Kibbeh: Lebanese Lamb Patties with Bulgur

Kibbeh: Lebanese Lamb Patties with Bulgur

Kibbeh is the national dish of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan: bulgur wheat, lamb and spices — baked, fried or served raw (kibbeh nayyeh). It is the quintessence of Levantine cuisine.

History of the dish

The word 'kibbeh' comes from Arabic 'kubbah' (ball). The dish has been known since antiquity. In Lebanon there is a saying: 'A mother who cannot make kibbeh is not respected' — so important is it in the culture.

Key ingredients

Fine bulgur (parboiled), twice-ground lamb mince, onion, salt, cinnamon, allspice, pine nuts. Filling: lamb with onion, pine nuts and spices, sautéed.

How to cook at home

For baked kibbeh, press half the mixture into a tin, add the filling, cover with the remaining half. Moisten the surface with water and score into diamond shapes. Brush with oil and bake at 180°C for 35 minutes.