Lebanon · Lebanese cuisine (national dish)
Kibbeh bil sanieh
A baked Lebanese tray of two thin layers of spiced lean lamb and fine bulgur sandwiching a rich filling of onion, seasoned minced meat and toasted pine nuts, cut into diamonds, golden outside and tender inside.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Lebanon
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: Amaiursancho5 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source · cropped
translation Translated from French. Translation by Cookhuddle Editorial. Read the original
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- Servings
- 6
- Preparation
- 70 min
- Cooking
- 50 min
- Resting
- 40 min
- Total
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Cuisine / tradition: Lebanese cuisine (national dish) (LB) — declared by the author
- Main dish
- Baked
- Celebration
Ingredients
For 6 servings
- 250 g fine bulgur (No. 1), for the kibbeh
- 300 ml cold water, for soaking the bulgur
- 500 g very lean lamb or beef, minced 3 times, for the kibbeh
- 1 piece large onion, finely grated, for the kibbeh
- 1 tsp seven-spice mix (baharat), for the kibbeh
- 2 tsp salt, for the kibbeh
- 1 tsp black pepper, for the kibbeh
- 400 g minced lamb or beef, for the filling
- 2 piece large onions, finely chopped, for the filling
- 50 g pine nuts
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter, for the filling and tray
- 1 tsp seven-spice mix (baharat), for the filling
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, for the filling
- 1 tsp salt, for the filling
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, for the filling
- 3 tbsp ghee, melted, or olive oil, for brushing
- 400 g thick plain yogurt (or labneh), to serve
Method
- Step 1. Soak the bulgur in the 300 ml of cold water for 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator), then drain it and squeeze out the excess water in a cloth.⏱ 30 min
- Step 2. Filling: melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a pan and fry the pine nuts until golden; set aside. In the same pan cook the minced meat over medium heat for about 8 minutes, breaking it up, until the liquid has evaporated and it is browned. Add the chopped onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft. Season with the seven spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper, stir in the pine nuts and leave to cool.⏱ 14 min
- Step 3. Kibbeh shell: in a large bowl knead the drained bulgur with the lean meat, the grated onion, the seven spice, the salt and the pepper for about 5 to 7 minutes, wetting your hands with cold water, until it forms a smooth, sticky paste. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.⏱ 7 min
- Step 4. Heat the oven to 190 °C. Grease a 28 cm round tray or a 25 x 30 cm dish with a tablespoon of the ghee.
- Step 5. Wet your hands. Divide the kibbeh in half. Press and spread half of it over the base of the tray in an even layer about 1 cm thick, smoothing the surface.
- Step 6. Spread the cooled filling over the base and press it down lightly.
- Step 7. Flatten the remaining kibbeh into thin patties in your wet hands and lay them over the filling, joining them with wet fingers into a smooth, even top layer with no filling showing.
- Step 8. Cut the kibbeh into diamonds or squares with a sharp wet knife, cutting right through to the bottom. Press a small hole at the centre of each. Brush the top with the melted ghee and bake for 45 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Check the cooking with a food thermometer pushed into the centre of a piece, through both layers and the filling: the minced meat must reach at least 71 °C; if not, bake 5 to 10 minutes more.⏱ 45 min
- Step 9. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before lifting out the pieces, or they will crumble. Serve warm with the thick yogurt and a green or cabbage salad.⏱ 10 min
Story and cultural note
Kibbeh bil sanieh, kibbeh in the tray, is the oven-baked version of kibbeh, the national dish of Lebanon: a layer of cooked, spiced minced meat with onion and pine nuts is pressed between two layers of a paste of fine bulgur and raw lean meat, then baked and cut into diamonds. The sources agree on fine bulgur, lean lamb or beef and warm spices (baharat or seven spice, cinnamon), and differ on the quantities, the oven temperature (180 to 204 °C) and the baking time (25 to 60 minutes). A South Lebanese version adds kamouneh, a mix of bulgur, onion, pepper and mint, which other regions typically do not.
Tips for success
Use very lean meat, minced three times, and wet your hands constantly when kneading and spreading the kibbeh: it gives a smooth, tender shell. Cool the filling before spreading it. Cut right through to the bottom before baking. Let the tray rest before lifting the pieces, or they will crumble. Serve with cold yogurt to balance the richness. The mince in the shell and the filling must be cooked through: check the centre of a piece with a thermometer (at least 71 °C).
Serving and presentation
Serve warm, cut in diamonds, with a pine nut on each, a bowl of thick plain yogurt or labneh and a crisp cabbage or green salad.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietEgg-free
ContainsGluten (cereals)MilkTree nuts
