reheat bulgur wheat
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How to Reheat Bulgur Wheat – Step By Step

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Quick Answer

You can reheat bulgur wheat using these methods:

  1. Oven: Preheat to 350°F, spread bulgur in a pan, and heat for 20 minutes.
  2. Microwave: Heat in a microwave-safe dish for 3 minutes, stirring every minute.
  3. Stove Top: Heat in a pot on medium for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, adding butter or oil if desired.

Read on for more detail

If you like grains such as rice or quinoa in your foods, you are sure to love bulgur wheat. Bulgur is rich and flavorful, much like brown rice. You can even replace your rice with bulgur wheat and make your meal slightly more nutritious. 

Bulgur wheat can be treated much like a grain in your kitchen. It has a long shelf life and is commonly used in meals in the Middle East. It’s a versatile grain that can be used in a lot of various recipes in addition to the many foods it is already known for. 

When you cook bulgur wheat, no matter the reason, you need to have options. How can you store and reheat bulgur wheat to not jeopardize flavor or texture? No one method is better than another when it comes to reheating your bulgur wheat. Simply use whichever method will work best for your needs. You might also choose a reheating method based on what you plan to do with the bulgur as well. 

We have many tips and tricks surrounding bulgur wheat to share with you, including the steps you should follow when you attempt to reheat bulgur wheat. We will share some options for bulgur wheat and a ton of helpful information. 

Keep reading to find out how to reheat bulgur wheat and so much more. 

A Guide to Bulgur Wheat

Bulgur wheat is a useful food product. You can make a lot of things with it, including classic cultural dishes from the Middle East, like tabbouleh. This is a traditional meal that bulgur is commonly used for, but it has so many other uses as well. 

Here is a list of some common recipes bulgur wheat is used in. 

  • Tabbouleh
  • Falafels
  • Salads
  • Tuna salad additive
  • Chili
  • Various soups
  • Stuffed peppers
  • Rice replacement
  • Use with veggie burgers
  • Muffins
  • Breakfast bowls – add fruits, milk, etc. 
  • Side dishes
  • Curry
  • Stir fry
  • Meatballs

As you can see, bulgur has many uses. You can cook it almost any way you would like and you can season it or add fruits or vegetables to it. It works great in salads and can even be used for baking products. 

What Is Bulgur Wheat?

Bulgur wheat is cracked whole-grain wheat. When it is harvested, it is boiled and dried before it is packaged and sent out for distribution. Originally, bulgur wheat was mostly grown in Mediterranean areas. That is where the popularity began. 

The call for bulgur wheat continues to grow because it is very easy to cook and it can replace any type of grain. It’s extremely versatile and can be used in many varying ways through different recipes. 

Bulgur wheat can be served as a breakfast oat, a side dish, or as a filler for various items like salads. You can get rid of your brown rice and work with bulgur wheat. Bulgur wheat is actually more nutritious anyway. 

This is a whole-wheat product, so it’s full of nutrition and can provide satisfactory grains to your diet in a healthy way. It’s also typically quite affordable, much like rice is. 

Now that we’ve compared bulgur wheat to rice, we want to say stop comparing it to rice. While you can use it as a substitute for rice, it also has a lot more functionality than rice does and can be used for so many more things. 

Did you know that each ¼ cup serving of bulgur wheat has 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber? If you’re not cooking with this yet, now is your time. 

Cooking Bulgur Wheat

Before you start making various dishes with bulgur wheat, you need to prepare it. It is very easy to cook and for the most part, must be cooked before you can use it in preparing other dishes. We are focusing on reheating bulgur today, which means you need to know how it is prepared to begin with. 

reheat bulgur wheat

Cooking bulgur is very simple. You cook it with the base instructions and then you can add to it however you like from there – turn it into a breakfast bowl, add seasonings and herbs, make tabbouleh, or anything else you might want to try. 

Here are the basic steps to cooking bulgur wheat. 

  1. Use 2 cups of water to every 1 cup of bulgur wheat.
  2. Combine water and bulgur in a pot and bring to a boil.
  3. When it is boiling, stir well, then cover the pot and reduce to simmer.
  4. Allow the bulgur to simmer for about 12 minutes, or until it is nice and tender. 
  5. Drain excess liquid.
  6. You can fluff the bulgur with a fork or proceed to other recipes and uses. 

You can also cook bulgur wheat in the microwave or in a rice cooker if you have the appropriate tools to do so. Cooking it in the traditional manner on the stove is so simple but don’t be afraid to try other cooking methods if you would like to. 

This is just the basic step. Cooking the bulgur wheat would be necessary to proceed with using it in whatever recipe you might be trying unless you have a recipe that instructs you otherwise. 

Storing Bulgur Wheat

Bulgur wheat has a long shelf life. It should be treated just as you would any other whole grain in your pantry. The best storage happens in either an airtight container or in your freezer. Here are some instructions for storing your uncooked bulgur wheat. 

  1. Store bulgur wheat in an airtight container. You can use a sealable bag or a sealable container, just make sure whatever you use is airtight and seals well. 
  2. Place the container in a dry location. We recommend you find a corner in your pantry where it’s not subjected to excessive light, heat, or moisture. You can also place it in the freezer under the same storage methods. 
  3. You can store bulgur wheat up to 2 years in the pantry if stored properly and up to 4 years in the freezer if stored properly. 

If you’re working with cooked bulgur wheat, storage does change a bit. Here are the steps for storing cooked bulgur wheat. 

  1. Place cooked bulgur wheat in an airtight container or sealable bag. Be sure the packaging is airtight. 
  2. You can store bulgur wheat in the fridge for about 3 days. After that, the wheat could potentially start leaking water. 
  3. You can store cooked bulgur wheat in the freezer for up to 12 months. You can even meal-prep portions and freeze cooked bulgur wheat long term. 

How to Reheat Bulgur Wheat

You might have gathered that bulgur wheat is one of the easiest foods to work with. It cooks easily, stores easily, and reheats easily. You can reheat it in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave. Here are the steps to reheating with each method. 

bulgur wheat

Oven

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Place the bulgur wheat in an oven-friendly pan and spread out evenly. 
  3. Heat in the oven for about 20 minutes or until it is warmed through. 

Microwave

  1. Place cooked bulgur wheat in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Place in the microwave for about 3 minutes, stirring every minute. 
  3. If you are cooking large portions of bulgur wheat or using large-grind wheat in the microwave, it can take up to 10 minutes to be warmed through. The instruction for 3 minutes is for a single portion. 

Stove Top

  1. Place the cooked bulgur wheat in a pot.
  2. You can add a small amount of butter or olive oil to your pot to freshen up the bulgur. 
  3. Warm bulgur on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. 
  4. You may need to heat longer, simply heat until warmed through. If you feel as though the bulgur is sticking, we recommend adding butter or oil in very small amounts. 

Related Questions

We hope that you have found this guide to be useful and informative. Bulgur wheat has many uses and is relatively easy to work with. 

We’ve provided some common questions and answers below with additional information. We invite you to check them to see if they may be useful to you. 

Can Bulgur Wheat Go Bad?

When uncooked, bulgur wheat is unlikely to go bad if it is stored properly. Watch for abnormal smells before using but if you have stored it as recommended you should have nothing to worry about for 24 months of storage. 

Cooked bulgur wheat requires a bit more caution but is also unlikely to go bad. Stored in the fridge, cooked bulgur begins to leak water after a few days. Again, simply watch for unusual texture or aroma. 

Does Bulgur Wheat Need to Be Rinsed for Cooking?

Bulgur wheat does not need to be rinsed prior to use for cooking. It also does not need to be washed or rinsed after it has cooked. You can simply just use it as it is. 

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