This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

ADVERTISEMENT

This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Bulgur and Mixed Mushrooms with Zhoug

4 to 6 Servings

45 minutes

Made This Recipe? Write a Review.
Thank you for submitting your review! A member of our team is confirming the review meets our site's Community Guidelines. It will be posted on the site shortly.

Bulgur, sometimes referred to as cracked wheat, probably is best known as an ingredient in tabbouleh. But the staple grain in Middle Eastern cuisines is eminently versatile and can be used in soup, salads and pilafs, like this one. To produce bulgur, wheat berries are parcooked, dried and cracked, which means the grain is relatively quick to prepare, but hydration time and the amount of liquid depends on the fineness of the bulgur. We use nutty, toothsome coarse bulgur and pair it with meaty, savory mushrooms. To add herbaceousness, pungency and layers of spice—plus the fruity richness of olive oil—we whir up a batch of zhoug, a vibrant, pesto-like condiment said to be Yemeni in origin. We stir a little zhoug into the bulgur-mushroom mix and offer the rest at the table. Serve this as a light vegetarian main, topped with fried eggs, if you like, or offer it alongside grilled or roasted chicken, lamb or beef.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to remove and discard the stems from shiitake mushrooms, if using. Unlike other varieties of mushrooms, shiitakes have tough, woody stems that don’t soften with cooking.

45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4

    cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1 large bunch), roughly chopped

  • 2

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

Directions

Reviews
Jennifer J.
January 12, 2025
Easy and tasty
This was my first time cooking bulgur and it went smoothly. I used a mix of oyster and cremini mushrooms. I thought it was quite good - the zhoug is spicy, but not overpowering and you can control how much extra to add at the end. I think I would use less oil on the onions next time. My blender struggled with the zhoug - I had to add another tablespoon of water.

ADVERTISEMENT