Mercimek Köftesi is a traditional lentil dish from Turkey consisting of red lentils, fine bulgur wheat, onions, tomato paste, red pepper paste, spices and herbs. The lentils are boiled first and when they are done cooking, the fine bulgur is added to the still hot lentils where it absorbs the remaining lentil water.
The lentils and bulgur are then mixed with the cooked onions, spices and herbs. The mixture is strong enough to withstand kneading and shaping. As they cool, they become firmer and more flavorsome. It requires no further cooking.
‘Köfte’ means meatball but Mercimek Köftesi does not contain any meat. However, there are numerous other types of Turkish köfte that do contain meat.
‘Mercimek’ is the Turkish name for lentils and using red lentils give this köfte its distinctive bright red-orange appearance. Some recipe variations include adjusting the spiciness levels by adding hot pepper flakes and using alternative grains like rice or quinoa to create a gluten free version. There are also regional variations.
Mercimek Köftesi can be eaten at any time but is popular as a snack or any occasion appetizer. It is served cold, usually over a bed of greens, such as lentils and with a few lemon slices.
Turkish Mercimek Köftesi Recipe
Mercimek Köftesi is a traditional lentil dish from Turkey consisting of red lentils, fine bulgur wheat, onions, tomato paste, red pepper paste, spices and herbs.
Ingredients
- Red lentils - 1 cup
- Fine bulgur - 1 ½ cup
- Olive oil - 3 tbsp
- Onion (chopped) - 1
- Garlic - 4 cloves
- Tomato paste - 2 Tbsp
- Parsley (chopped) - 1 ½ cups
- Green onion (chopped) - 1 cup
- Cumin - 1 tsp
- Salt - ½ tsp
- Black pepper - ¼ tsp
- Aleppo pepper - 1 tsp
- Olive oil - 1/3 cup
Instructions
- In a sauce pan cook the lentils with 3 cups of water until they have absorbed the water and are cooked.
- Turn the heat off, add in the bulgur and cover with the lid.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan and saute onion and garlic until golden.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes then turn the heat off.
- Place the red lentil and bulgur mixture in a large bowl.
- Add in the onion mixture and mix.
- Add in the parsley, green onions, cumin, salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper, olive oil and mix well.
- Start shaping the mixture into long cylinders and place them on a platter.
- Chill for an hour in the fridge and serve with fresh lemon and lettuce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 25 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 65Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.