When it comes to Kibbeh, most people are familiar with small oval balls made with a mixture of bulgur and meat. However, it is said the Lebanese Christians have created Pumpkin Kibbeh when they were looking for suitable fasting dishes during the Lent period. It’s incredibly rich in flavour thanks to the hearty filling and the aromatic spice mix and makes for a show-stopping main placed in the middle of the table.
Pair it with my Christmas Tabbouleh for a refreshing kick.
What you need to make Pumpkin Kibbeh
Pumpkin Casing
- 1.5 kg pumpkin (1.25 kg peeled)
- 1 large onion
- 400g fine bulgur
- 2 tbsp kibbeh spice blend (⅔ of the blend below)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 orange
- 1 tbsp salt (14g)
- 2 tbsp flour
Lebanese 7 Spice (optional)
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1 cinnamon sticks (3g)
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Kibbeh Spice Blend
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp rose petals
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice
Red Onion Filling
- 4 red onions (800g), finely sliced
- 300g swiss chard, leaves roughly torn and stems finely chopped
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for greasing
- 1 tbsp salt (14g)
- 1 tin of chickpeas
- 1 tbsp kibbeh spice blend (⅓ of the blend above)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 100g walnuts
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
How to make Pumpkin Kibbeh
To make the casing, half the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into wedges. Peel the wedges, then cut them into chunks, place in a large saucepan, cover generously with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until knife tender. Drain and leave to steam off for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, use a small food processor to very finely chop the onion.
For the 7 Spice, toast the first six spices and transfer to a grinder. Grate in the nutmeg, then grind into a fine powder. This makes more than needed, but you can store it in a jar for several months.
For the kibbeh spice blend, toast the cumin seeds and grind them with the remaining ingredients.
To make the filling, prepare the onions and chard. Heat the olive oil in a casserole and sauté the onions and chard stems with the salt until translucent (10-15 minutes). Now stir in the chard leaves until wilted, before draining and adding the chickpeas along with the spice blend, cayenne pepper and sumac. Cook for 5 minutes while you roughly chop the walnuts, then stir them in along with the molasses. Turn off the heat.
Mash the pumpkin into a smooth purée, then mix in the onion, bulgur, spice blend, turmeric, the zest of the orange, salt and 50ml water. Set aside for 20 minutes, then knead in the flour.
Time to assemble. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) and grease two 20cm round baking tins (or one 30x20cm tray) with some olive oil. Add a quarter of the kibbeh dough to each tin and flatten it into a smooth layer. Cover it equally with the onion filling, then add the remaining dough by shaping it into flat disks between your hands and pressing them on top. Coat the surface with a little olive oil, before scoring a diamond pattern. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating it halfway through. Then serve, ideally alongside freshly made Tabbouleh.
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Lebanese Pumpkin Kibbeh
Ingredients
Pumpkin Casing
- 1.5 kg pumpkin (1.25 kg peeled)
- 1 large onion
- 400 g fine bulgur
- 2 tbsp kibbeh spice blend (⅔ of the blend below)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 orange
- 1 tbsp salt (14g)
- 2 tbsp flour
Lebanese 7 Spice (optional)
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick (3g)
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Kibbeh Spice Blend
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp rose petals
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice (from above or store-bought)
Red Onion Filling
- 4 red onions (800g, finely sliced)
- 300 g swiss chard (leaves roughly torn and stems finely chopped)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for greasing
- 1 tbsp salt (14g)
- 1 tin of chickpeas
- 1 tbsp kibbeh spice blend (⅓ of the blend above)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 100 g walnuts
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- To make the casing, half the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into wedges. Peel the wedges, then cut them into chunks, place in a large saucepan, cover generously with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until knife tender. Drain and leave to steam off for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, use a small food processor to very finely chop the onion.
- For the 7 Spice, toast the first six spices and transfer to a grinder. Grate in the nutmeg, then grind into a fine powder. This makes more than needed, but you can store it in a jar for several months.
- For the kibbeh spice blend, toast the cumin seeds and grind them with the remaining ingredients.
- To make the filling, prepare the onions and chard. Heat the olive oil in a casserole and sauté the onions and chard stems with the salt until translucent (10-15 minutes). Now stir in the chard leaves until wilted, before draining and adding the chickpeas along with the spice blend, cayenne pepper and sumac. Cook for 5 minutes while you roughly chop the walnuts, then stir them in along with the molasses. Turn off the heat.
- Mash the pumpkin into a smooth purée, then mix in the onion, bulgur, spice blend, turmeric, the zest of the orange, salt and 50ml water. Set aside for 20 minutes, then knead in the flour.
- Time to assemble. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) and grease two 20cm round baking tins (or one 30x20cm tray) with some olive oil. Add a quarter of the kibbeh dough to each tin and flatten it into a smooth layer. Cover it equally with the onion filling, then add the remaining dough by shaping it into flat disks between your hands and pressing them on top. Coat the surface with a little olive oil, before scoring a diamond pattern. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating it halfway through. Then serve, ideally alongside freshly made Tabbouleh.
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