Kibbeh

(Kibbe, Kebbah, Kubbeh, Kubbah, Kubbi, Kebbeh, Kebbe)

Kibbeh is a unique mixture of soaked bulgur wheat and other ingredients, typically lamb meat, and it is also considered the national dish of Lebanon and Syria. Fragrantly spiced and eaten as a snack for casual or celebratory meals, Kibbeh can be raw, baked, fried, stuffed, or prepared in a vegetarian version, stuffed with potatoes, pumpkins, and tomatoes.

It is typically served with mint leaves and drizzled with olive oil. The word kibbeh stems from an Arabic verb meaning to form into a ball or a circular shape. A fried variety of kibbeh, called kibbeh nabilseeyah is shaped into a ball, stuffed, then fried in oil.

Raw kibbeh is called kibbeh nayyeh, where bulgur and meat are combined with spices and pureéd onions, kneaded together with some ice water, then placed into traditional flatbreads. Traditionally, locals used to kill animals on Sundays and feast days, so the raw meat was eaten immediately, and that's how kibbeh nayyeh came to be.

Lebanon

Syria

Types of Kibbeh

WHERE TO EAT The best Kibbeh in the world (according to food experts)

Anthony Bourdain and 2 other food critics.

"Best meal in Lebanon? A little neighborhood place called Le Chef. Typical Lebanese staples, hummus, kibbe, stewed lamb and arak."

Anthony Rahayel and 3 other food critics.

"Lunch was amazing, like always: Babel’s food is one of a kind. Two pieces of finely shaped kebbeh stuffed with cherries and beef, while two are stuffed with colored sweet peppers. Four cups of thin kebbe filled with juicy and aromatic ingredients served on a rectangular plate decorated with sesame seeds."

Sofia Levin and 2 other food critics.

"Try it at: Sabırtaşı Restoran."

Anya Von Bremzen and 5 other food critics.

"50 Best New U.S. Restaurants: Zahav - Zero in on the meze—say, Sephardic minted-leek fritters with sheep’s cheese and honey, or kibbe naya, a Middle Eastern lamb-and-bulgur tartare scented with allspice."

Anthony Rahayel and 1 other food critic.

"One of my favorite dishes tonight. I'm really speechless. I'm lost for words that best describe how good the food is."

John T. Edge and 5 other food critics.

"Get the kibbeh nayah and you savor a fluffy mix of minced beef and lamb from Two Run Farm, just across the border in Mississippi."

Anthony Rahayel and 4 other food critics.

"The real kebbeh nayyeh from Zgharta. Authentic, fresh and ready to impress."

Charlie´s Hostel Buenos Aires and 5 other food critics.

"Another unique offering is keppa cruda. Keppa is a type of meat and vegitable mix that puts couscous and other spices together into a wonderful combination that will knock your socks off. If you speak spanish then you know that cruda means RAW. Keppa cruda is raw meatballs basically. Don´t worry, the meat is prepared cleanly, and it WILL NOT make you sick. If you want to try something new, go for it."