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Home » Appetizers

Published: May 13, 2016 · Modified: Mar 7, 2022 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Mercimek Koftesi – Vegan Turkish Red Lentil and Bulgur Kofte

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Mercimek Koftesi, Vegan Turkish kofte that is made with red lentils and bulgur and the best part is, these are not deep fried. Stuff it inside some crisp lettuce to enjoy as an appetizer or lunch.

This recipe for the Bulgur Koftesi totally took me by surprise as it was so simple to make and absolutely delicious. When the name of the recipe says kofte, you would assume that it is a deep fried recipe.

Mercimek Koftesi on lettuce wrap

I did exactly the same and skipped past it couple of times and then when I took a look at it, I realized that this Bulgur koftesi is the healthiest way to serve the koftes and was amazed by how simple and easy it was to make.

I had everything I needed to make this recipe except the parsley and once I had that ready; it was a breeze to put it together. The recipe calls for fine bulgur and I did not have any. I did have some quick cooking bulgur which I pulsed a few times in the blender and made it small.

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You do need bulgur that are fine as we don’t cook the bulgur on the stove, but it rather just cooks in the remaining heat after the lentils have cooked.

Turkish Red Lentil and Bulgur Kofte in plate and over lettuce wrap

Red lentil is nothing but the Masoor dal that I use often in adai and to make dal. If I have not told you before, I love the flavor of Masoor dal and absolutely love the Turkish Lentil soup that I make with it.

How to serve Bulgur Koftesi

The best way to serve the Vegan Mercimek kofte is to wrap it up in crisp lettuce leaves. If looking for something substantial and to serve as meal, the kofte can be stuffed inside pita as well and serves. Think of it as a non fried falafel.

I love making my own flatbread to stuff the Mercimek koftesi. One of the favorite flatbread that I would highly suggest to try is this Aish Baladi. It is a Vegan Egypgian flatbread and the rustic flavors of this whole grain flatbread is amazing with the Bulgur Kofte.

This is my second recipe that I chose under Turkish cuisine for this week’s Blogging Marathon.

Bulgur Koftesi ober a bed of lettuce in a black plate

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 40 minutes
Difficulty level - easy
Recipe adapted from - here

Ingredients to make Mercimek Koftesi – (makes about 20 Koftes)

  • Red Lentil / Masoor Dal – 1 cup
  • Bulgur (fine) – ¾ cup
  • Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
  • Parsley – 1 cup (finely chopped)
  • Spring onions – 4 (whites and greens chopped)
  • Tomato paste – 2 tablespoon (substitute ketchup)
  • Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
  • Crushed red pepper – 2 teaspoon (adjust based on liking)
  • Salt – to taste
  • Olive oil – 4 tbsp
  • Lettuce leaves – to serve
Mercimek Koftesi in lettuce wrap and plate in background

Procedure to make Mercimek Koftesi–

  • Wash the lentils well and place them in a large pot along with 3 cups of water. I started with about 2 ½ cups of water and when the lentils were cooked and appeared a little on the drier side, I added about ½ more cup of hot water.
Washing red Lentils
  • Cook the lentils in medium heat until they are soft and cooked. At this stage the lentils should still have a little water left in them that would allow the bulgur to cook.
Adding bulgur to lentils
  • Add the fine bulgur to the pot and mix well. Turn off the flame and cover the pot and let it sit for about 30 minutes until the bulgur cooks up in the leftover heat and absorbs the extra water. I did not have fine bulgur and had quick cooking bulgur in my pantry. So, I just ground it a bit in the blender and then used it in the recipe.
  • After 30 minutes, you will notice that the bulgur has soaked up all the liquids and also has cooked. Let this mixture cool down a bit.
Cooked Bulgur
  • Meanwhile in a pan, heat the oil and sauté the finely chopped onions until translucent.
  • Add the crushed red pepper, tomato paste (I used ketchup) and cumin powder and cook further for 2 more minutes.
Sauteed onions with spices
  • Turn off the flame and add this to the cooked lentil mixture.
  • Add the finely chopped parsley, spring onions and salt to the lentil mixture and mix well. I found that using my hands to mix was easier than using the ladle.
cooked Koftesi mixture
  • Take a handful of the mixture and shape it into kofte shape and place them in serving platter.
  • To serve – Serve room temperature or cold koftes wrapped in lettuce.
mercimek koftesi shaped

Expert tips

  • Make sure to use finest of the bulgur that is available. If using coarse bulgur, it has to be cooked before we add it to the rest of the ingredients.
  • Quick cooking bulgur can be used instead of fine bulgur and it works just as well.
  • Godhumai rava or broken wheat cannot be used as is in the recipe. Bulgur is a parboiled grain and broken wheat is not. We need to cook the broken wheat before substituting in the recipe.
  • If making it grain free, we can use quinoa as a substitute for bulgur. Make sure to cook the quinoa before using it to make the Mercimek Koftesi.

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of bulgur to make Mercimek Koftesi?

Quinoa is a good substitute to use instead of bulgur. I have also made it with cooked broken wheat. Millets can also be a good substitute but all these have to be cooked prior to using it in to make the Bulgur Koftesi.

How can I store the Bulgur koftesi?

The Bulgur kofte can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and can be served chilled.

Do we have to fry the Mercimek Kofte?

The answer is no. This Bulgur and lentil kofte are made with cooked bulgur and lentil and does not need to be fried or steamed. If preferred, we can pan fry them to get a crisp exterior.

More Turkish Recipes

  • Cezerye | Turkish Carrot and Walnut Bars
  • Turkish Semolina Pudding | Sutlu Irmik Tatlisi
  • Gozleme | Turkish Spinach and Feta Flatbread
  • Yufka | Turkish Unleavened Flatbread
  • Peynirli Poğaça - Turkish Poğaça With Feta And Herb
  • Turkish Cigar Pastry – Savory Spinach And Feta Cigars
  • Sekerpare – Turkish Soft Cookies in Sugar Syrup
  • Acma | Soft Turkish Bagel Recipe

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

mercimek koftesi on lettuce leaves

Mercimek Koftesi | Red Lentil and Bulgur Koftesi

Mercimek Koftesi, Vegan Turkish kofte that is made with red lentils and bulgur and the best part is, these are not deep fried. Stuff it inside some crisp lettuce to enjoy as an appetizer or lunch.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Lunch Recipes
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 20 Pieces
Calories: 51kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Red Lentil / Masoor Dal
  • ¾ cup Bulgur fine
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup Parsley finely chopped
  • 4 Spring onions whites and greens chopped
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato paste substitute ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper adjust based on liking
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 8 Lettuce leaves to serve

Instructions

  • Wash the lentils well and place them in a large pot along with 3 cups of water. I started with about 2 ½ cups of water and when the lentils were cooked and appeared a little on the drier side, I added about ½ more cup of hot water.
  • Cook the lentils in medium heat until they are soft and cooked. At this stage the lentils should still have a little water left in them that would allow the bulgur to cook.
  • Add the fine bulgur to the pot and mix well. Turn off the flame and cover the pot and let it sit for about 30 minutes until the bulgur cooks up in the leftover heat and absorbs the extra water. I did not have fine bulgur and had quick cooking bulgur in my pantry. So, I just ground it a bit in the blender and then used it in the recipe.
  • After 30 minutes, you will notice that the bulgur has soaked up all the liquids and also has cooked. Let this mixture cool down a bit.
  • Meanwhile in a pan, heat the oil and sauté the finely chopped onions until translucent.
  • Add the crushed red pepper, tomato paste (I used ketchup) and cumin powder and cook further for 2 more minutes.
  • Turn off the flame and add this to the cooked lentil mixture.
  • Add the finely chopped parsley, spring onions and salt to the lentil mixture and mix well. I found that using my hands to mix was easier than using the ladle.
  • Take a handful of the mixture and shape it into kofte shape and place them in serving platter.

To serve – Serve room temperature or cold koftes wrapped in lettuce.

    Notes

    Expert tips
    • Make sure to use finest of the bulgur that is available. If using coarse bulgur, it has to be cooked before we add it to the rest of the ingredients.
    • Quick cooking bulgur can be used instead of fine bulgur and it works just as well.
    • Godhumai rava or broken wheat cannot be used as is in the recipe. Bulgur is a parboiled grain and broken wheat is not. We need to cook the broken wheat before substituting in the recipe.
    • If making it grain free, we can use quinoa as a substitute for bulgur. Make sure to cook the quinoa before using it to make the Mercimek Koftesi.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
    « Acma | Soft Turkish Bagel Recipe
    Sekerpare – Turkish Soft Cookies in Sugar Syrup »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gail Montero says

      March 04, 2022 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Love the flavors and textures here that I seriously won't miss the meat!

      Reply
    2. Angela says

      March 04, 2022 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      This was the first time I made this dish and it was amazing! I can't wait to make it again!

      Reply
    3. Tracy says

      March 03, 2022 at 10:14 pm

      5 stars
      These were so delicious! A great lunch and the perfect way to add more lentils in our diets. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Latha says

      March 03, 2022 at 9:34 am

      When you say you ground the quick cook bulgur to make it smaller, do you mean before or after you added it to the pot?

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        March 03, 2022 at 2:49 pm

        Latha, I just quickly pulsed the quick cooking bulgur as they were coarse in texture. I pulsed it when it was dry and before cooking.

        Reply
    5. Kim says

      November 08, 2021 at 12:07 pm

      What if I use green lentils?

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        November 11, 2021 at 11:10 am

        Ki, yes you can use green lentils. Cook it till soft so they can bind well.

        Reply
    6. Guest says

      September 10, 2020 at 10:48 pm

      Can cracked wheat (dalia) be substituted for bulgur?

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        September 13, 2020 at 10:28 am

        Yes, you can use cracked wheat. Make sure to use the fine variety as it cooks quicker.

        Reply
    7. Leanne says

      January 03, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      I've never made or had koftes but I have all the ingredients to make these except the bulgur. These would be great for appetizers or back to work lunches!

      Reply
    8. Amber says

      January 03, 2020 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      I have been on the hunt for more lunch recipes.. especially healthier and flavorful ones like this. Do you think these would be good to meal prep?

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        January 03, 2020 at 10:53 am

        Thanks a lot Amber! These can be easily prepped for the week and I would even say they can be cooked and stored in the refrigerator to be served cold.

        Reply
    9. Swathi says

      January 02, 2020 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious similar to our kofta. but protein rich. I need to give this one a try.

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        January 03, 2020 at 10:54 am

        Thanks Swathi and they are not fried either making it healthier 🙂

        Reply
    10. Leigh Manifold says

      January 26, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      Those look great! Thanks for posting!

      Reply

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    I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

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