This locrio de trigo, or Dominican "bulgur rice" is a nice, quicker-to-make, tasty bulgur pilaf and a high-fiber alternative to rice. We give you several options, so you make it just the way you love it, and also share some interesting information about this lovely Dominican dish.
Why we ❤️ it
As is the case with many dishes, here and elsewhere, your familiarity with locrio de trigo will almost certainly be determined by the station in life at which you found yourself when you were born.
Its history
Students from humble economic backgrounds who attended public rural schools in the 70s are probably most familiar with this recipe, and likely to pass it on to their children. My mom was a rural school teacher for a while during my childhood.
Rural schools had lunch programs as food insecurity was a big issue in rural communities (still is, but was worse then). School cooks would make locrio with bulgur instead of rice because schools received large donations of bulgur from the relief agency USAID.
Versions
As in any other locrio, this can be made with different proteins. There are a few popular versions worth mentioning: Dominican salami, sardines (pica-pica), arenque (herring), smoked pork chops (chuleta), and longaniza.
Dominican bulgur pilaf (locrio de trigo).
Serving suggestions
This goes great with a few slices of avocado, some Dominican salad, and some fritos maduros (fried ripe plantains).
I also enjoy some arepitas de yuca, arepitas de maíz, or arañitas de plátanos with it.
Top tips
- The most common bulgur used is the same use to make kipes (coarse bulgur), but I have tried it with different ones and though the consistency varies, I liked them all. Use what you can find.
- Bulgur is sometimes sold under the name Coarse Bulgur Wheat [Amazon affiliate Link]. It would not be hard to find in Middle Eastern and Latino communities.
- To make it with spicy sardines (pica pica), follow the same recipe but skip browning the sardines, and use the tomato sauce it came in when the recipe calls for tomato sauce. T
- o make it with chuleta (smoked pork chops) or salami, just follow the exact instructions here. For the video, I even mixed chuleta and longaniza half and half.
About our recipe
This is a variation of our locrio (rice mixed with meat and vegetables) in which bulgur is used instead of rice. Because bulgur and rice cook differently, the end result is a more "soupy" dish, closer to the texture and consistency of a risotto.
This is one of those examples of a humble dish that tastes way better than what is expected of it, as is often the case with "poor man's dishes".
Have you ever tried it? If not, you must absolutely do. You will love it too.
Video
Recipe
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Locrio de Trigo [Recipe + Video] Dominican Bulgur Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups bulgur, coarse, or no. 3 (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1½ pound longaniza, [0.68 kg] (spicy pork sausage), cut into slices, or pork chop, or both
- 1 cup auyama (kabocha squash), diced (West Indian pumpkin) [optional]
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon pepper, (freshly-cracked, or ground)
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano , (dry, ground)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
Soaking bulgur
Add enough water to the bulgur to cover it. Let it rest for 2 hours.Squeeze the bulgur into a sieve to eliminate as much liquid as possible. Set bulgur aside.
Browning meat
- In a pot heat the oil over high heat.Cook the meat stirring until it turns golden brown.
Cooking vegetables
- Lower the heat and add auyama, bell peppers, onion garlic, and tomatoes. Cook and stir until onions become translucent. Add tomato sauce, pepper, salt, and oregano and mix well.
Cooking bulgur
- Stir in the bulgur. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Serving
- Serve with tostones or torrejas de berenjenas.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
More bulgur recipes
Bulgur is a common ingredient in our cuisine, and kipes (Dominican kibbeh) is the most popular bulgur dish. We also make it into tipili (Dominican tabbouleh), and trigo con dulce, a lovely bulgur porridge.
