Kibbeh (Lebanese Meatballs)

Kibbeh is a Lebanese recipe that comes in many shapes and forms, but if you’ve ever discussed food with a Lebanese person you know that the discussion always comes back to kibbeh. I’ve mentioned before that I myself am Lebanese-American (half, actually, on my dad’s side) and grew up eating this dish. It is basically a Middle Eastern meatloaf mix that is usually made with lamb and instead of breadcrumbs the meat is “stretched” by adding bulgur wheat. There are also vegetarian versions, such as pumpkin kibbeh or potato kibbeh, which are commonly eaten during lent. Today I made meatballs for staff lunch but served them as mini kofta kebobs at a small appetizer party this evening. When I was growing up, though, we didn’t eat any of the fore-said versions, our family ate it two ways (that I recall)…baked and stuffed, sort of like a flat meatloaf, or raw, which is called kibbeh nayyeh. Yup raw. Sounds gross to some but my mouth salivates now as I recall it (think of a lamb version of steak tartar). But sadly, in the age in which we live, I haven’t had raw kibbeh in years and I’m not sure I would eat some if it were offered to me. Below is a basic recipe, as is a recipe on how to cook it into rice to make a complete meal. But of course I deviated form the recipe when I made this today (don’t I always). Today, in addition to the ingredients listed in the recipe (for kibbeh) I also added a bit of cumin, cinnamon, cooked and chopped spinach, and a handful of crumbled feta, simply because I had it on hand. Once the basic recipe is made you can use it for meatballs, skewers, burgers, or add it to sauces, soups, or rice…you get the picture. Anyhow, if you like simple-to-make but super-delicious foods, then try this recipe. ….you won’t be sorry, and likely hooked on first bite.

To read more about Lebanese cuisine click here (it’s an article I wrote for Sally’s Place some years ago…you can tell it’s dated by the picture; my son was a toddler and I had a full head of hair).