Lebanese Kibbeh Spiced Meat (Printable Version)

Tender kibbeh made with spiced ground meat and bulgur, shaped and cooked to golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Kibbeh Dough

01 - 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
02 - 1.1 lbs lean ground beef or lamb
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground allspice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 2 tablespoons cold water, as needed

→ Filling

09 - 9 ounces ground beef or lamb
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 1/2 cup pine nuts
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Frying or Baking

17 - Vegetable oil, approximately 2 cups for frying
18 - Olive oil for brushing if baking

# How-to Steps:

01 - Rinse bulgur under cold water, drain thoroughly, and let sit for 10 minutes to soften.
02 - Mix softened bulgur, ground meat, onion, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper in a large bowl. Knead vigorously, adding cold water as needed until a smooth dough forms. Cover and refrigerate while preparing filling.
03 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in skillet. Sauté onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add ground meat and cook until browned, breaking up lumps. Stir in pine nuts, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; cook 3–4 minutes until pine nuts are golden. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - With wet hands, pinch off golf ball–sized dough piece, flatten into a thin oval shell. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons filling into center, pinch edges to seal, shaping into a torpedo or football.
05 - Continue shaping remaining dough and filling into kibbeh forms.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in deep pan to 350°F. Fry kibbeh in batches for 4–5 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
07 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Arrange kibbeh on parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil. Bake 25–30 minutes, turning halfway until crisp and golden.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside, tender and aromatic on the inside, with a filling that rewards every bite.
  • Once you master the shaping, you can make a batch and freeze them for weeks, giving you restaurant-quality appetizers ready whenever you need them.
  • The spice blend is warm and subtle, never overwhelming, which is why people who think they don't like kibbeh usually ask for seconds.
02 -
  • The dough should be cold when you shape it, so refrigerate it while the filling cooks—warm dough tears easily and won't hold its shape as well.
  • Wet hands are your best friend here; they keep the dough from sticking and let you shape each kibbeh quickly and confidently without the mixture falling apart.
  • If your kibbeh splits open while frying, your dough probably needed a bit more water or kneading—it happens, and the flavor is still great even if they're not perfectly formed.
03 -
  • Keep a bowl of cold water next to you while shaping so you can re-wet your hands frequently—this makes the whole process smoother and faster.
  • If you're nervous about sealing them perfectly, remember that even imperfect kibbeh tastes exactly the same once it's cooked and you've taken a bite.
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