Name: Mercimek Köftesi (Turkish Red Lentil Bulgur Balls)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: ¾ cup Split Red Lentils, rinsed well; 1½ cup Water, for cooking lentils; ½ cup Broken Wheat, fine bulgur style; 2 tbsp Olive Oil, for onion paste mixture; 1 Onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Tomato Puree, for depth; 1 tbsp Turkish Pepper Paste, mild or hot; ½ tsp Ground Cumin, for seasoning; ½ tsp Paprika, for color; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly ground if possible; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh; ¼ cup Spring Onion Greens, thinly sliced; ¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped; 6 Lettuce, leaves, for serving

Mercimek Köftesi (Turkish Red Lentil Bulgur Balls)

1 hrtotal

40 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Cook the rinsed red lentils with water until very soft and most of the water is absorbed.
Turn off the heat, stir in the broken wheat, cover, and let it rest until the grains hydrate.
In a small pan, heat olive oil and cook the onion until soft.
Add tomato puree, Turkish pepper paste, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook briefly until glossy.
Mix this paste into the lentil-bulgur mixture, then add lemon juice, spring onion greens, and parsley.
When cool enough to handle, shape into small oval balls or patties.
Serve with lettuce leaves and extra lemon.

How to tell it's done

The balls should hold shape, feel soft and moist, and not crumble when lifted.

Getting it right

Tip

Let the mixture rest before shaping; warm, wet grains will not hold cleanly.

What to serve it with

Serve at room temperature with lettuce leaves, lemon wedges, and cucumber slices.

Common mistakes

The mixture will not hold a shape.: Let the bulgur sit covered until it has taken up all the moisture — it is the binder here, and mercimek köftesi has no egg or flour to help it. If it still crumbles, rest it another ten minutes rather than adding water.
The köfte are stodgy.: Cook the lentils until soft but stop before they turn to soup. Too much residual water makes a heavy paste that no amount of bulgur will lighten.

Substitutions

Broken wheat is used as the current master-list match for bulgur; choose the finest available grade.
Fresh coriander can replace parsley, but parsley keeps the flavor closer to Turkish style.
Add chilli flakes only if a hotter version is desired.

Storing and reheating

Keeps three days in the fridge, covered, and is eaten cold — this is a make-ahead dish by design. Do not freeze; the bulgur turns mealy. Shape into balls only when you serve, since they dry at the surface.

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Ingredients