Veggie Bulgur with Spiced Meatballs

9th September 2024

Veggie Bulgur with Meatballs

This meal is a great example of volume eating, packed with fibre and fresh vegetables. It's quick, easy to prepare, and ideal for meal prep. Juicy, homemade meatballs full of flavour, served alongside a nutrient rich veggie bulgur wheat.

Dinner

Benefits

  • Naturally high in protein and healthy fats

  • Volume eating, packed with fibre and fresh vegetables

  • Homemade and unprocessed

  • Quick and easy to make, perfect for meal prep

  • Great way to get lot of veggies in

Time - approx. 1 hour Serves - 2

Ingredients

Veggie Bulgur with Spiced Meatballs

Serves 2

Spiced Meatballs

  • Approx. 250g Lamb/Beef Mince (I prefer lamb)

  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

  • 1/2 Tsp Cajun Seasoning

  • 1/2 Tsp Dried Parsley

  • Sea Salt, to taste

  • Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Veggie Bulgur

  • 60g Uncooked Bulgur Wheat

  • 1 Tbsp Ghee/Butter (Ghee adds more flavour)

  • 1 Shallot ( or 1/2 Medium White onion)

  • 4 Cloves Garlic

  • A Handful of Mushrooms (any kind will work)

  • 1/3 of an Aubergine

  • 1/2 Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

  • 1/2 Can of Sweetcorn

  • 1/2 Sweet Pointed Pepper / Red Bell Pepper

  • A Handful of Baby Tomatoes (I like Piccobella)

  • 1 Medium Carrot

  • 2 Green Chillies

  • A Handful of Fresh Parsley

  • Grated Parmesan (optional)

  • 1 Tsp Mild/Hot Turkish Red Pepper Paste (known as Tatli/Aci Biber Salçası) *

  • 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

  • A Dash of Cajun Seasoning

  • Sea Salt, to taste

  • Ground Black Pepper, to taste

* You can find this in any Turkish Supermarket

Served With

Instructions

Spiced Meatballs

  1. If you’re using an oven, preheat to 190°C (Gas Mark 5).

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Using your hands, mix everything together until well incorporated. Measure out approximately 42g of the mixture for each meatball, and gently roll it between your palms to shape 6 evenly sized, round meatballs.

  3. Cook the meatballs in the oven or air fryer at 190°C for about 8 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure even cooking. I recommend using a food thermometer to check that it’s done cooking—it should read 68°C.

  4. Save the excess oil released from the cooked meatballs for the bulgur—it's packed with healthy fats and flavour!

Cooked Meatballs
Meatballs

Veggie Bulgur

  1. Rinse 60g of uncooked bulgur wheat under cold water to remove excess starch. Add about 1 cup of cold water to the pot and let it soak while you prepare and cook the vegetables.

  2. To prep your vegetables:

    1. Thinly slice 1 shallot

    2. Grate 4 cloves of garlic

    3. Roughly chop up a handful of mushrooms

    4. Cut 1/3 of an aubergine into cubes

    5. Drain and rinse 1/2 a can of chickpeas

    6. Drain 1/2 a can of sweetcorn

    7. Cut 1/2 sweet pointed pepper into cubes

    8. Cut up a handful of baby tomatoes into quarters

    9. Peel 1 medium carrot and julienne (I recommend using a julienne peeler)

    10. Thinly slice 2 green chillies

    11. Roughly chop a handful of fresh parsley

  3. On low-medium heat, heat up a large pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee or butter. Once melted, add the shallots, garlic, mushrooms, aubergines, and chickpeas. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and start browning.

  4. Add in your sweetcorn, sweet pointed pepper, baby tomatoes, carrots and green chillies.

  5. Add your Turkish red pepper paste, smoked paprika, cajun seasoning, salt and ground black pepper. Stir till well combined then cover to cook down for a few more minutes.

  6. Whilst your veggies are cooking, cook your bulgur wheat for 5 minutes on medium heat. Then drain and rinse with cold water.

  7. Add the bulgur wheat, 1/2 cup water, and the reserved oil from the meatballs to the pan of cooked veggies. Stir to combine, then arrange the meatballs on top. Top with fresh parsley and grated parmesan (optional), cover, and simmer on low for a few minutes or until most of the water evaporates.

Plating Up + Storage

Divide into two portions and pair with a Kimchi Veggie Slaw, Garlic & Herb Cottage Cheese Dip and fresh lemon. Enjoy!

For meal prep, allow the dish to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.

Veggie Bulgur with Spiced Meatballs