Crock Pot Lemon Bulgur Garbanzo Pilaf
My whole family loves this vegetarian crock pot recipe (even the omnivores!). They love to season it up with garlic, cumin, cayenne, and even tobasco.
Prep time: 30 min; Total time: Two days
Ingredients
- 1 c medium grind bulgar
- 1 c dried chickpeas or 1 can
- 1 c dried black beans or 1 can
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 c vegetable stock
- 1/2 c water
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tsp cumin (to taste)
- 1/3 c fresh lemon juice
- 1 c fresh parsley, chopped
- Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
If you are going to use dried beans, soak them overnight and cook them before beginning
Place the bulgur, chickpeas, and beans in the slow cooker with water and vegetable stock. Cook covered on low for 2-3 hrs.
Saute the onion, carrot, and garlic in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the vegetables to the crock pot along with cumin and cayenne. Mix well. Cook covered on low for 4-6 hours.
Add the lemon juice and parsley to the slow cooker. Mix.
Serves: 6
Per Serving: 347 Calories, 8.5g fat, 17g protein, 16g fiber, 10.5% RDA calcium, 28% RDA iron
Tips
If you cannot wait two days to enjoy this healthy vegetarian recipe, do the following:
- Cook the bulgur in the microwave or on the stove with water and broth, according to instructions.
- Use canned beans instead of dried. Wash them thoroughly before using.
- Toss chickpeas, beans, sauteed veggies, and spices into a saucepan and cook on medium high heat.
- When the bulgur finishes cooking, add it to the saucepan with the beans and mix.
- Add lemon, parsley, and serve.
To use dried beans, first cook them in boiling water for 5 minutes the night before. Drain the water. Then soak the beans overnight, changing the soak water once. Discard the soak water once more and add them to your crock pot. If you are not using a crock pot, cook your beans on the stove for about 40 minutes or in a pressure cooker for 10-15 minutes before using them.
If you use canned beans, be sure to rinse them thoroughly before using them.
To reduce sodium, substitute water for all or some of the vegetable broth. Increase the amount of garlic and cumin, to taste.
Try using other beans or grains - whatever you have on hand. For example, substitute cracked wheat for bulgur or substitute kidney beans for black beans.
This is a great dish to make if you are dining with omnivores. While this vegetarian crock pot recipe tastes delicious without meat, if your omnivorous friends wish, they can add it. My family enjoyed it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and some feta cheese.
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