kibbeh

Chi Kofte (Armenian Steak Tartare) also has a Lebanese cousin called Kibbeh Nayyeh. They are nearly identical, featuring raw meat and bulgur wheat, but are shaped and served differently. With this recipe you can easily make both variations!

Chi Kofte (Armenian Steak Tartare)

unsalted butter

beef

onion (finely chopped)

salt and black pepper

Paprika

flat-leaf parsley

tomatoes

cucumber

green Italian pepper (Cubanelle) (¼-inch diced (about ¾ cup))

scallions (thinly sliced)

parsley

lemon juice

olive oil

salt

paprika

sumac ((optional))

black pepper

½ cups grade fine bulgur ((cracked wheat))

½ cups cold water (plus more as needed)

½ pounds very fresh top round (trimmed of all fat

kosher salt

scallions

Extra-virgin olive oil (for serving (optional))

Start by making the gheyma. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When melted add the ground beef, stirring and breaking up into small pieces. When the beef has started to brown but is not completely cooked yet, add the onions and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Continue to cook until the beef is well-browned and cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat. The gheyma can be made ahead and reheated as needed. It can also be frozen.

For the salad, mix together all the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve. It will be quite juicy.

Fill a small bowl with some water to use to wet your hands as needed during the mixing and shaping process. In a large mixing bowl, soak the bulgur with the 1 ½ cups cold water for about 15 minutes until absorbed but still wet. Add the meat and mix thoroughly with your hands. Season with salt, paprika, and pepper and mix well.  Mix in ¼ cup scallions and ¼ cup chopped parsley.

To shape the kofte, dip your hands in the water and grab a small handful of the mixture. Form it into a ball and then lightly begin to make a fist with your hand to make it a bit more oblong (but not completely flat) and leave finger imprints on one side. Place on a serving dish, dip your hands in water and repeat the process until all of the mixture has been used to form koftes. Garnish with the remaining green onions and parsley and serve with the gheyma, salad, and olive oil (if desired) on the side for topping.

Traditional Lebanese raw kibbeh with herbs and spices

Kibbeh Nayeh

lamb

bulgur wheat

onion

tsp kamouneh spices

mint leaves

basil leaves

tsp dried Mediterranean herbs

Extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, blend the lamb fillets on a fine setting until it begins to clump together in a ball. Repeat if necessary to achieve an extra fine mince

Soak the bulgur wheat in water to cover for five minutes, then drain in a fine sieve

Chop the onion and herbs extra fine

In a mixing bowl, add the spices, onion, fresh and dried herbs, and salt to the meat along with the bulgur wheat. Mix together well and taste to adjust the seasoning if necessary

In a serving platter, transfer the kibbeh and use a spoon or knife to make a pretty pattern with indents. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top

Add ice on top to keep cool and serve immediately with flat breads and a selection of herbs, pickles, sliced raw onion and cucumber.

This impressive vegetarian dish is not only tasty but also light on the washing up, which is always a good thing!

One-bowl vegetarian kibbeh with vine leaves

onion, finely chopped

allspice

tsp coriander

tsp sweet paprika

eggplants,

(100 grams) pine nuts

haloumi, grated

red onion, thinly sliced

tbs red wine vinegar

Pomegranate seeds, marinated labneh and baby parsley leaves, to serve

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Baked Kibbeh is a quintessential Lebanese recipe that is popular throughout the Middle East - made with beef, cracked wheat, onion and spices

Baked Kibbeh

95% beef

7 Spice

pine nuts (plus more for topping)

½ cups fine bulgur wheat

water

basil and/or mint

kamouneh spice

salt (+ 1 teaspoon)

100% beef

Heat the olive oil. Add the beef and onions and cook until the beef is browned, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and 7 Spice and fold in the pine nuts.

Make the Filling

To prepare the base meat mixture, add the bulgur wheat to a medium bowl along with the water, fluff after 10 minutes to absorb all the water.

Transfer soaked bulgur to a food processor along with the onion, basil and/or mint, kamouneh spice and 1 tablespoon salt. Blend until well combined.

Add the lean beef to the food processor, along with the remaining salt and 7 Spice. Blend again until a meat paste forms. Divide the mixture in half.

Make the Kibbeh Mixture

Preheat oven to 400°F degrees and grease a 14-inch round baking dish with olive oil; set aside.

Spread half of the kibbeh mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon all the hashweh filling on top of the base layer. Finally, grab handfuls of the remaining kibbeh mixture and press down on top of the hashweh. Wet your hands with water to easily spread the mixture and fill in the gaps so it&#039;s smooth.

Slice kibbeh diagonally to form small diamonds. Top with pine nuts, and drizzle with olive oil to coat the top layer. Bake until meat is fully cooked and pine nuts look toasted, about 40-45 minutes.

Assemble and Bake

In this kibbeh recipe, a mixture of bulgur wheat, onions, and ground beef forms a hollow shell for a delicious stuffing. Enveloped in warm and earthy Middle Eastern spices like allspice and ground cinnamon, kibbeh is the epitome of Middle Eastern comfort food.  The kibbeh croquettes can be deep fried or baked, and are often served as mezze or side dish. See more on kibbeh and the step-by-step tutorial below!

Kibbeh Recipe (How to Make Kibbeh)

Water

onion,

lb lean ground beef (or lamb)

tsp cinnamon

tsp black pepper

Olive oil

yellow onion, finely chopped or grated

lb ground lamb

pine nuts

salt and pepper

Cover a fine mesh strainer with a light cloth (a cheesecloth, if you have one). Add the bulgur wheat in, then place the strainer into a bowl filled with water. Let the fine bulgur wheat soak in the water for 15 minutes, then pull the cloth, holding the bulgur, and squeeze all the water out. You may do this a couple of times until you are sure the bulgur is rid of water. Set aside for now.

Now make the kibbeh (the actual dough that you will later use to form the kibbeh shells). Put the onion, ground beef, spices and pinch of salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the meat is very finely ground almost into a paste. Transfer the meat mixture into a large bowl and add the bulgur wheat. Use damp hands to combine the bulgur with the meat mixture to make a dough. Cover and refrigerate until later.

Now make the filling. Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet or frying pan. Saute the onion until just golden, then add the ground beef. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is fully browned. Add the toasted pine nuts, the spices, and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To stuff the kibbeh, you need to have damp hands. Place a small bowl of water next to you. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

With both the bowl of kibbeh dough and the filling near, you can begin stuffing the kibbeh. Dampen your hands with some water, take a handful of the kibbeh dough (about 2 tbsp or so) and form into somewhat of an oval-shaped disc in the palm of one hand. Use your finger to make a well in the middle of the disc, and gradually hallow the disc out to make a larger well or hole for the filling. Using a spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Seal the dough on top and, using both hands, carefully shape it into an oval (football-type shape). Place the stuffed kibbeh on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the stuffing steps until you run out, be sure to have damp hands throughout.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees F (you'll want the oil hot enough that you can see some gentle bubbling, but not too hot where it will burn the kibbeh shells). Deep-fry the kibbeh in the hot oil, in batches being carefully not to crowd them, until the kibbeh shells are brown (about 5 minutes or so). With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove the kibbeh and place them on a pan lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat until you have fried all the stuffed kibbeh.

Serve hot or at room temprature with tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Coarse Lebanese kamouneh mixture with bulgur wheat

Kamouneh mix for Kibbeh

orange

red onion

white onion

birds eye chilli

mint

basil

marjoram

tbsp kamouneh spices*

tbsp 7 spice

tsp salt

cinnamon

tsp white pepper

Thinly peel the orange (avoiding the white pith as much as possible) and blitz well in a food processor to a fine consistency

Then add the onions, all of the fresh herbs and spices as well as the salt and blitz again.

Finally add the fine bulgur wheat and pulse everything together.

Store the kamouneh mix in the fridge for up to 3 days, freeze the rest for use when required.

This vegan kibbeh recipe offers a fresh take on a classic dish, surprising your taste buds with hidden gems of flavor.

Vegan kibbeh

potatoes (medium size)

corn starch

kibbeh spice

black pepper (sprinkle)

pomegranate molasses

chili pepper

½ teaspoon kibbeh spice

pine nuts (optional)

vegetable oil (for deep frying)

To a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of bulgur and 1 cup of boiled water, mix with a fork and cover it with a cling film. Set aside for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, start prepping the filling. Heat a medium size cast iron pan, then add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is heated add the chopped onion and saute on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add the Vegan mince to the onion and mix well, then add the chopped parsley, pomegranate molasses, and all the spices for the filling. Mix well till everything is well combined and let it cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.

Remove from the heat and let it cool, once completely cooled you can add the toasted pine nuts and mix.

Going back to the dough, remove the cling film, and with a fork mix the bulgur. The water should be completely absorbed and the bulgur should be soft.

To the bulgur, add the soft-boiled potatoes, starch, salt, pepper, and spices, and start kneading the dough using your hands. If the dough is dry you can add boiled water 1 tbsp at a time, for my dough, I added 4 tbsp of boiled water (in total) while kneading till it was completely soft and everything was well combined. keep kneading for 15 minutes until the dough is perfect for shaping into kibbeh. You don&#39;t want any sticky dough which is harder to form into kibbeh and won&#39;t cook properly therefore add water slowly 1 tbsp at a time.

Before shaping the kibbeh, first, divide the dough into 10 medium size balls and cover them with a cling film while you shape each kibbeh as it can dry out and will be difficult to shape into kibbeh later on.

For shaping the kibbeh, it helps to wet your hand with a water and starch mix. Mix ½tbsp of cornstarch with 4 tbsp water and keep it near you while you are shaping the kibbeh.

Take a dough ball and with your finger press gently in the middle to form a cavity and keep turning gently till the sides are thin but not too thin to break. once you have shaped it add 2 tbsp of the filling (or less if your kibbeh is smaller in size) then gently while wetting your hand with the starch and water mix, begin to close, form and shape into an oval shape.

Lay the kibbeh in a try (use wax/ parchment paper so it won&#39;t stick to the tray) and place it in the freezer for up to 30 minutes before frying.

Add the oil to a deep frying pan and heat, when the oil is hot and ready for frying, start adding your kibbeh, add 3 to 4 max at a time (depending on your pan size) don&#39;t overcrowd the pan with the kibbeh so they won&#39;t stick with each other or break. leave to fry for a minute before turning with a spoon and let each batch cook for 8 minutes or until completely cooked and browned and crispy.

let it drain excess oil on the kitchen paper towel and then serve and enjoy.

Thank you for the recipe it’s yummy 😋

Looks appetising 😍 will make it and update you.

Baked Kibbeh is a Lebanese favorite all around, especially in my household. Finely ground lean beef (or lamb) combined with fine bulgur and spices is sandwiched in between a layer of sautéed seven-spiced course ground beef with onions and pine nuts and baked to a beautiful golden brown.

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)

Fine Bulgur

lb. Ground Beef (Extra Lean beef, ground 3x)

Kamoune (*See Ingredients Below)

Salt

Kibbeh Spice Mix

tb. Pine Nuts (for décor)

tb. Olive Oil

lb. Ground Beef

lg. Onion (Chopped)

tb. Canola Oil (or Avocado)

Pine Nuts

tb. Seven Spices

Black Pepper

½ Onion

Red Bell Pepper

Mint Leaves

Marjoram

tb. Kibbeh Spice Mix

Fresh Habanero (or Chili Pepper)

In a large bowl, measure 1 cup of fine bulgur then pour 1½ cups of hot water into the bowl.

Grind your kibbeh spices if they are not already ground.Prepare your Kamouneh by adding 1 cup of fine bulgur, ½ onion, fresh mint leaves, piece of red bell pepper, kibbeh spices, dried marjoram, salt and piece of habanero (optional) to a large food processor. Process until the onion and red pepper are fully chopped and everything is combined. Set aside.

Finely chop a large onion. In a large skillet heat up 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the pine nuts and sauté for a few min until golden brown and set aside. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat is all browned. Add the chopped onion, remaining canola oil and salt. Season with the seven spices and black pepper and add the pine nuts. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Using your hands, knead the soaked bulgur for a few minutes, until all mashed together.Add the extra lean ground beef, Kamouneh, salt and kibbeh spice and mix with your hands until fully combined. Take about half the kibbeh dough and add it to the food processor. Pulse for about 20 seconds or so until the mix has been fully incorporated. Do the same with the other half and add the kibbeh dough back to the bowl.

Preheat oven to 375°F degrees and grease a 12-inch round baking dish (or 14 inch) with one tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.

Using your hands, spread half of the Kibbeh mixture evenly on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Spoon all the beef and onion filling on top of the bottom layer.

Using the remaining Kibbeh mixture, grab handfuls at a time and press down with your hand to make flat patties. Place the patties over the middle layer and repeat until no more middle layer shows and no kibbeh remains. Use water as needed to combine the patties and create a smooth top layer.

Using a large Knife, slice Kibbeh diagonally to form diamond-shaped slices. Top with pine nuts over each slice.Drizzle with olive oil (two tablespoons) to coat the top layer. Bake until meat is fully cooked and browned on top, about 50-55 minutes.

I just love Lebanese food with all its flavorful variety !

Thank you so much, Iman. I'm a Lebanese living in the UK. My children of 15 and 9 will be eating my own Kibbeh today for the first time thanks to your recipe and detailed notes. It's in the oven now. God bless you.

Hi Iman, great recipe. I add a bit of fresh basil to the meat dough ( taita’s recipe) and if you want to reduce the meat, we started many years ago to just make an onion filling..it’s just as yummy but lighter.

Best
Salwa

For the kamouneh - do u use 1 cup dry bulgur? Or does it have to also be soaked?  Another question is do you have a recipe for your kibbeh spice or what’s normally in it? Thanks!

This is one of my favorite dishes my mom made. Thank you for the thorough explanation and the photos. Well done and hope many people try it because it is delicious. Iman, continued success and love your website!

Top 8 kibbeh recipes from across the web

The most viewed kibbeh recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Chi Kofte (Armenian Steak Tartare)

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Baked Kibbeh

Kibbeh Recipe (How to Make Kibbeh)

Kamouneh mix for Kibbeh

Vegan kibbeh

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)

Top 8 kibbeh recipes from across the web

The most viewed kibbeh recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chi Kofte (Armenian Steak Tartare)

Kibbeh Nayeh

One-bowl vegetarian kibbeh with vin...

Baked Kibbeh

Kibbeh Recipe (How to Make Kibbeh)

Kamouneh mix for Kibbeh

Vegan kibbeh

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)

The most viewed kibbeh recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine