras el Hanout Chicken with Spicy Couscous
• Chicken & Chickpea Salad with Quinoa

For other great ideas on how to feed the family, have a look at our Ultimate Guide to Family Dinners. This guide if full of recipes, hint and tips to get inspire you.

Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Asparagus, Peas & Pancetta

Bulgur wheat risotto, with new season asparagus, peas and smoked pancetta. A tasty dish that is simple and quick to prepare, a great mid-week dinner.

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 614kcal

Author: Lesley Garden

Ingredients

• ▢ 30 g butter
• ▢ 100 g smoked pancetta (diced)
• ▢ 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• ▢ 2 sticks celery (finely chopped)
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 300 g bulgur wheat
• ▢ 1 ltr vegetable stock (heated up)
• ▢ 200 g asparagus (chopped)
• ▢ 150 g frozen peas

To finish:

• ▢ 20 g butter
• ▢ 100 g parmesan (grated)
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh tarragon (chopped)
• ▢ salt & pepper

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the smoked pancetta to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the fat has rendered down and the pancetta is starting to crisp.
• Add the onion and celery to the pan and saute gently for 5 minutes, taking care to soften but not colour the vegetables. Next add the garlic to the pan and continue to cook for a further minute.
• Next add the bulgur wheat to the pan and give it a good stir to coat it completely in the vegetable and butter mixture.
• Turn the temperature down to medium low. Gradually pour the stock into the pan and stir well. Keep adding the stock a little at a time, allowing the bulgur wheat to absorb the liquid. Don't add it all at once, you want to cook it low and slow to allow the wheat to soften. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
• With the last pour of stock, add the asparagus and peas to the bulgur wheat and cook gently for to cook through, 2-3 minutes.
• To finish the dish, add the parmesan cheese, butter and chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe can be simply adapted to suit vegetarians. The only meat based product in the dish is the smoked pancetta, simply leave it out.

If you can’t find fresh tarragon for this risotto, fresh basil or parsley will also work in the dish.

Nutrition Facts

Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Asparagus, Peas & Pancetta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 614 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 677mg29%

Potassium 727mg21%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 1320IU26%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 394mg39%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Main Course

Cuisine : Mediterranean

Keyword : Easy, Quick, quick meals, Simple

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