Bulgur pilaf with mushrooms and walnuts

By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Sources checked 5 November 2026

This is the pilaf I make when I want rice but something with more bite. Coarse bulgur cooks in about 12 minutes, soaks up the juices of well-browned mushrooms, and toasted walnuts folded in at the end give it crunch and a deeper, nutty taste. One pan, under an hour including the resting time.

Serve it as a vegetarian main with a green salad and yogurt, or as a side for roast chicken, fish or the roasted pumpkin from this autumn’s recipes.

Difficulty: Easy, one pan · Diet: Vegan, dairy-free (contains wheat gluten and tree nuts)

Bulgur pilaf with mushrooms and walnuts

Coarse bulgur cooked with browned mushrooms, onion and thyme, finished with toasted walnuts. One pan, 50 minutes, vegan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Mains

Servings 4 servings

Calories 377 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 200 g coarse bulgur a scant 1 1/2 cups
• 50 g walnuts a scant 1/2 cup
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 40 g, divided
• 400 g mushrooms white or brown, sliced
• 1 medium onion about 110 g, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic 6 g, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 450 ml hot water or vegetable stock scant 2 cups
• 1 tsp fine salt 5 g, divided
• Black pepper
• To serve: a handful of chopped parsley lemon wedges

Instructions

 

• Toast the walnuts in a dry, wide pan with a lid over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan, until they smell toasty. Tip them out, let them cool and chop roughly.
• In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and leave them alone for 3-4 minutes until the underside is browned. Stir and cook 3-4 minutes more, until the liquid they release has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt and move them to a plate.
• Turn the heat to medium, add the last tablespoon of oil and the onion. Cook for 6-7 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the bulgur and stir for 1-2 minutes so every grain is coated in oil.
• Pour in the hot water, add the rest of the salt and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes, until the water is absorbed and small holes appear on the surface.
• Take the pan off the heat, scatter the mushrooms on top, cover with a clean tea towel and the lid and leave for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, fold in the walnuts, parsley and black pepper, and serve with lemon wedges.

Keyword autumn, bulgur, mushrooms, one pan, pilaf, vegan, walnuts, whole grains

Nutrition per serving

Per serving, 1/4 of the pan (main-course portion), calculated from USDA FoodData Central for each ingredient.

Data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Bulgur, dry (FDC 170688); Oil, olive, salad or cooking (FDC 171413); Onions, raw (FDC 170000); Mushrooms, white, raw (FDC 169251); Garlic, raw (FDC 169230); Nuts, walnuts, english (FDC 170187). Thyme, black pepper, parsley, lemon and stock are not included (water assumed). Brown mushrooms are calculated with the values for white mushrooms. Carbohydrate is USDA “by difference” and includes fibre.

Swaps and variations

• Wild mushrooms: replace up to half of the mushrooms with porcini or oyster mushrooms in season.
• Tomato pilaf: stir 1 tbsp tomato paste in with the onion and use 1 tsp sweet paprika instead of thyme.
• More greens: fold in two handfuls of spinach with the mushrooms; it wilts in the resting time.
• Not vegan: crumble 100 g feta over the top or serve with a spoon of Greek yogurt.
• Nut-free: use toasted pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts.

Storage and reheating

Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a covered pan with 2-3 tablespoons of water, or eat it at room temperature with a squeeze of lemon and some extra parsley, like a salad. Keep a few walnuts aside to add fresh, since they soften in the fridge.

Related

• Recipes: Stuffed peppers with bulgur and feta · Roasted pumpkin with chickpeas, tahini and pomegranate · Pomegranate, walnut and parsley salad
• Encyclopedia: Bulgur per 100 g · Mushrooms · Walnuts
• Diet: Mediterranean diet · 7-day Mediterranean meal plan

FAQ