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Syrian · Levantine

Fried kibbeh

Non-vegetarian

كبة مقلية · kibbeh maqliyeh

Torpedo-shaped shells of fine bulgur and lean lamb, stuffed with spiced minced lamb, onion and pine nuts, then deep-fried until crisp. A Levantine mezze classic, with Aleppo renowned for its many kibbeh varieties.

Fried kibbeh is a Syrian starter, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes and made with bulgur wheat and ground lamb. It serves 6 and is rated advanced to cook.

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Prep
1 h
Cook
30 min
Rest
15 min
Total
1 h 45 min
Serves
6
Level
Advanced
Calories
631

Ingredients

6 servings (about 24 kibbeh)

For the shell

For the filling

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    For the filling, fry the onion (opens in a new tab) in the olive oil (opens in a new tab) until soft, add the lamb and cook until browned. Stir in the pine nuts (opens in a new tab), allspice (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and salt, then cool completely.

    Food safety: Cook the mince until no pink remains.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    For the shell, process the squeezed bulgur (opens in a new tab), chilled lean lamb, grated onion (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), allspice (opens in a new tab) and salt into a smooth, pliable paste, adding a spoonful of iced water if needed. Chill for 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    With wet hands, take a walnut-sized ball of shell, push your finger in and work it into a thin hollow cup. Fill with a teaspoon of filling, close and shape into a pointed oval.

    • 40 min

    Keep a bowl of iced water to dip your fingers in; it stops the paste cracking.

  4. Step 4

    Heat the oil to 175 °C and fry the kibbeh in batches until deep brown and crisp. Drain and serve hot with lemon (opens in a new tab).

    Food safety: Fry in small batches and never leave hot oil unattended.

    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin disputedKibbeh is claimed across the Levant, especially by Syria and Lebanon; Aleppo is famous for its kibbeh repertoire.Also popular in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Snack · Appetizers & starters · Finger food
Cooking method
Deep-fried, Sautéed
Taste
savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, nutty
Diet
Dairy-free · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Carb-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Bulgur wheat · Ground lamb · Onion · Cumin · Allspice · Pine nuts
Techniques
Deep-frying · Sautéing

Allergens

  • Contains: Tree nutsfrom pine nuts
  • Contains: Wheatfrom bulgur wheat
  • Contains: Glutenfrom bulgur wheat

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

631 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 196 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 18%
  • Fat 67%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy631 kcal323 kcal
Protein23.4 g11.9 g
Carbohydrate29.4 g15 g
Net carbohydrate24.3 g12.4 g
Sugars1.6 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5.1 g2.6 g
Fat47.8 g24.4 g
Saturated fat12.9 g6.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol79 mg40 mg
Sodium655 mg335 mg
Salt equivalent1.6 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
470 mg
Calcium
46 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
99 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
2 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
2.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
36 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: lemon.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Common mistakes

  • A warm or too-fatty shell mixture tears — keep everything cold.

Serve with

  • Serve with yogurt or tahini sauce and a fattoush.

Storage

  • Freeze shaped, uncooked kibbeh on a tray, then bag for up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Re-crisp in a 200 °C oven for 10 minutes.

Variations

  • Kibbeh bil sanieh: The same mixtures layered and baked in a tray.
  • Kubba (Iraqi) (Iraq): Iraqi kubba often uses rice or semolina shells.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

Gravy, sauce & base

Used in step 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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