This Kufteh Recipe is very flavorful and can be made as either baked tray kufteh or the stuffed egg-shaped kufteh. The filling has a combination of walnuts, pine nuts, onions, allspice and other seasonings. Hearty and packed with protein, our stuffed kufteh recipe is sure to satisfy your family or a gathering of friends.
Also known as kofta, kufta, or kibbeh, this ground meat and bulgur dish is a staple food in many Armenian or middle eastern cultures. We recommend serving kufteh alongside a light Armenian salad such as our Grain Free Tabouli.

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make This Kufteh Recipe?
For the Kufteh:
- 2 lbs. extra lean ground beef (or ground lamb) ground very fine in a food processor
- 1 ½ cups fine bulgur wheat #1 (pre-soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then excess water drained)
- ½ of an onion chopped fine (in food processor)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Dash of ground red pepper
- 2 cups of ice water (approximately)

For the Filling:
- 1 ½ lb. ground beef (80-85% lean)
- 2 large onions finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup walnuts chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
Additional Ingredient:
- 1 stick of butter (to grease the pan and to pat on top of the kufteh before baking)
How Do I Make Kufteh?
First soak your bulgur in warm water while prepping your ingredients. (Drain any excess.) Dice your onions in a food processor. Scoop the onions out and set aside.

Process your lean ground meat (for the kufteh) in a food processor until very smooth. Be sure not to process the meat that you are cooking for the filling.

Place raw meat in a bowl with ½ cup of the diced onion and fine bulgur. Knead all the raw kufteh ingredients, gradually adding ice water until mixture is smooth and like a soft dough. Keep chilled while preparing the filling.

Season the meat with salt and a dash of ground pepper.

For the filling, brown the ground beef (or lamb) with diced onions.

Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Drain off excess fat.

Then add walnuts and pine nuts to meat and stir together for a few minutes.

To make baked tray kufteh: Grease a 9 x 13" casserole dish generously with butter. Press half of the raw meat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use ice water to smooth and press down the mixture until it is evenly a half an inch thick.

Add the cooked meat filling with walnuts and pine nuts. Press this filling down.

Finally, add another ½ inch thick layer of the raw meat mixture and carefully press on top of the filling. Dip your fingers into the ice water to smooth the top layer. Cut down the middle through all the layers lengthwise, then on a diagonal to form diamond shapes.

Make a slit into the top layer of each kufteh. Place a pat of butter into each slit. Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25-30 minutes.

To make stuffed, egg-shaped kufteh: Place a large spoonful of raw mixture into the palm of your hand and roll into a ball. Push your thumb into the center of the ball and hollow out the middle, making the walls of the meatball thin. Then place a spoonful of cooked meat filling with walnuts and pine nuts into the opening.
Pinch the top of the opening shut and smooth over. Gentlly roll and shape the ball into an egg shape. Bake on a greased cooking tray in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25-30 minutes. Smooth a dab of butter on top of each filled kufteh.
📖 Recipe

Kufteh Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. extra lean ground beef or ground lamb ground very fine in a food processor
- 1 ½ cups fine bulgur wheat pre-soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then excess water drained
- 2 ½ onions chopped fine in food processor
- 2 teaspoons salt
- dash of ground red pepper
- 2 cups of ice water approximately
- Filling: 1 ½ lb. ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup walnuts chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 1 stick of butter
Instructions
- Knead all the kufteh ingredients, gradually adding ice water until mixture is smooth and like a soft dough. Keep chilled while preparing the filling.
- Brown ground beef with diced onions. Season with salt, pepper and allspice.
- Drain off excess fat. Then add walnuts and pine nuts to meat and stir together for a few minutes.
- To make baked tray kufteh: Grease a 9 x 13" casserole dish generously with butter. Press half of the raw meat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use ice water to smooth and press down the mixture until it is evenly a half an inch thick. Add the cooked meat filling with walnuts and pine nuts. Press this filling down. Finally, add another ½ inch thick layer of the raw meat mixture and carefully press on top of the filling. Dip your fingers into the ice water to smooth the top layer. Cut down the middle through all the layers lengthwise, then on a diagonal to form diamond shapes. Make a slit into the top layer of each kufteh. Place a pat of butter into each slit. Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25-30 minutes.
- To make stuffed, egg-shaped kufteh: Place a large spoonful of raw mixture into the palm of your hand and roll into a ball. Push your thumb into the center of the ball and hollow out the middle, making the walls of the meatball thin. Then place a spoonful of cooked meat filling with walnuts and pine nuts into the opening. Pinch the top of the opening shut and smooth over. Gentlly roll and shape the ball into an egg shape. Bake on a greased cooking tray in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25-30 minutes.
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