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Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern favorite of ground beef, bulgur wheat, cinnamon, cumin and onion baked and served alongside yogurt and other traditional mediterranean favorites. 

Kibbeh

As a child Lebanese meals were my favorite and that is still true today. Whenever I have a meal that involves things like Kibbeh, tabbouleh, fattoush, hummus, pita, yogurt and Lebanese green beans I am brought back to my childhood. I love meals that remind you of a time or place in your life.

Kibbeh has always been a staple in our Lebanese family cooking. It is really easy to make and has rich flavors of cumin and cinnamon. There are many versions of kibbeh out there. When we make kibbeh we either use lamb or ground beef. Once in a while I will add in toasted pine nuts which gives it a nice texture and nutty taste.

Lets talk about how easy Kibbeh is to make!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Start  by soaking the bulgur wheat in cold water for 30 minutes. While the bulgur wheat soaks you can start chopping your onion and placing that in the mixer or bowl. Once the bulgur wheat is done soaking use your hands to squeeze the water out of it and add it to the mixer along with the remaining ingredients.

Turn the mixer and a mix until combined or use a spoon to combine in a large bowl. Optional step: if you want to add toasted pine nuts you can and would stir them in just after everything is combined in the mixer.

Evenly spread the Kibbeh mixture into an 8×8 square baking dish and then use a knife to cut diamond shapes into the Kibbeh. Bake the kibbeh for 30 minutes, remove and enjoy!

If you like a little more spice in your meat you can try adding a dash of paprika and cayenne red pepper which will both help give it a little kick.

Kitchen helpers for this recipe:

Pyrex Easy Grab 8-Inch Square Baking Dish

KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red

Kibbeh

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern favorite of ground beef, bulgur wheat, cinnamon, cumin and onion baked and served alongside yogurt and other traditional mediterranean favorites.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup cracked bulgur wheat (bulghar-medium or #2)
• 1 lb. ground beef {I use 80/20}
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Put cracked bulgur wheat in a bowl of cold water to soak for 30 minutes.
3. Once the bulgur wheat is done soaking use your hands to squeeze the water out of the cracked wheat and place in a stand mixer or bowl. Add the ground beef, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper and onion and mix until combined.
4. Spray an 8x8 square baking dish with non-stick spray. Using your hands evenly spread the beef mixture in the 8x8 square baking dish and use your hands to pat it down in the pan into a flat layer.
5. Use a knife to cut diamond shapes into the meat before cooking or cut however you like.
6. Bake the kibbeh for 30 minutes, remove and serve alongside yogurt, pita, hummus and tabbouleh.

Notes

You can use ground lamb instead of ground beef or a combination of the two.

Add a 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts to the mixture and stir in just before you are ready to press the meat into your baking dish.