Equipment
Ingredients
Lentil and Bulgur Base
- 200 g red lentils, rinsed well
- 750 ml water
- 170 g fine bulgur
Aromatics and Spices
- 60 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 15 g red pepper paste
- 3 g ground cumin
- 8 g salt
Mix-ins and Garnish
- 50 g spring onions, finely chopped, green and white parts
- 30 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 60 g walnuts, finely crushed or chopped
- 30 ml pomegranate molasses
- 40 g pomegranate arils, fresh
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 134 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 141 mg
- Calcium
- 16 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 60 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 27 mcg
- Water
- 45 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the rinsed red lentils and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil at 100C/212F, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are completely soft and have absorbed most of the water.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the fine bulgur thoroughly, cover the pot tightly, and let it rest undisturbed so the bulgur can absorb the remaining moisture and steam.
While the lentil mixture is resting, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until soft and translucent.
Stir the tomato paste, red pepper paste, cumin, and salt into the onions. Cook while stirring constantly to toast the spices and remove the raw flavor of the pastes.
Transfer the rested lentil and bulgur mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the warm onion and paste mixture. Knead everything together until fully incorporated and the mixture takes on an even reddish-orange color.
Add the finely chopped spring onions, parsley, crushed walnuts, and pomegranate molasses to the bowl. Fold gently to distribute the fresh ingredients without turning them to mush.
Take small portions of the mixture, roughly 35 grams each, and gently squeeze them in the palm of your hand to form traditional oblong, slightly ridged shapes. Arrange on a serving platter.
Scatter the fresh pomegranate arils over the shaped koefte. Serve immediately at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- The quality of the fine bulgur is paramount. Look for packages labeled 'koeftelik' at Middle Eastern markets; coarse bulgur will remain hard and crunchy.
- Do not over-knead after adding the fresh herbs and walnuts. The warmth of the lentils will cause the herbs to wilt slightly, which is expected, but aggressive mixing will bruise them.
- Pomegranate molasses varies wildly in sweetness. Taste yours before adding; if it is very sharp, you may want to balance it with a tiny pinch of sugar. If it is mostly sweet syrup, seek out a 100% pomegranate version.
- Traditionally, these are served resting on crisp lettuce leaves (like cos or romaine) with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature or chilled; do not heat.
Troubleshooting
Mixture is too crumbly and will not hold its shape when squeezed
Cause: Lentils boiled off too much water, or bulgur absorbed too much without enough hydration
Fix: Knead in warm water, one tablespoon at a time, or a little extra olive oil until it holds together
Prevention: Ensure lid is tight during simmering and resting; measure bulgur accurately
Mixture is too wet and sticky to shape
Cause: Lentils were not cooked down enough, leaving excess water in the pot
Fix: Wait 10 minutes for it to cool further, or knead in a small amount of extra fine bulgur and let sit for 5 minutes
Prevention: Simmer lentils until they resemble a thick puree
Cultural Context
Mercimek Koeftesi is a quintessential Turkish meze and teatime treat. It is naturally vegan, deeply rooted in Anatolian domestic cooking, and often prepared for large gatherings because it is inexpensive, filling, and bursts with complex umami flavors.
