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Chickpea, Bulgur and Tomato Pilaf

A pilaf of bulgur, chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, lemon, and olive oil.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 8 ingredients
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Why it works: Parsley and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,037 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓

Chickpea, Bulgur and Tomato Pilaf

Time30 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the bulgur

  1. Combine bulgur and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl.

  2. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

  3. Fluff bulgur with a fork.

Assemble and serve

  1. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining ingredients; stir well.

  2. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

362Calories
11 gProtein
16 gFat
49 gCarbs

Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 7 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Chickpea1/2 cup canned (120g) drained134
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Plum1 medium (66g)30
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Lemonjuice of 1 lemon (48ml)12
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Bulgurnot in our table0
Wheatnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Parsley + lemontop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together14,037 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  2. Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together15,539 recipes

    Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).

  3. Bulgur + chickpeatop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together19 recipes

    Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

  4. Chickpea + parsleytop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together314 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  5. Chickpea + tomatotop 3% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together538 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Bulgur
Absorbs the boiling water and softens, forming the chewy body of the salad.
Chickpeas
Add firm bite and substance, holding their shape after the bulgur softens.
Plum tomatoes
Contribute moisture and fresh, slightly acidic flavor to the pilaf.
Fresh lemon juice
Adds acidity that brightens the grain and balances the olive oil.
Extra-virgin olive oil
Adds fat that carries flavor and coats the grains for a smoother texture.

The step that matters

Fluffing the bulgur after it stands. Bulgur keeps absorbing water as it rests, so it can clump and turn gummy. Fluffing with a fork separates the grains and lets excess steam escape, keeping them light and distinct.

Swap the plum

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (bulgur, chickpea, tomato, parsley, lemon, olive):

  1. Avocadofits better
  2. Limefits better
  3. Cherryfits better
  4. Plumthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against bulgur, chickpea, tomato, parsley, lemon, olive. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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