Kibbeh Balls
These traditional fried Lebanese kibbeh balls are a delicious appetizer made with bulgur wheat and seasoned ground beef and onions filling!
Servings: 12 kibbeh balls
Ingredients
Kibbeh Mixture
- 1 ½ cups fine #1 bulgur wheat
- ½ cup water
- 1 onion quartered
- ½ cup fresh basil and/or mint
- ¼ cup kamouneh spice
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound 100% lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons 7 Spice
Hashweh Filling
For Frying
- Vegetable or canola oil for deep frying
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 and 1 tablespoon salt. Blend until well combined. Add the lean ground beef to the food processor and blend until well combined.
- Add the lean beef, along with the remaining salt and 7 Spice. Blend again until a meat paste forms. Divide the mixture in half.
Assemble and Fry
- Add water to your hands, and scoop about 3 tablespoons of the kibbeh mixture. Use one finger to indent the middle of the scooped mixture and then hollow out the inside using your finger until it looks like a half shell.
- Add about two tablespoons of the mixture into the shell and then close the shell and shape into a football with your hands. Place the kibbeh ball on a tray and repeat for the remaining mixture and filling.
- Deep fry the kibbeh balls in the oil in batches of 6-8 until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve warm with cucumber yogurt sauce, if desired.
Notes
Homemade Kamouneh Spice Recipe:
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
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze the baked kibbeh recipe for up to 3 months. While you can freeze them after cooked, it’s more common to make a second batch and freeze them before frying them. Thaw in the fridge overnight or fry from frozen.
Sourcing: You can find the bulgur at Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or even in large supermarkets, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include the oil for frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg
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