Lebanese Kibbeh Spiced Meat (Print Version)

Crisp golden croquettes with spiced ground meat and bulgur, a Middle Eastern classic.

# Components:

→ 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 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp ground allspice
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
08 - 2 tbsp cold water, as needed

→ Filling

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

→ For Frying or Baking

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

# Method:

01 - Rinse bulgur in cold water, drain well, and let sit 10 minutes to soften.
02 - Combine softened bulgur, ground meat, onion, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper in a large bowl. Knead, adding cold water as needed to form a smooth dough. Cover and refrigerate.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add ground meat and cook until browned, breaking lumps.
04 - 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.
05 - With wet hands, form golf ball-sized dough pieces into thin oval shells. Place 1–2 teaspoons filling in center, pinch edges to seal, shaping into torpedo shapes.
06 - Repeat shaping with remaining dough and filling.
07 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep pan. Fry kibbeh in batches 4–5 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
08 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Place kibbeh on parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil. Bake 25–30 minutes, turning halfway, until crisp and golden.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy exterior gives way to tender, aromatic meat that tastes far more impressive than the effort required.
  • It freezes beautifully, so you can make a batch on Sunday and have restaurant-quality appetizers ready whenever guests arrive.
  • Both frying and baking methods work, depending on your mood and how much oil you want to use.
02 -
  • Wet hands are everything when shaping—dry hands will cause the dough to crack and filling to escape during cooking.
  • The filling must cool slightly before assembly, otherwise the heat will make the dough soggy and impossible to seal properly.
03 -
  • Keep everything cold—cold bulgur, cold hands, cold water—because warmth makes the dough greasy and impossible to handle.
  • Shape your kibbeh on a parchment-lined tray and freeze them for 30 minutes before cooking; this prevents the filling from leaking out during frying.
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