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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    Potato Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata)

    By Mariam・Published: Nov 3, 2021・Updated: Jun 6, 2023・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Potato kibbeh, or kibbet batata, is the vegan alternative to the popular Lebanese meat kibbeh nayeh and it tastes just as good. Fresh, fragrant, and delicious, potato kibbeh is made with mashed potatoes, fine bulgar wheat, spices, herbs, and olive oil. It's the perfect Lebanese mezze appetizer dish to serve with tabouli, fattoush, and pita chips.

    Lebanese potato kibbeh on a plate with walnuts

    There are so many ways to make kibbeh: baked stuffed kibbeh, fried kibbeh balls, kibbeh labanieh, kibbeh bil sanieh, quinoa kibbeh (gluten-free option), and of course the famous raw kibbeh nayeh.

    What I Love About This Recipe

    One word: simplicity. I've always been someone who believes the best recipes are those that don't need a long list of ingredients to make and this one proves my point. Filled with flavor that comes from all the fresh herbs and drizzled with olive oil, it's just perfect.

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients needed to make potato kibbeh
    • Potatoes: Any kind of white or golden potatoes work for this recipe.
    • Fine Bulgur: Fine bulgar gives this potato kibbeh the kibbeh-like texture. Make sure you use fine bulgur which is different from coarse bulgar wheat. It's easy to get fine bulgar and coarse bulgar mixed up if you're unfamiliar with this kind of grain.
    • Fresh parsley: Finely chopped fresh parsley is the ingredient I love most in this recipe. Try to remove the stems of the parsley sprigs prior to chopping the leaves finely.
    • Dried mint: Fresh mint is an alternative to dried mint. Just remove the leaves and chop the mint very finely.
    • Olive oil: Olive oil is an essential ingredient, so make sure you select the highest quality olive oil.
    • Mixed spices: Seven spice, allspice, and a hint of black pepper
    • Green onion (optional)

    See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

    How To Make Potato Kibbeh

    softened bulgar wheat in a bowl.

    Soften the fine bulgur wheat by rinsing it and draining it. It's different from coarse bulgur wheat, so it should soften quickly (about 5 to 10 minutes).

    add the cooked mashed potatoes to the softened bulgar wheat.

    Wash, peel, and boil the potatoes. Then mash the potatoes while they're still a bit hot. In a large bowl, add the mashed potatoes to the washed fine bulgur.

    add the chopped green onions to the potato kibbeh.

    Chop the green onion and add it to the bowl.

    sprinkle in the dry spices and fresh herbs.

    Add the dried mint, ground allspice, Lebanese seven spices, salt, black pepper, and fresh herbs.

    Next, knead everything together. Add in drizzles of olive oil as you knead.

    To serve, spoon the mixture into a large serving plate and use a spatula to spread it out. Drizzle with some more olive oil and serve.

    close up view of Lebanese kibbet batata

    Tips and Tricks

    • Use olive oil in the potato mixture: Even though not all potato kibbeh recipes call for olive oil to be kneaded into the mixture it makes such a great difference in the texture and taste.
    • Mash the potatoes while they're a bit hot: This helps to stop lumps from forming as you mash.
    • Use the freshest ingredients: Don't substitute the herbs, make sure your potatoes are fresh. This makes a huge difference when it comes to the taste of this dish.
    kibbet batata on a plate with olive oil

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Fried potato kibbeh: My grandma always steals some of the potato mixture, forms it into mini patties, and fries them until they're crunchy and golden.
    • Potato kibbeh sandwich: Spread the mixture on hot pita bread and wrap it up.
    • Substitute the dried mint for freshly chopped mint leaves.

    Equipment

    • Potato peeler or knife to peel the skin off of the potatoes
    • Stovetop pot to boil the potatoes
    • Potato masher or handheld mixer to mash the potatoes
    • Large mixing bowl to combine and knead all of the ingredients
    • Spatula or wooden mixing spoon to mix the ingredients

    Storage

    Store the potato kibbeh in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. This dish doesn't freeze well and must always be served fresh.

    FAQs

    Can potato kibbeh be cooked?

    Yes! I sometimes oven bake or fry kibbeh potato patties and they taste divine. Serving it cold is more popular in Lebanon but there are people who like to enjoy it cooked.

    What is potato kibbeh best served with?

    Hot pita bread alongside crunchy vegetables is always the answer but potato kibbeh is so versatile and can be served with so many other Lebanese mezze dishes. These include tabbouleh, fattoush, baba ghannoush , and hummus.

    Lebanese Mezze Recipes

    • bulgar wheat tabouli
      Lebanese Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
    • creamy and light hummus
      Creamy Vitamix Chickpea Hummus (Easy & Authentic)
    • fatoosh chopped salad with pomegranate and pita chips
      Epic Fattoush Salad With Pomegranate
    • oven-roasted baba ganoush with pomegranate
      Baba Ganoush Without Tahini

    Delicious Kibbeh Recipes

    • fried kibbeh in a bowl
      Fried Kibbeh Balls
    • kibbeh nayeh Lebanese raw kibbeh appetizer
      Kibbeh Nayeh Recipe (Lebanese Raw Kibbeh)
    • baked kibbeh on a plate
      Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)

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    📋 Recipe

    potato kibbeh on a plate with olive oil

    Potato Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata)

    Author: Mariam
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Lebanese
    Prep: 20 minutes mins
    Cook: 10 minutes mins
    Total: 30 minutes mins
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 6
    Potato kibbeh, or kibbet batata, is a delicious, vegan take on Lebanon's popular meat kibbeh. It's a delicious mezze appetizer made from mashed potatoes, bulgar wheat, fresh herbs, and spices.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 4 to 5 medium potatoes about 2 lbs or 1 kg
    • 1 cup fine bulgar wheat about 170 gr or 6 ounces
    • ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried mint
    • 1 to 2 sprigs green onion chopped
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon all spice
    • 1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 spices
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Wash and drain the bulgur. 
    • Wash, peel, boil, and mash the potatoes. 
    • Place the washed bulgur in a large mixing bowl, top it with the mashed potatoes. 
    • Next add in the chopped parsley, green onions, dried mint, spices, and salt. 
    • Knead everything together to allow the flavors to be evenly distributed. Add in drizzles of olive oil as you knead. 
    • Spoon the mixture into a large serving plate and use a spatula to spread it out.
    • Drizzle with some more olive oil and serve. 

    Notes

    1. Serve cold. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/6 dish | Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 328mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g

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      Lebanese Vermicelli Rice
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      Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Dip
    • close up view of baked mac and cheese.
      Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
    • easy homemade yogurt in a pot
      Easy Lebanese Homemade Yogurt (Laban)

    About Mariam

    I am Mariam Nabbout, a writer and content creator. I’ve spent years dedicating research, digital, and filmmaking skills to come up with content that's just as meaningful as it is inspiring. A few of my obsessions include good branding, films, photography, design, art, and of course, food.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Shumus

      April 19, 2022 at 4:58 am

      Just wondering if you soak the bulgur for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Lily

        April 19, 2022 at 7:56 am

        Very good question! We recommend using fine bulgar, and rinsing it then draining it. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to soften. Fine bulgar should soften pretty easily. Soaking it is also a way to soften it, just make sure it’s drained well prior to using.

        Reply
    2. Layla

      April 03, 2022 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      A delicious vegan kibbbeh recipe!

      Reply
      • Lily

        April 03, 2022 at 4:03 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply

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