Red pepper rice bulgur or freekeh with saffron and chile is a flavorful and vibrant dish that draws inspiration from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Whether you prefer the nutty flavor of bulgur or the smokiness of freekeh, both are excellent grains that add texture and substance to this dish. The saffron and chile bring warmth and depth of flavor, while the bell peppers and onion add a colorful medley of textures and flavors. This dish is a delicious vegetarian main course or side dish that is sure to impress your family and friends.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
RED PEPPER RICE, BULGUR OR FREEKEH WITH SAFFRON AND CHILE
This mildly spicy Lenten vegetable rice is prettiest when made with rice, because the saffron will have more of an impact on the color. But I also love it with bulgur, and especially with freekeh, which is very compatible with the peppers, chile and paprika. If you make it with rice, remember that in the traditional Greek dish the rice is very soft, as it is here. If you don't want the dish to be spicy leave out the chile pepper.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, vegetables, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Rub saffron between your fingers and place in a small ramekin. Cover with 1 tablespoon hot water. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a deep, lidded skillet or a wide, lidded saucepan. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peppers and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chile, paprika, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down and softened a bit.
- Add rice, bulgur or freekeh and stir to coat with tomato mixture. Add saffron with its soaking water, water, more salt to taste, parsley and marjoram, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, or until water has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat, uncover and place a towel across the top of the pan. Return lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot, with remaining olive oil drizzled over the top.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 234, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 639 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
SWEET BELL PEPPER RICE
Normally a pepper and rice dish has a Mexican or Spanish kind of flair to it. I wanted something a little more Italian, and this is what I came up with.
Provided by Joey Joan
Categories Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in the hot oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook and stir until onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir green bell pepper and red bell pepper into onion mixture; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with basil, oregano, black pepper, and salt.
- Pour wine into vegetable mixture and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir rice into vegetables. Top with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 238 calories, Carbohydrate 42.4 g, Cholesterol 1.1 mg, Fat 4.2 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 4.6 g, SaturatedFat 0.8 g, Sodium 76.9 mg, Sugar 2.2 g
SWEET AND SOUR PEPPERS STUFFED WITH RICE OR BULGUR AND FENNEL
These sweet and sour peppers are great on their own, but they can also be filled. I like the filled peppers both cold, as sort of a salad, and warm. This is one instance in which fleshy red peppers work best.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, lunch, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Simmer the peppers. Combine the water, sugar, vinegar, sliced onion, sliced garlic, salt, bay leaf and thyme in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the peppers, turn the heat to medium and boil gently for 15 minutes, checking and spooning liquid over the peppers from time to time if they are not submerged. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, cover and refrigerate until cold.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the fennel and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel is tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant, then stir in the rice or bulgur and mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the herbs.
- Set a strainer over a bowl and drain the peppers. Blot them dry with paper towels and arrange on a platter or on plates if serving cold. Arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish if serving hot, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill with the rice mixture and spoon 2 teaspoons of the marinade over the filling of each serving. Sprinkle on the feta. Serve or chill if serving cold. If serving warm place in the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese softens.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 389, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 75 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 959 milligrams, Sugar 19 grams
RED PEPPER GARLIC RICE PILAF
I came up with this recipe trying to copycat Ruby Tuesday's. This is so much better and more flavorful.
Provided by amyb1121
Categories < 30 Mins
Time 20m
Yield 8-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Melt butter in saucepan. Saute onions for 4 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic. Cook about 4-5 minutes more, or until onion is tender.
- Place chicken broth in pan with onion mixture. Bring to boil and cook rice according to package directions.
- Once rice is done, stir in red bell pepper and fluff with fork.
- Top with cheese and serve. Delicious!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 166.9, Fat 2.9, SaturatedFat 1.6, Cholesterol 7.4, Sodium 197.8, Carbohydrate 30, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 0.5, Protein 4.3
SAFFRON RICE AND RED PEPPER PILAF
Categories Pepper Rice Side Sauté Bell Pepper Bon Appétit Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add peppers and onion. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Mix in 3 cups broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and saffron. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 6 tablespoons grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Pilaf can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep covered. Rewarm over low heat, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls to moisten if necessary.) Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons chives into pilaf. Mound in serving bowl. Top with cheese shavings and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chives.
SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH RED PEPPERS & TOASTED ALMONDS
I think I got this recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine--great read! This simple, tasty side dish reminds me a little of paella, and is so delish--it goes great with just about everything, but I particularly like it with salmon or my Recipe #241378.
Provided by Battle in Seattle
Categories Long Grain Rice
Time 40m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- On the stove top or in the microwave, heat the broth until hot. Add the saffron, cover, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy-based 3-quart saucepan with a tight lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, salt and cayenne, and stir well to coat each grain with oil. Toast for a full five minutes, stirring regularly to keep the grains separated and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan (the rice may turn opaque before 5 minutes is up, but keep going). Reduce the heat to low if there are any signs of scorching. Stir in 2 tablespoons of parsley and the garlic.
- Add the saffron broth, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the pilaf sit, still covered, for five minutes.
- Once the pilaf has rested, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Using the fork, gently fold in the almonds, the remaining parsley, and the oregano. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- P.S. You might be tempted to leave out the saffron because it's expensive, but DON'T DO IT! It's worth every penny, and one jar goes a long way. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, you can pick up a jar for about three to four bucks. If you don't have a TJ's, I'm sorry for you.
CHARRED SWEETCORN, RED PEPPER & BULGUR WHEAT PILAF
Enjoy this sweetcorn, red pepper and bulgur wheat pilaf on its own, or add grilled chicken, a crumbling of feta or blackened salmon, if you like
Provided by Anna Glover
Categories Dinner
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat ½ tbsp oil in a casserole dish (that has a lid) over a high heat. Fry the corn cobs for 8-10 mins turning frequently, until golden and lightly charred. Stand on a chopping board and run the knife down the cobs to remove the kernels.
- Tip the peppers into the pan with the remaining oil and fry for 10 mins until softened and golden, then stir in the spring onions, paprika and garlic. Fry for another 3-4 mins until fragrant, then stir most of the corn back into the pan, along with the stock. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the bulgur. Turn the heat to low. Cover with the lid and leave for 8-10 mins until the stock has been absorbed and the bulgur is tender.
- Fluff the pilaf up with a fork, then scatter with the remaining corn and the coriander. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt dusted with a little paprika, if you like, and the lime wedges for squeezing over.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 417 calories, Fat 5 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 75 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 8 grams sugar, Fiber 10 grams fiber, Protein 13 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium
SAFFRON RICE WITH CHICKEN & PEPPERS
Infuse this super-healthy rice dish with the distinctive flavour of saffron - the dish is high in vitamin C, too
Provided by Roopa Gulati
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Put the saffron in a small bowl and pour over the warm water. Bruise the strands with the back of a teaspoon to fix the colour, and set aside while you prepare the rest.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, weighty casserole, and when hot tip in the chicken. Stir fry for a minute or two over a high heat to seal in the juices, then set aside.
- Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs and scatter into the pan along with the onions and garlic. Fry until golden then pour in the lime juice. Turn the heat down a tad, add the pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before adding the wine, stock and seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 6 minutes until the meat is tender and the liquid has cooked down a little.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of fast boiling water until tender, but with a slight bite. Drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. Heap over the chicken while still on the heat. Drizzle with the saffron and its soaking liquid, and scatter over the peas. Don't stir the chicken and rice at this stage, but cover and cook over a low-moderate heat until the rice is fluffy and the liquid reduced to a few tablespoons - about 3 minutes. Before serving, gently mix the saffron-streaked rice with the chicken and pepper mixture.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 493 calories, Fat 8 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 61 grams carbohydrates, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 44 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Choose the right grain: This recipe works well with rice, bulgur, or freekeh. Rice is the most common choice, but bulgur and freekeh are both good options for a healthier meal.
- Use good-quality saffron: Saffron is the key ingredient in this dish, so it's important to use good-quality saffron. Look for saffron that is a deep red color and has a strong aroma.
- Toast the grain before cooking: Toasting the grain before cooking helps to bring out its flavor and aroma.
- Use a flavorful broth: The broth you use to cook the grain will also add flavor to the dish. Use a broth that you enjoy the taste of, such as chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth.
- Add plenty of vegetables: Vegetables add color, flavor, and nutrients to this dish. Feel free to add any vegetables that you like, such as onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, or zucchini.
- Season to taste: Once the dish is cooked, taste it and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or saffron.
Conclusion:
This red pepper rice, bulgur, or freekeh with saffron and chile is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It's also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. With its vibrant color and flavorful ingredients, this dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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