What is Kubbeh? Lebanon's National Dish
If falafel is the world's introduction to Lebanese food, kubbeh is the soul of the Lebanese kitchen. It's the dish that appears at every celebration, every family table, in every Lebanese home, yet outside the Middle East, most people have never heard of it.
This guide covers what kubbeh is, where it comes from, the different types, how to cook it, and everything else you need to know. Written by Almaz Foods, the people who make it in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, from traditional Lebanese recipes.
What Exactly is Kubbeh?
Kubbeh (also spelled kibbeh, kubba, kebbeh) is Lebanon's most iconic dish, often called the national food of Lebanon. At its core, it is a shell made from a fine-ground mixture of lamb or beef and bulgur wheat, encasing a warmly spiced meat filling.
The word "kubbeh" comes from the Arabic meaning "ball", a reference to the original round shape. The dish has been made across the Levant, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, for thousands of years.
What makes kubbeh distinct is the bulgur wheat shell. Bulgur binds with the ground meat to create an outer casing that crisps beautifully when fried. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and the warmly spiced filling inside is what makes it unlike anything else.
A Dish Older Than Most Countries
"Every Lebanese family has a kubbeh recipe. The ingredients are almost the same. The technique is almost the same. And yet no two families make it the same way. That's the paradox, and the beauty, of kubbeh."
Kubbeh has been made in the Levant for at least a thousand years, with some food historians tracing versions back to Ancient Mesopotamia. The combination of grain and ground meat was a classic technique of cultures living in challenging environments, efficient, filling, and deeply flavourful.
In Lebanon, kubbeh became the centrepiece of mezze, the tradition of sharing many small dishes. Lebanese emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries spread kubbeh to the world. Today you'll find versions of it in Brazil (known as quibe), Mexico, Nigeria, and across the Gulf.
Despite its global spread, kubbeh in Lebanon remains deeply personal. A Lebanese grandmother's kubbeh recipe is considered family heritage, and it's the same heritage our recipes at Almaz Foods are built on.
The Different Types of Kubbeh
Fried Kubbeh
The most common variety. Torpedo-shaped bulgur wheat shells stuffed with warmly spiced meat and caramelised onion, fried until golden and crisp. This is what Almaz Foods makes.
Baked Kubbeh
A flat, layered version pressed into a baking tray. Scored in diamond patterns and baked until golden. A family meal staple.
Raw Kubbeh
Lebanon's answer to beef tartare, raw minced lamb mixed with bulgur, onion, and spices, served with olive oil. A delicacy for the adventurous.
Kubbeh in Broth
Smaller kubbeh balls simmered in a yoghurt or tomato broth. Warming and comforting, popular in winter months.
Pumpkin Kubbeh
A vegetarian variety, pumpkin replaces meat in the outer shell. Stuffed with spinach, chickpeas, and walnuts. Completely vegan.
Fish Kubbeh
A coastal Lebanese specialty, bulgur shell made with fish, stuffed with caramelised onions and warm spices. Common in Tripoli and Sidon.
Kubbeh vs Kofta, What's the Difference?
- ✓Bulgur wheat and meat outer shell (two-component structure)
- ✓Distinct filling inside (warmly spiced meat, caramelised onions)
- ✓Torpedo or oval shape, hollow inside
- ✓Crunchy grain exterior, unique texture
- ✓Lebanon's national dish, deep cultural significance
- -Pure ground meat only, no grain component
- -No filling, spices are mixed throughout
- -Ball, patty, or sausage shapes, solid throughout
- -Soft texture, no crunchy grain exterior
- -Found across South Asia, Middle East, Balkans
In short: kofta is a spiced meatball. Kubbeh is a stuffed, grain-shelled dumpling with a distinct two-layer structure. They share cultural territory but are completely different dishes.
How to Cook Almaz Foods Kubbeh
Almaz Foods kubbeh comes in two formats with different cooking methods:
🍳 Deep Fry Only
Cook straight from frozen, do not defrost first.
- Heat oil to 170°C
- Lower kubbeh into hot oil from frozen
- Fry for 5 minutes until golden
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve
📡 Microwave or Air Fryer
- Microwave: 1 minute on full power
- OR Air Fryer: 190°C for 2 minutes
- Internal temp must reach 75°C
- Do not refreeze once heated
- Fresh yoghurt or labneh as a dipping sauce
- Tahini sauce with lemon juice
- Tabbouleh, parsley, tomato, bulgur, lemon
- Warm flatbread and hummus as part of a mezze spread
- Lemon wedges, the acidity cuts through the richness perfectly
Authentic Kubbeh, Made in Scotland
Almaz Foods makes authentic fried kubbeh in Kirkcaldy, Fife, following traditional Lebanese recipes, using zero artificial preservatives, SALSA-certified. We make Mince Beef Kubbeh, Spicy Chicken Kubbeh, and Mixed Vegetable Kubbeh, available for wholesale and direct purchase.
Mince Beef Kubbeh
Crispy bulgur wheat shell filled with warmly spiced Halal-certified minced beef and caramelised onion. No nuts added.
Spicy Chicken Kubbeh
A contemporary Lebanese variation, chicken filling with warming spices, wrapped in the same traditional bulgur shell.
Mixed Vegetable Kubbeh
A fully vegan kubbeh, seasoned mixed vegetables in a crispy bulgur wheat shell. No meat, no preservatives, no nuts added.