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4.8 from 87 votes

Red Lentil Kofte (Vospov Kofte)

Red Lentil Kofte is a vegan Middle Eastern dish made of red lentils, bulgur, and sauteed onion. It's not only easy to make, but so fresh and delicious especially when topped with colorful chopped salad.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Resting Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings (about 16 to 18 koftes)
Calories: 517 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Armenian

Ingredients

Salad:
  • 2 medium tomatoes (or 4 plum tomatoes) ¼-inch diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 cucumber peeled and ¼-inch diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 green Italian pepper (Cubanelle) ¼-inch diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 4 scallions thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
  • freshly ground black pepper
Kofte:
  • 1 cup red lentils picked over for stones and rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup grade #1 fine bulgur (cracked wheat)
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • paprika (optional for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the salad, mix together all the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve. The salad should be very juicy.
  2. In a large pot combine the lentils and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the lentils are very tender. The mixture will still have a lot of liquid. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes, and remove from heat.
  4. To the pot of lentils, add the bulgur and give it a stir. Then add the cooked onions. Mix, cover, and set aside for about 20 to 25 minutes or more until the bulgur wheat has absorbed the excess liquid and is nice and tender. If the mixture still has a crunch, cover it and let it continue to absorb until it is completely soft.
  5. When the mixture is finally the right texture, use a wooden spoon to knead the mixture. Mix in half the scallions, reserving the rest for garnish. Add 2 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, then taste and adjust seasoning further if necessary. Set the mixture aside until it's cool enough to handle and shape.
  6. To shape the kofte, set up a bowl with warm water beside the pot, dip your hands in the water and grab a small handful of lentil mixture. Form it into a ball and then lightly begin to make a fist with your hand to make it a bit more oblong (but not completely flat) and leave finger imprints on one side. Place on a serving dish, dip your hands in warm water and repeat the process until all of the lentil mixture has been used to form koftes.
  7. Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop with a trigger to portion and shape the koftes, arranging the scoops in a single layer on a serving dish.
  8. Garnish by dusting with paprika (optional), and then top with the remaining scallions and the parsley, and serve with the salad as an accompaniment.

Notes

  • You may be tempted to reduce the amount of oil in the kofte recipe. DON'T DO IT! Your koftes will turn out dry. We have tried this recipe with different amounts, and whenever we reduce the oil the texture is just not the same.
  • The vospov koftes should be warm or room temperature when eating, although you can also eat leftovers cold from the fridge. This makes it a great leftover for lunch, as you don't need to reheat it at all!
  • To shape the koftes into mounds, I use this large ice cream scoop with a trigger.
  • We often double this recipe. In fact, the photos in this post are of a double recipe shaped in 2 different ways.
  • This recipe uses kosher salt (aka cooking salt, kitchen salt, coarse salt outside of the US). If you are using table salt, definitely scale down the salt as that is a saltier type of salt! The type of salt will make a big difference in how salty your food tastes, so keep that in mind.

Nutrition Information

Calories 517kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 19g (38%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 15g Sodium 1018mg (42%) Potassium 480mg (14%) Fiber 17g (68%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings (about 16 to 18 koftes)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 517

% Daily Value*

Calories 517kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 19g 38%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Sodium 1018mg 42%
Potassium 480mg 10%
Fiber 17g 68%
Sugar 8g 16%

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