Searching for kibbeh recipes, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many varieties and options. Lamb is typical, but beef is a close second. Sometimes the bulgur wheat is mixed throughout the meat, as in my recipe below, and sometimes it’s mixed just with part of the meat. In that case, the bulgur mixture is used as a filling with seasoned meat on the outside of the kibbeh. Most are deep-fried. The baked kibbeh is often made in one big piece, then cut apart into slices like pie. The deep-fried ones are made into elongated balls (like mine) or into patties.
As with many recipes that are claimed by various cultures and countries, everyone thinks theirs is the most authentic, the most traditional, the most like mom used to make, in a word, the best. Since I come from none of those cultures or countries, I can do what I want without fear of elderly relatives scolding me. So I make individual kibbeh and bake them.
The soaked bulgur wheat adds moisture to the kibbeh so you can use lean ground beef, making them an even healthier option.
Baked Kibbeh with Yogurt Sauce
If you have a large iron skillet or another heavy baking pan, baked kibbeh gives you all the flavor and crunch of traditional kibbeh, without the oiliness of deep-frying. These can be served with sandwich fixings or simply with the yogurt sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
For the kibbeh:
1/2 cup or 105g medium coarse bulgur
Leaves from a small bunch fresh mint, picked off and washed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs or 575g lean ground beef
3 tablespoons olive oil
For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup or 245g Greek plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional to serve:
Yogurt sauce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Flat bread
Method
Pour the bulgur wheat in a big coffee mug. Pour enough boiling water to cover the bulgur by about one inch or 2cm. Cover the mug with a saucer and set aside until the water is absorbed. Fluff it with a fork into a large mixing bowl.
To make the yogurt sauce, add the lemon juice, garlic, mint and salt to the yogurt. Mix well and refrigerate. This is best done early in the process to allow time for the flavors to meld and develop.
Use a food processor to mince the mint leaves with the chopped onion.
Preheat your oven to 410°F or 210°C with a large iron skillet or heavy baking pan inside.
Add the mint and onion to the bulgur, along with the cumin, allspice, salt and black pepper. Mix well.
Tip in the lean ground beef. Use your clean hands to mix and knead the seasoned bulgur into the beef.
Wet your hands and form the mixture into 20 balls, slightly fatter in the center and kind of pointy on the ends, like an American football. Keep wetting your hands to keep the meat from sticking to them.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the iron skillet and pour in half of the olive oil. Put the kibbeh in the skillet and put it back in the oven.
Set your timer for 18 minutes. When it rings, take the skillet out and drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the kibbeh. Put it back in the oven and turn the dial from bake to broil (or grill, for my British readers). To clarify, turn your oven's upper element on so the top of the kibbeh will brown.
Keep an eye on it and remove the kibbeh from the oven when it’s golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve with the yogurt sauce to dip. You can also set out flatbread, sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumber for those who would like to build a small sandwich. This makes a great appetizer or starter at a cocktail party.
Enjoy!
Today is National Sunday Supper Day – the second Sunday of January! We should be eating cake to celebrate but since we love you all so much, we decided that we wouldn’t sabotage your (and our own!) efforts to eat more nutritious meals in the New Year. Instead, we are bringing you lots of lean beef recipes! Many thanks to our host today, Sarah of The Chef Next Door and our event manager Cricket of Cricket’s Confections for their behind the scenes work.
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include
For the kibbeh:
1/2 cup or 105g medium coarse bulgur
Leaves from a small bunch fresh mint, picked off and washed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs or 575g lean ground beef
3 tablespoons olive oil
For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup or 245g Greek plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional to serve:
Yogurt sauce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Flat bread
Method
Pour the bulgur wheat in a big coffee mug. Pour enough boiling water to cover the bulgur by about one inch or 2cm. Cover the mug with a saucer and set aside until the water is absorbed. Fluff it with a fork into a large mixing bowl.
To make the yogurt sauce, add the lemon juice, garlic, mint and salt to the yogurt. Mix well and refrigerate. This is best done early in the process to allow time for the flavors to meld and develop.
Use a food processor to mince the mint leaves with the chopped onion.
Preheat your oven to 410°F or 210°C with a large iron skillet or heavy baking pan inside.
Add the mint and onion to the bulgur, along with the cumin, allspice, salt and black pepper. Mix well.
Tip in the lean ground beef. Use your clean hands to mix and knead the seasoned bulgur into the beef.
Wet your hands and form the mixture into 20 balls, slightly fatter in the center and kind of pointy on the ends, like an American football. Keep wetting your hands to keep the meat from sticking to them.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the iron skillet and pour in half of the olive oil. Put the kibbeh in the skillet and put it back in the oven.
Set your timer for 18 minutes. When it rings, take the skillet out and drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the kibbeh. Put it back in the oven and turn the dial from bake to broil (or grill, for my British readers). To clarify, turn your oven's upper element on so the top of the kibbeh will brown.
Keep an eye on it and remove the kibbeh from the oven when it’s golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve with the yogurt sauce to dip. You can also set out flatbread, sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumber for those who would like to build a small sandwich. This makes a great appetizer or starter at a cocktail party.
Enjoy!
Today is National Sunday Supper Day – the second Sunday of January! We should be eating cake to celebrate but since we love you all so much, we decided that we wouldn’t sabotage your (and our own!) efforts to eat more nutritious meals in the New Year. Instead, we are bringing you lots of lean beef recipes! Many thanks to our host today, Sarah of The Chef Next Door and our event manager Cricket of Cricket’s Confections for their behind the scenes work.
Check out all the lovely lean beef recipes we are sharing!
Appetizers, Soups, and Salads
- Baked Kibbeh with Yogurt Sauce by Food Lust People Love
- Italian Wedding Soup by Hardly A Goddess
- Lighter Tex-Mex Albondigas Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
- Spaghetti and Meatball Soup by Cricket’s Confections
- Steak Taco Salad Wonton Cups by Caroline’s Cooking
- Thai Steak Salad with Noodles by Positively Stacey
- Warm Steak Salad by Food Done Light
Ground Beef Recipes
- Cheeseburger Stew by Our Good Life
- Cheesesteak Bruschetta by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
- Clean Eating Sloppy Joes by A Mind “Full” Mom
- Old Fashioned Porcupine Meatballs by Turnips 2 Tangerines
- Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
- Smothered Hamburger Steaks by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Spaghetti Squash with Chili by Recipes Food and Cooking
Mains
- BBQ Filet Beef Tips by The Freshman Cook
- Beef Broccoli Pasta by Wholistic Woman
- Beef Ddukboki (Non-Spicy Sautéed Korean Rice Cakes) by kimchi MOM
- Beef Steak Fajitas by Asian In America
- Beef Vegetable Stir-Fry by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Black Pepper Beef with Broccoli and Noodles by Sunday Supper Movement
- Easy Sriracha Beef Cauliflower Rice Bowls by Family Foodie
- Skinny Beef Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
Sandwiches and Wraps
- Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps by The Chef Next Door
- My Big Lean Greek Beef Wrap by Go Epicurista
- Slow Cooker Tuscan French Dips by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Spicy Beef Lettuce Wraps by Pies and Plots
- Spicy Beef Tacos by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Steak and Eggs Wraps by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
Steaks
- Baked Chicken Fried Steak by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
- Chile Lime Flank Steak Tacos by The Redhead Baker
- Filet Mignon with Roasted Vegetable Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Flank Steak Roulades by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri by Monica’s Table
- Roasted Garlic Sirloin Steak with Rosemary by Cooking Chat
- Swiss Steak by Palatable Pastime
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include