Kefta, a traditional Moroccan dish made with lentils and bulgur.

Kefta, a traditional Moroccan dish made with lentils and bulgur.

Snacks

A fresh, vegetarian kefta made with red lentils and bulgur, seasoned with chili peppers, and served on fresh leaves. An original appetizer.

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This uncooked Azerbaijani meatball is made without meat, using lentils and bulgur. It is best served cold, in small portions.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time30 min
  • Cook time25 min
  • Total55 min
  • DifficultyMedium
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodCooking in a saucepan
  • Estimated cost$1.26 $0.21 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 14, 2026.
  • Vegan
  • Low fat
  • Low calorie

Ingredients

6 people
  • $0.04
  • $0.19
  • $0.24
  • $0.79

Prices from US supermarkets for 3 of 4 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Pour this, pour about 2 cups of water into a saucepan with the lentils, and cook them until they are soft enough to be mashed.
  2. Stir occasionally, but avoid making it too dry: the mixture should remain consistent. ≈ 4 min
  3. Pour the bulgur over the cooked lentils, add the chopped parsley, and mix well. ≈ 4 min
  4. Finely chop the onions and sauté them in the oil until they are golden brown, then add the salt and chili pepper.
  5. Add two tablespoons of tomato paste and remove from the heat. ≈ 3 min
  6. Mix everything together while it’s still warm, knead by hand, then form into balls. ≈ 10 min
  7. Arrange the meatballs on lettuce or parsley leaves. ≈ 3 min

The bill

Kefta, a traditional Moroccan dish made with lentils and bulgur.

  • salt$0.04
  • hot pepper (red and black)$0.19
  • vegetable oil (sunflower or olive)$0.24
  • Parsley and lettuce leaves for serving$0.79

Total$1.26

that's $0.21 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Before you start

Ingredients

  • salt
  • hot pepper (red and black)
  • yellow onion (optional)
  • vegetable oil (sunflower or olive)
  • Parsley and lettuce leaves for serving

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