Bulgar köftesi

Name: Bulgar köftesi
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes about 20 (enough to serve 4)
Cuisine: Turkish recipes
Ingredients: 580g fine bulgur; 960ml boiling water; 1½ tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle to serve; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 500g lean beef mince; Handful parsley, finely chopped; Sunflower oil to deep-fry; Lemon wedges to serve; Sliced tomatoes to serve

By: Yasemen Kaner-White

Published: 26 Jul 23
Updated: 25 Mar 24

This family recipe for Turkish-Cypriot meatballs takes food writer Yasemen Kaner-White back to the first time she visited Cyprus, aged nine. “My first night in Cyprus, batches of warm, crispy bulgar köftesi were waiting at my auntie Sidika’s home – ready to be snapped open, finished with a squeeze of lemon straight from the garden and devoured instantly.”

Got some bulgar to use up? Try this classic tabouleh.

Medium
August 2023

Test kitchen approved

Makes about 20 (enough to serve 4)
Hands-on time 1 hour

Got some bulgar to use up? Try this classic tabouleh.

Dairy-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 421kcals
Fat: 14g (4.2g saturated)
Protein: 33g
Carbohydrates: 38g (4.6g sugars)
Fibre: 5.8g
Salt: 0.3g

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Ingredients

580g fine bulgur
960ml boiling water
1½ tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle to serve
1 large onion, finely chopped
500g lean beef mince
Handful parsley, finely chopped
Sunflower oil to deep-fry
Lemon wedges to serve
Sliced tomatoes to serve

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Method

Add the bulgur to a large heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt, pour over the boiling water, cover and wait until the water is fully absorbed and the mixture is cool enough to handle. Add the flour and briefly knead into a dough.
Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan, add the onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the mince and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Add the parsley, stir to combine, then set aside to cool.
Wet your hands (it’s useful to have a small bowl of water next to you as you make the köfte) and take a golf ball-sized piece of dough. Hold it in the palm of your hand then, using the index finger on your other hand, make a deep indent in the centre, making sure you don’t pierce all the way through. Turn the ball around as you continue to press down and create a wide enough hole to fill with the meat mixture using a teaspoon, making sure the case is evenly thin. Fill the hole about three-quarters full, then close the top by pinching the dough together. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used up.

Pour enough sunflower oil into a deep pan to fill it by two thirds, then heat to 180°C. Fry the köfte in batches for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve the köfte with lemon wedges, sliced tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.