How to make Vegan Kibbeh

Kibbeh is a must-have appetizer in every Middle Eastern/Arabic restaurant, especially in Levantine cuisine. It’s a popular hot appetizer dish of Bulghur wheat stuffed with meat, onion, and pine nuts. This recipe is my Vegan version of this tasty Appetizer.

What is Kibbeh?

It is one of Middle Eastern cuisine’s most popular Appetizer dishes. There are different varieties of the recipe, such as Kibbeh bil laban, kibbeh bil sanieh, or kibbeh nayah. This recipe is the Vegan makeover of the famous Lebanese Fried Kibbeh.

In the original Kibbeh recipe, the bulgur is mixed with the raw beef to make the dough, which is then stuffed with the meat and the other ingredients. However, I have combined the bulgur with soft-boiled potatoes and cornstarch to make the kibbeh dough in this recipe.

For the meat stuffings, there are 2 options: a homemade vegan mince or store-bought vegan mince.

Recipe ingredients:

Kibbeh Dough Ingredients:

• Bulgur wheat: use the fine Bulgur variety for this recipe.
• Boiled water: for prepping the fine bulgur.
• Potatoes: use soft-boiled potatoes for the dough. It will make the kibbeh crispy when it is fried.
• Corn starch
• Kibbeh spices or ( Kamouneh) If you cannot access any kibbeh spices, you can use a 7-species mix.
• Paprika.
• Salt & pepper

Vegan Mince Ingredients (store-bought):

• Vegan mince: use any store-bought vegan mince.
• Onion
• Olive oil
• Spices: chili pepper, kibbeh spice, paprika, cinnamon, salt & pepper
• Chopped parsley
• Pomegranate molasses
• Toasted pine nuts: You can substitute with almonds or any other nuts, or skip this. It’s completely optional.
• Vegetable oil for deep frying: I usually use avocado oil to fry the kibbeh, but you can use any neutral oil for frying.

Homemade Vegan Mince Ingredients:

• Homemade vegan mince recipe.
• Chopped parsley.
• Pomegranate molasses.
• Toasted pine nuts.

*Check the recipe card down below for exact ingredient measurements.

How to make Vegan Kibbeh:

Make the dough:

• Add 1 cup of bulgur and 1 cup of boiled water to a mixing bowl, mix with a fork, and cover with cling film. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cling film, and mix the bulgur with a fork. The water should be completely absorbed, and the bulgur should be soft.
• Add soft-boiled potatoes, starch, salt, pepper, and spices to the bulgur. Start kneading the dough using your hands. If the dough is dry, you can add boiled water 1 tbsp at a time; for my dough, I added 4 tbsp of boiled water (in total) while kneading till it was completely soft and everything was well combined. Keep kneading for 15 minutes until the dough is perfect for shaping into kibbeh. You don’t want sticky dough, which is harder to form into kibbeh and won’t cook properly; therefore, add water slowly, 1 tbsp at a time.
• Before shaping the kibbeh, divide the dough into ten medium-sized balls and cover them with a cling film while you shape each kibbeh as it can dry out and will be difficult to shape into kibbeh later.

Make the stuffings:

To make the store-bought vegan mince:

• Heat a medium-sized cast iron pan, then add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the chopped onion and saute on medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Add the store-bought vegan mince to the onion and mix well. Then, add the chopped parsley, pomegranate molasses, and all the spices for the filling. Mix well until everything is well combined, and let it cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
• Remove from the heat and let it cool. Once completely cooled, you can add the toasted pine nuts and mix.

To make the homemade vegan mince:

• Use this homemade vegan mince recipe.
• Add chopped parsley, pomegranate molasses, and toasted nuts to the vegan mince.
• Mix well, and it’s ready to use.

Making the kibbeh:

• Before starting to shape the kibbeh, wet your hand with a water and starch mix. Mix half a tablespoon of cornstarch with four tablespoons of water and keep it near you while you do so.
• Take a dough ball and gently press it in the middle with your finger to form a cavity. Keep turning gently until the sides are thin but not too thin to break. Once you have shaped it, add 2 tbsp of the filling (or less if your kibbeh is smaller). Then, gently, while wetting your hand with the starch and water mix, begin to close, form, and shape into an oval shape.
• Lay the kibbeh in a try (use wax/ parchment paper so it won’t stick to the tray) and place it in the freezer for up to 30 minutes before frying.
• Add the oil to a deep frying pan and heat. Start adding your kibbeh when the oil is hot and ready for frying. Add three to four at a time (depending on your pan size). Don’t overcrowd the pan with the kibbeh so they won’t stick with each other or break. Leave to fry for a minute before turning with a spoon, and let each batch cook for 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, browned, and crispy.
• Let it drain excess oil on the kitchen paper towel, and it is ready to be served.

Tips for success:

• This recipe is not quick since each kibbeh needs to be shaped individually; as you will see in the detailed recipe instructions, you can always prep ahead in big batches and freeze.
• Be very careful when adding boiled water to the bulgur dough. Follow the recipe carefully, and do not add too much water, as this will result in a sticky dough that won’t hold its shape when frying and will break.
• To help shape each kibbeh, mix starch and water and wet your fingers while shaping them; this helps smooth them.
• When adding the toasted nuts to the filling mix, ensure it is completely cooled; otherwise, the nuts will not stay crunchy. Let the filling mix cool, and then add the nuts.

How to serve it:

Serve it as an appetizer or in a mezze platter. It is great with hummus or mutabel.

For a more elegant presentation, try serving it alongside a fresh salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers or with this Arabic salad. The bright colors and flavors of the salad will beautifully complement the savory kibbeh.

In Ramadan, it is an Iftar tradition to serve kibbeh with soup, such as Arabic lentil or tomato soup.

Storing the kibbeh

To store leftovers, let them cool to room temperature first, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 -4 days. All you need to do is reheat in the oven for 15 minutes.

To store the kibbeh in the freezer, you can freeze it after shaping it and before frying it. Line a tray with wax/parchment paper, layer the kibbeh, and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, you can put it in plastic freezer bags and store it in the freezer for up to a month. To cook the kibbeh, just fry it immediately after removing it from the freezer. There is no need to defrost it, and make sure the oil is hot before placing the kibbeh in the oil.

Recommended recipes:

For more Vegan recipes, check below the most popular recipes at VBA:

• Vermicelli rice.
• Kubat halab.
• Arayes.
• Arabic samosa

If you make this recipe, I’d love a comment and a rating. Please make sure to tag me in re-creation on Instagram @veganbilaraby. I love to see your take on my vegan recipes 💚