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Easy Dinner time: Herby, zesty grains bowl

  • By Winnie Verswijvel
  • Thu Apr 09 2026
  • 3 min read

Spring is in full swing. Nourish your body with a flavour-packed bowl of confit carrots, fresh herbs and salted lemon yoghurt. 

Perfect for a springtime lunch or dinner, this bulgur wheat bowl is packed with flavour thanks to the abundance of fresh green herbs, vegetables and salted lemon yoghurt.
 
Being mindful with cooking means thinking about recipes that can be eaten over a few days or that can incorporate leftovers. In this recipe I use slow roasted confit rainbow carrots, but you can add any leftover vegetables – this would be delicious with broccoli, courgette or corn, for example. You can also eat it as a side with falafel, fish or chicken making it incredibly versatile.
 
By cooking the vegetables low and slow in an aromatic oil-based marinade you ensure maximum flavour. The addition of yoghurt increases the protein numbers (perfect for the gym-goers among us), while the fresh herb dressing brings a serious micronutrient punch.
 
To serve, you combine bulgur wheat, carrots, herb dressing and salted lemon yoghurt, but if you store each component separately in the refrigerator, you can enjoy this dish for up to four days.
 
Good to know: this recipe is a zero-waste recipe for multiple reasons. First, we use the greens of the carrots in the herb dressing. Second, we reuse the oil from the confit carrots as a base for the dressing. Third, we use the lemon juice out of a jar of preserved lemons. As this juice contains lots of flavour, it would be a shame to pour it away - and in this recipe it really brings out all of the other flavours.
Person drizzling olive oil over a tray of colorful heirloom carrots on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by bowls of dressing, seasonings, and salad.
Cooking time: 30 min (+ 60 min waiting)
Serves: 2
 

Ingredients:

  • 500 g rainbow carrots (around 6), greens reserved
  • 200 ml olive oil
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 preserved lemon (skin only)
  • 150 g Greek yoghurt
  • 150 g bulgur
  • 200 g frozen green peas
  • 1 cucumber
  • 200 g radishes
  • 5 tbsp preserved lemon juice (out of the jar)
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 15 g fresh dill
  • 15 g fresh mint
  • 15 g fresh parsley
 

Steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C and defrost the peas. Trim and reserve the carrot greens. Lightly peel the carrots and place in a deep baking dish. Add olive oil, water, stock cube, salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1½ hours, until tender but holding shape. Test with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, make the salted lemon yoghurt. Cut the skin of the preserved lemon in very small pieces and mix the Greek yoghurt. Set aside.
  3. Cook the bulgur according to the instructions on the package (make sure to salt the boiling water). Drain and give the bulgar a quick rinse under cold running water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the defrosted peas. Cut the cucumber and the radishes in small pieces, add as well. Add the preserved lemon juice and the mayonnaise and mix everything together.
  4. Now chop the dill, mint, parsley and the carrot greens as finely as possible and mix together in a bowl (it might seem a lot, but it’s needed). Add half of the herbs to the bowl with the bulgur and mix. Add the other half to a smaller mixing bowl and add the remaining liquid from the oven dish. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. Divide the bulgur over plates and add some of the confit carrots on top. Spoon some of the lemon yogurt over first, followed by a bit of the herb dressing.
 

Tips

  • Swap-ins: leftover roast veg, broccoli florets, courgette coins or charred corn.
  • Add a pinch of chilli flakes or sumac if you like heat.
  • Gluten-free? Use quinoa or brown rice.
  • Store components separately for up to 4 days.
 
Cook once, eat bright all week.
Winnie Verswijvel

Winnie Verswijvel

Trading her psychology books for cookbooks, Winnie Verswijvel now creates recipes and writes culinary articles for various clients. A woman of many talents, she also doubles as a food stylist and steps behind the camera to shoot pictures of the delicious plates she makes.  

This Flemish food lover fell in love with Amsterdam, where she has been turning her kitchen upside down for several years now. Often found strolling local markets carrying a huge pile of vegetables, Winnie does not shy away from a little spice and is always on the lookout for surprising flavours.