Kibbeh in Yogurt Sauce
Kibbeh in yogurt sauce is a comforting & popular Middle Eastern recipe. This is an authentic Lebanese recipe from my mom that's easy to follow
Servings 6 servings
Calories 626kcal
Ingredients
Hashweh Filling
Kibbeh Mixture/Casing
- 1 ½ cups fine #1 bulgur wheat
- ½ cup water
- 1 large onion quartered
- ½ cup fresh mint packed
- ¼ cup kamouneh spice
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound 100% lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons 7 Spice
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 48 ounces Whole Milk Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 20 ounces cold water divided
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup short grain rice
- 5 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped, plus more for serving
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, 7 Spice and sumac.
- 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, 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. (can add red pepper for color)
Make Kibbeh Balls
- Add oil 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. Makes 24 kibbehs.
- Freeze half of the kibbeh to make a second batch of this recipe at a later time. Bake the other half in the oven at 400F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove and set aside at room temperature.
Make Yogurt Sauce
- Place the yogurt and salt in a large pot. Add the cornstarch in one of the emptied yogurt containers and dissolve with about 16 ounces of water. Transfer the cornstarch slurry to the pot with the yogurt. Stir without heat until it’s well blended without any clumps.
- Parboil the rice with the remaining water for 10 minutes until it’s half cooked.
- Add the parboiled rice to the pot of yogurt. Turn the heat to medium and stir frequently until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic and mint and baked kibbeh balls to the pot of yogurt, and turn the heat to low. Allow the mixture to thicken for about 10 more minutes, stirring carefully occasionally.
- Serve 2 kibbehs with the yogurt sauce in each bowl. You can enjoy warm, at room temperature or cold.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the uncooked kibbeh balls recipe for up to 3 months. Place the kibbeh balls on a baking sheet uncovered for 2 hours. When frozen, you can transfer to a container or freezer safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight, drizzle olive oil on top and then bake as directed.
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.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe
- Instead of ground beef, you can use lamb, but it’s traditionally made with beef.
- Instead of kamouneh spice, you can mix together cumin seeds, black peppercorn, marjoram, basil, mint, cinnamon and 7 Spice. You can find a recipe for how to making kamouneh spice here or use a combination you like.
Nutrition
Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 2580mg | Potassium: 1180mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 991IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 360mg | Iron: 7mg