Community recipe
Palestinian-Inspired Charred Pepper Bulgur with Lemon Lentils
A warmly spiced, plant-forward bulgur bowl built around skillet-charred peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, then finished with lemony lentils and fresh parsley. It makes a satisfying weeknight main with smoky depth and bright acidity.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 3 red bell peppers
- 2 plum tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oils
- 1.5 cup coarse bulgur
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt
- 2.25 cup vegetable broths
- 3 cup cooked brown lentils
- 2 tbsp lemon juices
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Char the vegetables
Heat a large dry cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add 3 each red bell peppers, 2 each plum tomatoes, and 2 each garlic cloves. Turn occasionally until the pepper and tomato skins are blistered and softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer everything to a board; cover the peppers and tomatoes for 5 minutes, then peel away loose charred skin. Remove pepper cores and tomato stems, then coarsely chop the vegetables and mince the garlic.
- 02
Cook the fragrant bulgur
Set the skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir in the minced garlic with 1 1/2 cups coarse bulgur, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt for 1 minute. Pour in 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low. Cook until tender and the broth is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.
- 03
Warm the lentils and finish
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 3 cups cooked brown lentils, the chopped charred peppers and tomatoes, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring, until hot and lightly saucy, about 4 minutes. Fluff the bulgur, fold in 1/2 cup fresh parsley, and divide among four bowls. Spoon the lemony lentils over the bulgur and serve warm.
