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Kibbeh Recipe (How To Make Kibbeh)

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Suzy Karadsheh PUBLISHED: Sep 12, 2016 UPDATED: May 6, 2019 This Post May Contain Affiliate Links.

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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!

Click here to pin this recipe for later!

Stuffing kibbeh is a recreational activity that Middle Eastern women take as seriously as they
do stuffing zucchini or rolling parcels of rice-filled cabbage leaves. It's kind of a big deal. A
rite of passage, if you will. If you grew in that part of the world, it's assumed that your mother
and the ladies of your community would have trained you to make kibbeh by the time you
turned 15!

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That was not the case for me. My closest encounter with kibbeh took place only a few years
ago in my mother in-law's Michigan kitchen. She made kibbeh in large batches on the regular.
Some for the family, and a lot more for their then family-owned restaurant. I watched her
form the kibbeh so precisely into small ovals, more like mini-footballs. She made it look so
easy!

So What is Kibbeh?

I've heard kibbeh described as Middle Eastern meatballs--sort of.

The word kibbeh stems from an Arabic verb meaning, "to form into a ball;" so that
description is not entirely wrong. But as you'll see in today's kibbeh recipe, they're more like
stuffed croquettes. There is a crispy outer shell made with bulgur wheat, onions, and finely
ground beef. The shell is then stuffed with a mixture of spiced beef and toasted pine nuts;
sealed and then fried or baked.

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In today's kibbeh recipe, I have attempted to follow the same football-like shape that my MIL
taught me; although kibbeh can be formed into balls or even patties, whatever is easiest for
you.

And there are many ways to prepare kibbeh--stuffed and then fried or baked like in today's
Kibbeh recipe. The Lebanese do raw kibbeh, or kibbeh nayya, which is a delicacy that
resembles steak tartar. And there is also pan kibbeh, which we will make here in the future.

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What to serve with Kibbeh?

Kibbeh is best served warm with tahini sauce, tzatziki or plain yogurt. Here I served it with
this Mediterranean chickpea salad; you can also serve it with tabouli, fattoush salad, or
even Greek salad.

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Step-by-step tutorial for how to make kibbeh

(scroll down for the print-friendly recipe)

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. (Once soaked, fine bulgur wheat is ready to eat. Coarse bulgur requires a little more
time, as I outline in my bulgur cooking guide.)

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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.

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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.

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Now make the filling. Heat about 1 tablespoon 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.

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Remove the kibbeh dough from the fridge. 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
tablespoon 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.

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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).

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