Mercimek Köftesi (Turkish Lentil Köfte) by @fitgreenmind

45 min
Medium

4 servings

🫘

200 g

Red Lentils

💧

500 ml

Water

🧂

0.3 g

Salt

🌾

85 g

Fine Bulgur

🧅

1 medium

Onion

🧄

2 cloves

Garlic

🫒

15 ml

Olive Oil

🫑

30 ml

Pepper Paste

🌿

2.1 g

Cumin

🌶️

1.8 g

Red Pepper Flakes

🌿

15 g

Parsley

🧂

Salt

🌶️

0.6 g

Pepper

🍋

15 ml

Lemon Juice

🥬

8 leaves

Lettuce

🍋

30 ml

Lemon Juice

Preparation Steps

  1. Step 1/14

    Rinse 200 g red lentils thoroughly under cold running water.

    red lentils
    🧺colander

  2. Step 2/14

    Combine the rinsed red lentils, 500 ml water, and a pinch of salt in a pot.

    red lentils
    water
    salt
    🥛measuring jug
    🥄measuring spoons
    🥄wooden spoon

  3. Step 3/14

    Cook the lentils over medium heat for 10 minutes, until they are soft and most of the water is absorbed.

    red lentils
    water
    🥄wooden spoon

  4. Step 4/14

    Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 85 g fine bulgur.

    fine bulgur
    🥄wooden spoon

  5. Step 5/14

    Cover the pot and let the bulgur absorb moisture for 15 minutes.

    fine bulgur

  6. Step 6/14

    Finely chop 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/2 bunch parsley.

    onion
    garlic
    parsley
    🔪knife
    🪵cutting board

  7. Step 7/14

    Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until softened.

    olive oil
    onion
    garlic
    🥄wooden spoon

  8. Step 8/14

    Add 2 tbsp pepper paste, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes to the pan.

    pepper paste
    ground cumin
    red pepper flakes
    🥄measuring spoons
    🥄wooden spoon

  9. Step 9/14

    Stir the spice paste for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

    pepper paste
    ground cumin
    red pepper flakes
    🥄wooden spoon

  10. Step 10/14

    Transfer the rested lentil-bulgur mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the spice paste.

    red lentils
    fine bulgur
    pepper paste
    onion
    garlic
    olive oil
    ground cumin
    red pepper flakes
    🥣mixing bowl
    🥄wooden spoon

  11. Step 11/14

    Add the chopped parsley, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to the mixture.

    parsley
    lemon juice
    salt
    black pepper
    🥄measuring spoons
    🥣mixing bowl

  12. Step 12/14

    Knead the mixture by hand until evenly combined and cohesive enough to hold its shape.

    red lentils
    fine bulgur
    onion
    garlic
    pepper paste
    ground cumin
    red pepper flakes
    parsley
    lemon juice
    salt
    black pepper
    🥣mixing bowl

  13. Step 13/14

    Shape the mixture into 12 small oval köfte by pressing portions firmly in your palm.

    red lentils
    fine bulgur

  14. Step 14/14

    Arrange the köfte on lettuce leaves and drizzle with fresh lemon juice before serving.

    lettuce leaves
    fresh lemon juice
    🍽️serving platter

Composition

Ingredients

Types

Legumes, Liquid, Seasoning, Grains, Vegetables, Oil, Condiments, Spices, Herbs, Fruit

Ingredients

Red lentils, Water, Salt, Fine bulgur, Onion, Garlic, Olive oil, Pepper paste, Cumin, Red pepper flakes, Parsley, Pepper, Lemon juice, Lettuce

Allergens

Gluten

Dietetics

Dietary regimen

Vegan, Vegetarian, Plant-based, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free

Calories

310 kcal

Macro nutrients

Protein: 13g, Carbohydrates: 48g, Dietary fiber: 12g, Fat: 7g, Saturated fat: 1g

Nutritional Information

Minerals

Iron: 4.3mg, Potassium: 660mg, Magnesium: 72mg, Calcium: 52mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A: 55µg RAE, Vitamin C: 12mg, Vitamin K: 80µg, Folate: 155µg DFE

Preparation

Time Information

Preparation

35 minutes

Cooking

10 minutes

Overall

45 minutes

Difficulty

Level

Medium (2/4)

Steps

14 steps

Equipments

Utensils

colander, measuring jug, measuring spoons, knife, cutting board, wooden spoon, mixing bowl, serving platter

Appliances

stovetop

Type

Type

Type Of Dish

Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack, Light Meal

Occasions

Lunch, Dinner, Summer, Picnic, Mezze

Origin

Source

Platform

instagram

Original Creator

@fitgreenmind

Origin

Cuisine

Turkish, Middle Eastern

Geographic

Turkey, Marmara

Various

Aspect

Texture

Soft, Tender, Chewy, Juicy

Flavors

Savory, Tangy, Earthy, Herbaceous, Spicy, Smoky

Other

Price

Low

Recommended Preservation

fridge

Preservation Infos

room temperature : 2 hours (Keep covered,Do not leave out longer in hot weather), fridge : 3 days (Store in an airtight container,Keep lettuce leaves separate until serving), freezer : 1 month (Freeze shaped köfte in an airtight freezer-safe container,Thaw overnight in the refrigerator,Texture may become softer after thawing)