Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)
Kibbeh Bl Saynieh or Baked Kebbeh is a traditional Lebanese dish filled with flavors. Two layers of kibbeh stuffed with perfectly seasoned ground meat are simply irresistible. Follow the directions for an amazing dish!
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
Meat and Onion Stuffing
- 1 lb ground beef
- ⅓ cup shivered almonds or pine nuts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 onions cubed
- 1 teaspoon seven spices
- ½ tablespoon salt to taste
Kibbeh
- 3 cups bulgur
- 6 cups warm water
- 2 lbs ground meat divided
- 1 onion small
- 2 tablespoons ground Kamooni spice
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon seven spices
- ⅓ cup olive oil to drizzle before baking
Instructions
Prepare Meat and Onion Stuffing
- Add 1/4 cup of olive oil on high heat. Then, add the slivered almonds or pine nuts to toast for 3-5 minutes while stirring in a large skillet.
- Once the slivered almonds and pine nuts have turned light gold, add in the cubed onions and stir for another 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked. Stir all the ingredients together.
- Once the beef, the onions, and the slivered almonds have cooked together, turn off the heat. Add salt and seven spices. Mix well.
- Cover the mixture and set it aside.
Prepare Kibbeh
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- To a medium bowl, add the fine bulgur and warm water. Then, set aside for about 10 minutes until the bulgur has soaked in all the water.
- Add the soaked bulgur, ground meat, and 1 small onion to a food processor. It will not fit all of the ingredients at once, so add half of the amount of bulgur with 1 lb. of ground meat at a time.
- Once blended, place the rest of the soaked bulgur and the remaining 1 pound of ground meat and blend. Place in a large bowl.
- Add the salt, paprika, 2 tablespoons of kamooni, spice, and 1 teaspoon of 7 spices. Mix by hand.
Layer Kibbeh Bl Sanieh
- To begin layering, oil a 9 x 13“ pan or medium round pan. Begin to add patches of the ground meat and bulgur mix.
- Using your hands, press down to form an even layer. Do not make too thin nor not too thick.
- Evenly spread the stuffing on top of the layer you have just formed.
- To form the top kibbeh layer, my way is easy! But it is totally optional.
- Cut parchment paper to the same size as the pan. Spray one side with cooking oil, then begin adding the rest of the meat and bulgur mix to form an even layer. Again, use your hands to press down and form.
- Gently and carefully take this layer and flip it onto the stuffing. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Wet your hands and smooth out this top layer.
- Wet a pairing knife and cut the kibbeh to form the desired shape. Cut in the center vertically and then horizontally to form diamond-shaped kibbeh.
- Drizzle 1/3 cup of olive oil all over the pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked and golden in color.
- Broil on high for about 1 to 2 minutes if needed for added crispiness.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Note 1: Soaking bulgur is very important because it ensures that the bulgur won't remain crunchy and ruin the texture of the dish after it's cooked. So, the bulgur should be soft.
Note 2: Try to mash and scrunch up the bulgur together well with your hands after it has softened! Although it is considered old school, this additional step would help the texture become softer and easier to consume.
Note 3: Prepare kibbeh bil sanieh ahead. Wrap the pan and set it in the freezer. You can keep it up to 3 months. Attention! Do not add olive oil if you are planning to freeze it.
Note 4: Kibbeh Bil Sanieh can be prepared thin or thick, depending on how you prefer it! I have prepped mine with thin layers to create a crispy texture! You can make the bottom layer a bit thicker than the top one. You will please both tastes at once.
Note 5: If you have leftover bulgur and meat mixture, then you can make them into patties. You can choose to stuff them or not. You can freeze the prepared kibbeh patties for up to 2 months. Place the patties in air-tight zip lock bags. You can bake these delicious patties in the oven. You can also fry them. They are amazing as appetizers for family gatherings.