Brazilian Kibe | Kibbeh Brazilian Snacks
Kibe are deep-fried beef and bulgur wheat croquettes with onions, garlic and mint. I like to add cinnamon too. They’re a popular snack in Brazil, and well worth making because they’re so good. They originate from Lebanon where they’re usually made with ground lamb in place of the Brazilian choice of beef.
Kibe can be eaten raw, where they are called “kibe cru” or cooked. Nice garnishes include tahini sauce to dip (not authentically Brazilian as such, but it goes so well!) along with lime wedges and a nice cold beer!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Deep Fried
- Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2 pounds (900g) ground beef (beef mince)
- 1/3 cup (20g) roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup (190g) bulgur wheat
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) beef broth or water
- Pinch each of salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup (12g) fresh mint leaves
- Oil, for frying
- Tahini sauce, to serve
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Put the bulgur wheat in a bowl.
- Bring the broth (or water) to a boil then pour it over the bulgur.
- Let it sit for half an hour.
- Sauté the garlic, nutmeg and cinnamon (if using) with half the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil.
- When the onions are soft, add about ⅓ of the ground beef, then cook until browned.
- Mix in the parsley and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper or however much you want).
- Drain the bulgur and press down with a wooden spoon to get as much liquid out as you can.
- Put the bulgur in a food processor with the rest of the (raw) beef, the rest of the onions and the fresh mint. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper, then process until very smooth.
- Press golf-ball size balls of the beef mix flat in your hand, then add a tablespoon of cooked beef mixture in the middle, wrap the raw beef mix around the cooked beef mix and press well to seal.
- Shape the balls into long ovals (like an American football or rugby ball) with pointy ends, and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Put a few inches of your favorite deep frying oil and heat it to 350°F (180°C).
- Lower the kibe into the oil, cooking it in batches until crisp and dark brown.
- Drain on paper towels, then serve warm with tahini sauce and lime wedges.
Notes
- If you have time, chill the raw beef mixture for a few hours (this makes it easier to shape later).
Keywords: kibe recipe, kibbeh recipe, Brazilian cuisine, Brazilian food, Brazil, stuffed meatballs, Brazilian snacks, Brazilian appetizers