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Easy Meatless Çiğ Köfte Recipe

This Easy Meatless Çiğ Köfte Recipe is a vegetarian twist on the popular Turkish street food from Urfa, a city in southeastern Turkey.

Prep Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 30 pieces
Calories: 92 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Appetizer , Snacks
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

  • 400 g fine bulgur
  • 450 ml hot water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium onions (grated)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon red pepper paste
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sumac
  • 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon all spice
  • 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon isot
  • ½ teaspoon chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the fine bulgur and salt in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Pour hot water over it, mix well, and cover. Let it sit for about 6-7 minutes until the bulgur absorbs the water and becomes soft.
  2. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while the bulgur is resting. Peel and finely grate the onion or blitz it in a food processor. Juice the grated/blitzed onion using a clean kitchen cloth or a fine sieve. Keep the onions for Çiğ Köfte and store the juice for making Lamb Shish Kebabs or Turkish Grilled Lamb Kofte - Izgara Kofte.
  3. Add the grated onions to soaked bulgur along with minced garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, ground cumin, paprika, sumac, chili flakes, isot, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, all spice, and black pepper.
  4. Attach the paddle to the stand mixer and knead the mixture for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and continue kneading for another 5 minutes, until the mixture sticks together.
  5. Take small portions of the mixture and shape them with your fingers to create slightly elongated, oval shapes with indentations. This recipe yields 30-35 pieces, depending on the size of your meatballs.
  6. Serve your meatless Çiğ Köfte on a platter with fresh lettuce leaves and lemon wedges. To eat, take a piece of lettuce, place a köfte in the middle, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over it, wrap it up, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Make sure to use fine bulgur, as it has the perfect texture for this dish. Coarser bulgur won’t soften as well and will alter the texture.
  • Feel free to adjust the amount of chili flakes according to your spice tolerance. You can also add more or less garlic depending on your preference.
  • Use a glove or lightly wet your fingers while shaping to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
  • You can also use Lavash Bread to wrap cig kofte. It makes a great lunch when served with a glass of Ayran (Turkish Yogurt Drink) and some pickled red cabbage.
  • Serve Çiğ Köfte as soon as possible after preparing to enjoy its freshest flavor and best texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 92kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Sodium 90mg (4%) Potassium 90mg (3%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 81IU (2%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 10mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30pieces

Amount Per Serving

Calories 92

% Daily Value*

Calories 92kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 90mg 4%
Potassium 90mg 2%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 81IU 2%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.