Caramelized Carrots and Chickpeas with Bulgur (Served with a Curry Dressing)

These caramelized carrots and chickpeas with bulgur make an impressive side or vegetarian main for those cozy days out there. Serve with a sweet curry dressing and a medley of freshly chopped herbs, and you’ve got it all: it’s sweet, savory, slightly spicy, and oh so delicious!

This amazing recipe might have become my new favorite dish for cozy days. It’s super easy to make – I mean really, really easy – and it’s loaded with warm, comforting flavors, that have this little je-ne-sais-quoi that will remind you of this fancy veggie dish you can order in an upscale restaurant. It is seriously that good, and yes, you can make it yourself at home!

So what’s inside this fabulous bulgur dish? Some honey-roasted carrots and chickpeas until caramelized, some nutty whole grain bulgur, as well as a fancy yet simple creamy curry dressing drizzled all over. Don’t stop there yet, as the dish wouldn’t be complete without the addition of fresh mint and cilantro sprinkled all over, as well as a handful of toasted pistachios. This dish is a reminiscence of Moroccan cuisine, made easy. Enjoy with a glass of white wine to make the experience complete.

The main ingredients

The recipe ingredient list is quite long, but here are the key ingredients you don’t want to miss in the recipe. They are what brings all the texture and flavor to the dish.

• Carrots. Choose them rather small in size, and play around with the colors if you can (the tricolor baby carrots make a beautiful, appealing plate).
• Chickpeas. I used canned chickpeas for a quicker version, but you can definitely cook chickpeas from scratch if you wish.
• Honey. It is a key ingredients used in the caramelization process. For a vegan version, consider using maple syrup instead. The flavor will be slightly nuttier and more pronounced but still delicious.
• Bulgur. If you’re not familiar with bulgur, you will be amazed by this easy-to-cook all grain, loaded with nutty flavors (read more about bulgur below).
• Sour cream. It’s the base of the curry dressing. You could use crème fraîche too, but please stay away from heavy liquid cream for this recipe as it will not yield the same result.
• Curry + cumin. You will need yellow curry powder for the dressing, and a little bit of cumin too.
• Fresh herbs. I found that a medley of fresh cilantro and mint leaves, chopped and mixed together, bring up all the flavors of the recipe.

What is bulgur?

Bulgur is a quick-cooking form of wheat, resulting of cracked whole-grain kernels of wheat that get parboiled and dried before packaging. Because of this, bulgur takes a minimum time to cook, which makes it very convenient. This ancient grain is originated in the Middle East and has been around for thousands of years.

In terms of nutrition, bulgur is a rich source of fiber (one serving fulfills 30 percent of your recommended daily intake), and it promotes digestive and heart health. It’s also a great source of manganese, iron, and magnesium.

How to caramelize the carrots and chickpeas?

It may seem advanced, but it’s actually the easy part of the recipe! All you need to do is bring to a sauté pan some butter, water and honey all together with chickpeas and carrots (previously peeled and halved). Then bring the all mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium, and let cook until the liquid is absorbed and the legumes/veggies are gently caramelized and tender. Easy!

Curry dressing + herbs, the perfect final touch

The simple curry dressing drizzled all over the caramelized carrots, chickpeas and bulgur makes the dish extra delicious and not too sweet. I also found that the extra garnishing of chopped cilantro and mint tossed together bring some additional freshness to the entire recipe. Last but not least, do not miss the roughly chopped pistachios for an additional crunchy bite.

Variations around the recipe

You can make this recipe with some cooked quinoa, couscous or polenta instead of bulgur. When it comes to the roasted veggies, feel free to replace the carrots with chopped butternut squash or with sliced sweet potatoes. This will make a perfect holiday side or main. If you’re into spicy food, replace the curry in the dressing with ground cumin. It’s delicious with carrots.

Similar recipes you may like:

• Moroccan Chickpea and Apricot Tagine
• Maple Roasted Root Vegetables with Parsnip Puree
• Wild Mushroom and Roasted Squash Buckwheat Risotto
• Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa and Mint Pesto

What’s for dessert?

After a dish with so many flavors, it’s great to finish up your meal with the right dessert. Find below a few possible option that will close your dinner on a perfect note.

• Dark Chocolate Mousse
• Biscoff Lemon Pie
• Chocolate Profiteroles

Caramelized Carrots and Chickpeas with Bulgur

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Savory
• Diet: Vegetarian

These caramelized carrots and chickpeas with bulgur make an impressive side or vegetarian main for those cozy days out there. Serve with a sweet curry dressing and a medley of freshly chopped herbs, and you’ve got it all: it’s sweet, savory, slightly spicy, and oh so delicious!

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Ingredients

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For the bulgur with carrots and chickpeas:

• 1 cup (150g) uncooked bulgur
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup (115g) honey
• 8 small carrots, sliced in halves, lengthwise
• 1 13.5-ounce can (400 ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ cup (300 ml) water

For the dressing + garnishing:

• ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup (75g) pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

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Instructions

1. For the bulgur, add 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. For the veggies, add butter, honey, carrots, chickpeas and water to a large sauté pan placed over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer until the carrots and chickpeas are caramelized. Set aside.
3. For the dressing, combine sour cream, honey, apple cider vinegar, curry, cumin and olive oil to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Transfer the bulgur onto a serving plate, garnish with the caramelized carrots and chickpeas, and top with the curry dressing. Sprinkle the fresh herbs and toasted pistachios all over, and enjoy!

Chickpeas, Fall, Family-Friendly, Healthy, Main Dishes, Sides, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Winter

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