Olive Oil Zucchini and Bulgur Stew - Light and Easy

1. Pour 1/2 tea glass (about 50 ml / 3 tablespoons + 1 tsp) of olive oil into a pot. Add 1 onion, diced. Add 1 red bell pepper, diced, then 2 of the long green peppers, diced. Sauté the peppers and onion together until softened and starting to color.

2. Near the end of sautéing, crush 4 garlic cloves and stir them in. After a minute, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir for another minute or so. Add the 3 zucchini, cut into rough cubes — no need to peel them, just trim the ends and rinse. Stir everything together briefly.

3. Sprinkle in 1/2 dessert spoon salt, 1 dessert spoon dried mint, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to coat.

4. Add the rinsed bulgur and stir again so it's evenly distributed through the vegetables.

5. Pour in enough water to just cover the ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat until the zucchini is tender and the bulgur has absorbed the liquid.

6. When the stew is nearly done, fold in a handful of chopped fresh dill and mix gently.

7. Let it cool slightly off the heat before plating — this dish is at its best warm, not piping hot.

Tips

• Zucchini and dill are a natural pair, but add the dill after cooking rather than during — it keeps the color bright green and the flavor fresh. Dill that cooks too long turns bitter.

• If you're not cooking the zucchini right after cutting, soak the cubes in lemon water to keep them from browning.

• The recipe calls for pilaf-style coarse bulgur, which stays distinct and grainy in the finished dish. Fine köfte bulgur will absorb into the stew and almost disappear — both work, it's just a texture preference.

• Don't skip the garlic. It's what grounds the whole dish — olive oil–based vegetable stews really need it.

You can also make a variation of this recipe by adding mushrooms.
Click for the Olive Oil Zucchini Bulgur Stew with Mushrooms!