Baked Kibbeh (Kibbeh Bil Sanieh)
Updated Mar 10, 2026
Baked Kibbeh, also called Kibbeh Bil Sanieh is a popular delicious Lebanese recipe made with ground beef, cracked wheat, onion and spices
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
My Mom’s Baked Kibbeh
One of my favorite childhood recipes my mom always makes is this baked kibbeh, or what we call Kibbeh Bil Sanieh. For so long I was so intimidated by making the recipe because it seemed tedious. However I’ve made it with my mom a handful of times and fine-tuned all the steps to simplify it while keeping all the classic flavors intact. This Lebanese Baked Kibbeh will remind you of your family’s recipe and I hope you love it!
Happy Baking!
– Yumna
What is Kibbeh?
Kibbeh is an arabic word derived from “kubba”, which means ball. It is a combination of very lean ground meat, cracked bulgur wheat and spices. Some compare kibbeh to meatloaf, which is a great way to describe it especially for this baked kibbeh version.
In this Lebanese recipe called Kibbeh Bil Sanieh, we layer the kibbeh with a hashweh mixture – made with onions, ground beef, spices and pine nuts. The layers are spread into a baking dish and then baked like a casserole. There are 4 popular ways to make kibbeh:
- Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (this baked version)
- Kibbeh Nayyeh (similar to a raw steak tartar)
- Kibbeh ‘Rass (balls or croquettes)
- Kibbeh bi Labanieh (balls cooked and served in warm yogurt)
Baked Kibbeh Ingredients
- Kibbeh Dough Ingredients: This is what will form the bottom and top base of the Kibbeh Bil Sanieh recipe. You’ll need 100% lean ground beef or as close to it as you can get so that it doesn’t shrink after baking from the fat. You’ll also need #1 fine bulgur wheat, fresh mint and/or basil, onions, along with 7 Spice and salt and a special Kamouneh seasoning you can buy on Amazon or make yourself with using cumin seeds, black peppercorn, marjoram, dried basil, dried mint, cinnamon and 7 Spice (see my recipe for it in FAQ).
- Kibbeh Hashweh Ingredients: This is like all of my other Lebanese style stuffing recipes made with lean ground beef, onions, 7 Spice, salt and pine nuts, which are optional.
How to Make Baked Kibbeh
Baked Kibbeh
Ingredients
Hashweh Filling
Kibbeh Mixture
- 1 ½ cups fine #1 bulgur wheat
- ¾ cup water
- 1 large onion quartered
- ½ cup fresh basil and/or mint
- ¼ cup kamouneh spice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons 7 Spice
- 1 pound lean ground beef 100%
Instructions
Make the Filling
- 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 Kibbeh Mixture
- 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, salt and 7 spice. Blend until well combined.
- Add the lean beef to the food processor and blend again until a meat paste forms. Divide the mixture in half.
Assemble and Bake
- 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'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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Prepare the hashweh filling layer before making the kibbeh layer. Since the kibbeh layer uses raw meat, you want to handle it for as little as possible and bake it immediately after prepping. Having the filling ready will make it more efficient.
- Divide the kibbeh in half and freeze half for later. This makes a very large amount with 8 generous servings. You can make in 2 smaller baking dishes and freeze one. Make sure not to add olive oil to the one being frozen until ready to bake.
- Use wet hands for layering the kibbeh mixture. Adding water to your hands will help to mold and shape the kibbeh “dough” mixture for the bottom and top layer so it’s smooth and even.
- Eliminate using water in the bulgur by adding more onions. You don’t need to soak the bulgur with water, but you will then need to add another small onion to the food processor. That moisture will help to soak and fluff the bulgur so it’s not crunchy.
Serving Ideas
- Sauce: Traditionally, we usually enjoy kibbeh with a cucumber yogurt sauce or just plain thick yogurt.
- Salads: Here are three traditional ones that go so well with baked kibbeh fattoush salad.
FAQs
While I’ve never tried it myself, I’ve heard of some success with using quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. I recommend cooking the quinoa halfway so it’s softer but not fully cooked. It will continue cooking in the oven.
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried rose petals (optional)
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon 7 spice
Comments
This brings back so many beautiful memories and the way my mother made it. May God Bless her beautiful soul. My mother is Armenian from Lebanon, and she was truly the best cook! My mother was a cook for the Armenian school in Fresno, and all the children loved her food and still talk about it today. 🙂 Every year, my family looked forward to her amazing Sini Kubbe. It was always the best dish on the table during the holidays. I helped her prepare and cook it, but it was my mother’s love of cooking and her chef brain that made it the best! She made the best Armenian and Middle Eastern food! 🙂 I love you mamma and miss you so, very much. May God continue to Bless your beautiful and kind soul <3
Aww, I love that! So happy the recipe reminds you of your mother, that is so beautiful!! Thank you for sharing, Faten!
Remind me Of my mother’s kibbe may she rest in peace. Will Make it for my partner soon. Thank you.
I hope you both love it!
Thanks for this amazing recipe, it was perfect on the first attempt! Always assumed it was so complicated but your instructions are always so easy and simple to follow, thank you! Do you by any chance have a recipe for kamouneh banadourah? Hardly any recipes about this online and the ones I found are not great!
So happy you love the recipe, Tima! Thank you!! I don’t have a recipe for kamounet banadoura, unfortunately. So sorry!
I only have coarse bulgur. Would it work if I just blended the bulgur first by itself?
Hi, I haven’t tried this myself so I’m not sure if it would work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it, though. Good luck!
THANK YOU for sharing this WONDERFUL recipe!! Just made it and it came out GREAT! I never dreamed I could make Kibbeh that tasted this good! Bless you and thank you for sharing!!
Aww, so happy you loved it! Thank you!!
First time making kibbeh from scratch, and I used this recipe it turned out sooooo good!
Yay, so glad you loved it!! Thank you!
Hello, I love your recipe but have a question. I would like to freeze the baked kibbeh but totally cooked. Is it possible? Hopefully you will let me know how to do it because I only have found in internet to freeze it raw and that is not possible for me. Thank you for your help
Yes, you can freeze baked kibbeh up to 3 months. But I recommend you freeze it raw, it turns out much better that way!
Thanks for the article, can I set it up so I receive an email sent to me whenever you publish a fresh post?
Yes! You can sign up for email updates here: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/instant-updates/
Hi, great recipe, but the reason I believe people are getting a dry result is because the amount of water you used to fluff the bulgur is too low. When I tried it the first time that is what I got, but then my mom told me that the bulgur needs to be soaked in water for at least half an hour if not up to an hour, then squeeze the bulgur from the water and let it dry out before starting. Since I started prepping the bulgur like this it’s been coming out great.
This is a great tip—thank you, Fatima! I will have to try soaking the bulgur for longer to see if that can help with the dryness people seem to be struggling with. I really appreciate you (and your mom!) sharing your tricks for making an amazing baked kibbeh!!
See All Comments