Kubba Halab are crunchy, football-shaped balls, with delicious ground beef or lamb filling. The shell is made from a mixture of rice and potatoes. They are usually served as finger foods or appetizers (Mezza). However, they are filling enough to serve as a meal with Tabouli, or your favorite salad.
About This Recipe
"Kubba Halab" or "Kubba't Halab" (used interchangeably) means "Kubba from Halab" (Halab is the Arabic word for Aleppo, which is a city in Syria). Kubba in general describes either flat, disc-shaped pies (both large and small) or football-shaped balls. Both types are filled with seasoned ground meat. Sometimes raisins, pinenuts, and almonds are also included in the filling.
The outer shell is usually made with a mixture of ground beef or lamb, and any of the following grain:
- Jareesh (cracked wheat)
- Bulgur
- Semolina
- Rice flour
Kubba Halab's shell, on the other hand, is made with a mixture of rice and potatoes. The other difference is that Kubba Halab is fried, instead of being boiled, (like Kubba't Mosul).
Still, some kubba or "Kibbeh" is prepared in soup, similar to dumplings. Two examples include "Kubba Hamuth" (which means sour kubba) and Kubba't Pirda (kubba made with bulgur).
And finally, Kibbeh Nayeh, a Lebanese Kubba recipe that is served raw, similar to Beef Tartar.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Meat — Use ground beef, lamb, or even ground turkey in the filling.
- Turmeric — Turmeric is used more for color than flavor. Sometimes saffron is used instead, while others use chicken bullion to cook the rice. If you choose to use chicken bullion, you may need to leave out the salt or use less of it.
- Baharat— I realize not everyone has Baharat in their cupboard. You can make your own Baharat using my recipe, or buy it at any Middle Eastern market, or on Amazon. You can also substitute Kubba spice, Arab 7-spice, or use the following mixture: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1¼ teaspoon allspice, and ¼ teaspoon Cardamom. Or use a blend of your favorite spices.
How to Make This Recipe
Shell Dough/Paste
STEP 1: Wash and rinse the rice and chopped potatoes. Soak both in cold water for 20 minutes. While they are soaking, prepare the filling.
STEP 2: Drain rice and potatoes and add to a medium-sized pot. Pour 5 cups of water over them and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
STEP 3: Add rice, potatoes, salt, egg, and turmeric into a food processor. Pulse to form a paste or dough. Mix in the bread crumbs.
Note: The dough should stick together when rolled into a ball and be easy to work with (with wet hands). If needed, water or bread crumbs can be added to get it to the right texture. See recipe video for correct texture.
Prepare the Filling
STEP 1: Saute meat, minced onion, and filling spices and seasoning. Break up the meat as you stir the ingredients in the pan so that no large clumps remain. Add parsley and cook for one more minute, then cool. While the filling is being cooled, cook the rice and potatoes.
How to Assemble Kubba Halab
STEP 2: Take a walnut-sized portion of the rice dough and roll it into a ball. Make a dent in the center, to form a bowl. Add one tablespoon of filling into the center, then pinch the dough closed.
STEP 3: Dip your hands in cold water, as needed, and shape the filled dough into a torpedo or football-shaped dumpling with pointy ends. Continue until the dough and filling ingredients are all used up.
How to cook Kubba
STEP 1: Fry the Kubba in 375° F vegetable oil until golden brown or approximately 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Drain on paper towels and serve while hot.
Note: If you don't have a way to tell the oil temperature, make sure the oil begins to sizzle as soon as the Kubba is gently placed into the hot oil. If the oil doesn't sizzle, it is not hot enough.
Other Helpful Suggestions
Air Fried Kubba Halab
Preparing Kubba't Halab in an air fryer couldn't be simpler or more delicious! Unlike some dishes that don't taste as good air-fried (Falafel comes to mind), Kubba't Halab tastes even better air-fried.
Don't believe me? I gave Scott 3 fried Kubba and 2 that were air fried. I mentioned this to him as I handed him the plate. Being a typical man (sorry men) he did not hear me. Selective hearing, perhaps?
How do I know he wasn't listening? Well, when he was done, I asked which he preferred, the air-fried or the oil-fried. He replied: "you didn't give me any air-fried."
Mike drop! 🎙
Just follow these simple steps to make Air-Fried Kubba Halab:
- Spray the air fryer tray with a light coating of oil.
- Lightly brush kubba with oil and place in a single layer on the air fryer tray.
- Air fry at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. No need to flip them over.
How to Make Kubba Halab with Boxed Mash Potatoes
Just like I prefer Potato Chops prepared with instant mashed potatoes, I think I prefer Kubba Halab with a mixture of rice and boxed mashed potatoes. The dough is easier to work with and I love the texture.
Here how:
- Cook the pre-soaked rice for 10 to 15 minutes, then cool slightly.
- Mix 1-½ cups of instant potatoes (I use Idahoan Mashed Potatoes) with the rice. Add salt, turmeric, egg, and up to 1 cup of water. (You don't need to add bread crumbs since the instant mashed potato flakes will soak up the extra moisture, doing the job of the bread crumbs in the original recipe steps).
- Mix by hand, food processor, or meat grinder, until the dough comes together, then follow the original recipe steps.
Recipe FAQs
Most Kibbeh varieties have a shell stuffed with ground meat, with the exception of Kibbeh Nayeh (or raw kibbeh).
The shell is made with a mixture of ground lamb or beef and any of the following: finely ground bulgur, cracked wheat, rice flour, and semolina.
The filling contains ground beef or lamb, diced onion, and spices. Sometimes parsley is included. There are also varieties that also contain raisins and slivered almonds or pinenuts. Kubba't Mosul is one example.
Kubba is popular throughout the Middle East and prepared by the various ethnic groups that are in that region. Kibbeh, however, is often credited to the Lebanese.
Some Kubba is named after the town in which it originated, leaving no room for argument as to who invented it. For example, "Kubba't Mosul" originated in Mosul, Iraq. "Kubb't Halab," on the other hand, originated in Halab (Allepo), Syria.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to wet your hands often, while you're forming the dumplings. The dough is a lot easier to work with when you have wet hands.
- If the paste is too sticky, add bread crumbs, a little at a time, until it's manageable.
- To freeze the Kubba, place it in a single layer on a tray to freeze, then store in freezer bags.
- You can also freeze Kubba AFTER it's been fried. Reheat Frozen Kubba in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer.
- Reheating the Frozen Kubba in a microwave will give the Kubba a soft texture, instead of crunchy.
- You don't need to defrost Kubba Halab before you fry it in oil or air-fry it.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Kubba't Halab (Meat-Filled Rice Balls)
Ingredients
Shell / Paste
- 1½ cups Basmati rice
- 1 medium potato (8 ounces)
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 medium egg
- ¼ cup fine breadcrumbs (or more, if needed)
Filling
- ¾ pound ground beef or lamb (lean)
- 1 small onion (minced)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoon Baharat (recipe, or see recipe notes)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
Other
- 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
Shell Dough/Paste
- Wash and rinse the rice and chopped potatoes. Soak both in cold water for 20 minutes. While they are soaking, prepare the filling.
- Drain rice and potatoes and add to a medium-sized pot. Pour 5 cups of water over them and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
- Add rice, potatoes, salt, egg, and turmeric into a food processor. Pulse to form a paste or dough. Mix in the bread crumbs.
The Filling
- Saute meat, minced onion, and filling spices and seasoning. Break up the meat as you stir the ingredients in the pan so that no large clumps remain. Add parsley and cook for one more minute, then cool. While the filling is being cooled, cook the rice and potatoes.
How to Assemble Kubba Halab
- Take a walnut-sized portion of the rice-dough and roll it into a ball. Make a dent in the center, to form a bowl. Add one tablespoon of filling into the center, then pinch the dough closed.
- Dip your hands in cold water, as needed, and shape the filled dough into a torpedo or football-shaped dumpling with pointy ends. Continue until the dough and filling ingredients are used up.
Frying the Kubba
- Fry the Kubba in 375° F vegetable oil until golden brown or approximately 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Drain on paper towels and serve while hot.
Notes
- Be sure to wet your hands often, while you're forming the dumplings. The dough is a lot easier to work with when you have wet hands.
- If the paste is too sticky, add bread crumbs, a little at a time, until it's manageable.
- To freeze the Kubba, place in a single layer on a tray to freeze, then store in freezer bags.
- You can also freeze Kubba AFTER it's been fried. Reheat Frozen Kubba in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer.
- Reheating the Frozen Kubba in a microwave will give the Kubba a soft texture, instead of crunchy.
- You don't need to defrost Kubba Halab before you fry it in oil or air-fry it.
Kelly Methey says
These are very good! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They reheat very nicely.
These would make a perfect party appetizer.
Kathy Fisher says
Great appetizer...they won't last long. So good. I love the texture and the crunch. Perfect. Thanks Hilda. I highly recommend these.
Hilda Sterner says
As always, thank you for the review, and thanks for being my taste-tester.
Kelly Methey says
Forgot to leave a 5 star rating!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you!!!