Our recipe for meatless Kibbeh is a vegan version of the traditional Middle Eastern bulgur and meat pie Kibbeh Bil Sanieh which translates Kibbeh in a tray. Cook the vegan filling of this pumpkin Kibbeh in a baking dish between two layers of flavorful bulgur wheat dough for the ultimate comfort food.
Our Kibbeh recipe is stuffed with a luscious mushroom and lentil filling, a vegan twist on the traditional Lebanese meat-filled bulgur wheat pie. We add pumpkin to the dough to make this kibbeh super moist, flavorful, and Thanksgiving-worthy!
What is Kibbeh?
Kibbeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish found in two forms. The most popular is a fried bulgur wheat appetizer shaped like mini torpedoes filled with meat and pine nuts. The meat mixture might include ground beef or ground lamb and kibbeh spices. This is the national dish of Lebanon. You must be skilled to make regular fried Kibbeh; it is time-consuming and difficult. The other version comes baked in a pie and is called kibbeh bil sanieh, which in Arabic means kibbeh in a pan. This is what we make.
Our baked-in-a-pan version of kibbeh is easier and quicker to make than Middle Eastern meatballs and is reminiscent of stuffing. We replaced the meat with mushrooms and added pumpkin to the dough to make it softer (traditionally, meat is added to it). Replace the pumpkin in the dough with boiled potatoes if you do not enjoy the flavor.
Ingredients for Kibbeh
- Coarse Bulgur Wheat. Do not substitute with fine bulgur wheat since it will throw off the texture.
- Boiling Water.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Salt.
- Baharat. This is a blend of Middle Eastern spices with a distinctive flavor which varies by region. It can be tricky to find. Replace it with allspice in a pinch.
- Cinnamon.
- Canned Pumpkin. You want the can that says 100 %pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Ingredients for Vegan Kibbeh Filling
- Tomato Paste.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms. While other recipes use chickpeas as a meat substitute in kibbeh, we love the umami that mushrooms bring to the table.
- Medium Onion.
- Salt.
- Baharat. Again, use allspice if you prefer.
- Cinnamon.
- Black Beluga Lentils. You can also use brown or French lentils.
Assembling the Kibbeh: Final Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil. Olive oil will also work.
- Pine Nuts. Optional for the top of each diamond piece.
How to Make Kibbeh
It's really simple to make a pan of baked Kibbeh! First, combine the bulgur wheat and boiling water in a bowl and cover it to soak. After twenty minutes, squeeze out any excess water and add the remaining ingredients to form the dough. Set this aside and make the filling.
Make the Vegan Pumpkin Kibbeh Filling
To make the filling, first cook the lentils by boiling them according to the package directions. The cooking time will vary. Next, heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook the tomato paste for a few minutes. Then add the mushrooms and onions. Mix, and add the seasoning. Cook this for about twenty minutes until the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid and it is cooked out. Combine this mixture with the drained lentils. Let it cool.
Assembling this Baked Kibbeh Recipe
To assemble the kibbeh, spread a little less than half of the dough mixture out on the baking tray and top it with the filling. Divide the remaining dough into twelve balls and flatten each one with your hand. Spread these out over the top of the filling. Score the kibbeh with a diamond pattern and add a pine nut to each piece for decoration. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for forty-five minutes.
Top Tips for Making this Pumpkin Kibbeh Recipe
You can find as many variations on this dish, which is served all over the Middle East, as you can find cooks! We love our Vegan kibbeh, but you may enjoy one or two of the falling additions in small amounts for your spice mix: sumac, black pepper, coriander, fresh mint leaves, orange rind, marjoram, basil, nutmeg, or cloves.
While kibbeh is savory, you might enjoy adding a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and changing up the pine nuts for walnuts.
Store your leftover kibbeh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. It can also be frozen in the pan or separated into individual pieces and frozen on a sheet tray and then moved to an airtight container and kept in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw completely before serving.
Lining your pan with parchment paper will make it really easy to remove the kibbeh from the pan and place individual pieces on a serving tray.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you eat with kibbeh?
Serve this delightful appetizer with any array of finger foods for your party or event. It can be used as an appetizer or side dish on Thanksgiving or really, any time of year. Serve your kibbeh with homemade tahini sauce. You can also serve it with a bright salad as a vegan main dish.
What is kibbeh in English?
Use the word Kibbeh in your English sentences because it does not have a translation.
What is another name for kibbeh?
The name of this dish may also be spelled kubba, kibbe, kibbie, or kebbe, and it may be called Koupes or İçli köfte depending on the region where it is cooked. It is Middle Eastern comfort food at its finest!
Inspiration for this Recipe
One of the things we love about Thanksgiving is that it's a holiday for everyone. People celebrate it regardless of religion, race, and ethnicity. As soon as November starts, TV shows, cooking sites, and blogs post Thanksgiving recipes. We mostly enjoy the ones that offer a twist on the classic dishes, since we always look for something different to surprise our guests.
It seems like everyone has a vegan or vegetarian guest at their table these days. So, offering creative dishes that even meat eaters will enjoy might make you the front-runner for the Host of the Year award! We have developed some vegan Middle Eastern-inspired Thanksgiving dishes like this pumpkin kibbeh recipe that we hope you'll enjoy.
Mashed Butternut Squash with Spiced Chickpeas
Roasted Butternut Squash with Tahini, Silan, Pomegranates, and Pistachios
Thanksgiving Appetizers With Creamy Dipping Sauce
PrintMeatless Kibbeh
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This meatless Kibbeh is a vegan version of the traditional Middle Eastern Bulgur and Meat pie Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Kibbeh in a tray). The vegan filling of this Kibbeh is cooked in a baking dish between two layers of flavorful bulgur wheat dough.
Ingredients
For the kibbeh dough:
- 1 ½ cups coarse bulgur wheat
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baharat (you can replace baharat for allspice)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (100 %pumpkin), not pumpkin pie filling.
For the filling:
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 24 oz pack baby bella mushrooms, chopped very fine (we recommend using a food processor)
- 1 medium onion, chopped very fine (we recommend using a food processor)
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baharat (you can replace baharat for allspice)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup black beluga lentils, thoroughly rinsed (you can also use brown or French lentils)
To assemble the kibbeh
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 15-20 Pine nuts for garnish
Instructions
To make the kibbeh dough:
- In a large bowl, combine bulgur wheat and boiling water. Cover it with a plate and let it sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze any excess water, if there's any.
- Place the soaked bulgur in a large bowl and add flour, salt, baharat, cinnamon, and pumpkin. Mix well with your hands until you form a dough. The dough will be moist but should be able to form into balls and flattened. If you can't add a little bit more flour.
To make the Kibbeh filling:
- Start by cooking the lentils in a small pot with 4 cups of water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, lower the heat, and bring it to a low boil for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked, but have a slight bite to them. Drain the lentils. (Please note that the cooking time for the lentils will depend on the type of lentils used. We recommend checking after 20 minutes).
- In a large skillet heat olive oil add tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until it becomes dark red, stirring often (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
- Add onions and mushrooms to the skillet and mix until well-coated. Add salt, baharat, and cinnamon.
- Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until mushrooms are fairly dry.
- Combine lentils and mushroom mixture in a bowl. Mix well and set aside to cool
To assemble the kibbeh:
- Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.
- Evenly brush 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil at the bottom of a large baking dish fingers. (We used a 12"x 9"oval, you may use a round or rectangular baking sheet)
- Press a little less than half the kibbeh dough on the bottom of the baking dish as if you were making a pie. Prick the kibbeh dough with a fork. and spread the mushroom lentil filling evenly on top. Look at the images above for guidance.
- Divide the remaining dough into 10-12 balls. Flatten each one with your hands and gently place them on top of the filling, until it’s completely covered. Look at the images above for guidance.
- Using a sharp knife, score the Kibbeh making a diamond pattern, and placing a pine nut in the middle of each diamond. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on top and bake at 375 ºF for 45 minutes.
- Serve with Tahini Sauce
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 squares
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 593.7 mg
- Fat: 7.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38.4 g
- Fiber: 5.6 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Kelly says
The side dishes are my favorite part of the feast and I love that this is meatless! The lentils, mushrooms and pumpkin sound like an amazing combo!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you Kelly, it is delicious!
Amy says
Can this be prepared the day before and baked, or should this be baked and then reheated? Is it better to serve it the same day it first comes out of the oven?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Amy, we prefer to prepare the kibbeh and bake it the same day and serve it as it comes out of the oven. However Kibbeh can also be eaten at room temperature. Leftovers will also be good reheated. If you have any 😉