Cig Kofte is a spicy bulgur dish and one of the best-known street foods in Turkey. It's tangy and full of flavor, and this version is completely vegan. We eat it as an appetizer, wrapped in a lettuce leaf with a squeeze of lemon.
You don't need to cook anything for this recipe, and it's easier to make than it looks. It's always a hit with guests, and kids love helping to shape the pieces. I think homemade tastes better than any you can buy.
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What Is Çiğ Köfte?
The name means raw meatballs, because the original from Urfa had raw ground meat kneaded into the bulgur. Today the one you buy in Turkey has no meat at all, just like this recipe.
You say it chee kof-teh, and in English it's often spelled Cig Kofte or Chi Kofte.
Watch the short video below to see how I make it.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cig Kofte is great for hot summer days, because you don't have to turn on the stove.
- It's the same meatless version you'd buy from a shop in Turkey.
- I use a stand mixer, so you don't have to knead it by hand for half an hour.
- One batch makes 30 to 35 pieces, enough for a party or a meze table.
- You can make the mix a day ahead, then shape it just before serving.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- The spice level is up to you, with more or less isot and chili flakes.
- Everyone wraps their own in a lettuce leaf at the table.
- Kids love getting their hands in and helping to shape them.
What Does Vegetarian Çiğ Köfte Taste Like?
Çiğ Köfte has a rich, savory taste with a gentle heat that builds slowly. You get umami flavor from the tomato and pepper pastes and warmth from the spices.
Pomegranate molasses gives it a little sweetness and sourness, and the lemon juice makes it taste fresh.
The texture is soft and slightly chewy, and smooth enough to hold its shape when you press it.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Bulgur - Use the finest bulgur wheat you can find. Look for bags labeled çiğ köftelik bulgur, which is the fine kind made for this dish. You can find it in Middle Eastern or Turkish shops.
- Onion - I use yellow onions. I grate them and squeeze out the juice to avoid the raw onion's bitter taste. The juice is great for making meatballs or as a marinade for Lamb Shish Kebab.
- Tomato and red pepper paste - They're the staples of Turkish cooking, and they add an umami flavor and a bright red color. Both pastes are salty, so taste the mixture before you add any extra salt. You can make your own with my Homemade Tomato Paste and Biber Salçası recipes.
- Pomegranate molasses - It is a thick syrup made with pomegranate juice, and I often use it in Middle Eastern and Turkish recipes.
- Isot pepper - Isot is the Turkish name for Urfa pepper, a dried chili from the Urfa region. It has a smoky, raisin-like taste and ripens to a dark maroon on the plant. Buy isot with large, oily flakes, because it gives the best color. You can find it in Turkish shops or online. If you can't get it, use extra chili flakes instead.
- Spices - My go-to spices I use for this recipe are cumin, sumac, black pepper, isot, paprika, allspice, and red chili flakes for extra heat. You can adjust the amount of spices to your taste.
You'll need a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and a clean kitchen towel for squeezing the onions.
How to Make Vegetarian Cig Kofte
If you don't have a stand mixer, knead the mixture by hand in a large bowl. It takes 20 to 30 minutes, until it's smooth and holds together.
Soak the Bulgur and Squeeze the Onions
Place the fine bulgur and salt in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Pour hot water over it, mix well, and cover. Let it sit for about 6-7 minutes until the bulgur absorbs the water and becomes soft.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients as the bulgur rests. Peel and finely grate the onion or blitz it in a food processor.
Squeeze the juice out of the grated onion using a clean kitchen towel or a fine mesh strainer. Keep the onions for Çiğ Köfte and save the juice for making Lamb Kofta.
Knead and Shape the Köfte
Add the grated onions to soaked bulgur along with minced garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, ground cumin, paprika, sumac, chili flakes, isot, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, allspice, and black pepper.
Attach the paddle to the stand mixer and knead the mixture for about 10 minutes.
Add the chopped parsley and continue kneading for another 5 minutes, until the mixture sticks together. To check, take a little in your hand and squeeze it. If it holds together without crumbling, it's ready.
Take small portions of the mixture and shape them with your fingers to create slightly elongated, oval shapes with indentations. This recipe yields 30-35 pieces, depending on the size of your meatballs.
Serve on a platter with lettuce leaves and lemon wedges.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Make sure to use fine bulgur, as it has the perfect texture for this dish. Coarser bulgur won’t soften as well and will alter the texture.
- Squeeze as much juice as you can out of the grated onions, or the mixture turns watery and a little bitter.
- Mix long enough for the mixture to become smooth. A small piece should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand, without crumbling.
- If the mixture feels dry, add a spoonful of olive oil and keep mixing.
- Taste before adding any extra salt, because both pastes are already salty.
- Feel free to adjust the chili flakes, garlic and lemon juice to your taste. Add extra spices a little at a time and taste as you go.
- Use a glove or lightly wet your fingers when shaping, so the mixture doesn't stick to your hands.
- Shape Çiğ Köfte shortly before serving for the freshest flavor and best texture.
Serving Suggestions
The traditional way to serve Çiğ Köfte is with fresh lettuce leaves. Place a piece of Çiğ Köfte in the middle of a leaf, roll it up, and enjoy. Serve with fresh herbs such as mint and parsley, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over it.
In Turkey you'll often see it sold as a dürüm, a wrap made with thin lavash bread. To make one at home, spread two or three pieces over a sheet of Lavash Bread. Add some lettuce, parsley, mint and a few pickles, then roll it up tightly.
Sourdough Flatbread or Laffa Bread work just as well, and a wrap makes a great lunch or light dinner.
The classic drinks with it are a cold glass of Ayran or şalgam, the Turkish pickled turnip juice.
On a meze table, serve it with Turkish Acili Ezme Salad and Gavurdagi Salad. Sumac Onions and a plate of Pickled Cucumbers or Pickled Cabbage go well on the side.
For a simple dinner, start with a bowl of Turkish Red Lentil Soup.
It doesn't need reheating, so it's a good option for picnics and sharing platters.
Variations
You can adjust Çiğ Köfte in a few simple ways depending on your taste.
Adding finely ground walnuts gives a slightly richer texture. You can knead in some finely sliced green onions with the parsley.
More chili flakes or isot make it spicier, and less makes it milder. Use hot pepper paste (acı biber salçası) for extra heat, or sweet pepper paste (tatlı biber salçası) for a mild version.
A little extra lemon juice gives it a fresher, lighter finish. Some versions include a bit more olive oil for a softer consistency, especially if serving as a spread.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, so they don't dry out.
I don't recommend freezing Cig Kofte, because the texture and taste change once it thaws.
To make it ahead, mix everything the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. Shape the pieces shortly before you serve them.
Recipe FAQs
It's made with fine bulgur, grated onion, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, isot pepper and a few spices. The rest is olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and a handful of chopped parsley.
Only the raw meat version was banned, and only for sale. In Turkey, shops and restaurants can't sell Çiğ Köfte with raw meat in it, because of the food poisoning risk.
It's a light, plant-based snack made with bulgur, onions, olive oil and spices. Each piece has about 82 calories. It isn't gluten free, because bulgur is made from wheat.
It usually means the bulgur was too coarse, or you haven't kneaded it for long enough. A few more minutes of mixing fixes most batches.
Related Recipes
Here are more recipes you can make with fine bulgur:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious vegan Cig Kofte Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Cig Kofte Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups fine bulgur (400 g)
- 1 ⅞ cups hot water (450 ml)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium onions (grated)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon red pepper paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon sumac
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (120 ml)
- 2 tablespoon isot pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses (60 ml)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley (15 g)
Instructions
Soak the Bulgur and Squeeze the Onions
- Place the fine bulgur and salt in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Pour hot water over it, mix well, and cover. Let it sit for about 6-7 minutes until the bulgur absorbs the water and becomes soft.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients as the bulgur rests. Peel and finely grate the onion or blitz it in a food processor. Squeeze the juice out of the grated onion using a clean kitchen towel or a fine mesh strainer. Keep the onions for Çiğ Köfte and save the juice for meatballs or marinades.
Knead and Shape the Köfte
- Add the grated onions to soaked bulgur along with minced garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, ground cumin, paprika, sumac, chili flakes, isot, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, allspice, and black pepper.
- Attach the paddle to the stand mixer and knead the mixture for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and continue kneading for another 5 minutes, until the mixture sticks together. To check, take a little in your hand and squeeze it. If it holds together without crumbling, it’s ready.
- Take small portions of the mixture and shape them with your fingers to create slightly elongated, oval shapes with indentations. This recipe yields 30-35 pieces, depending on the size of your meatballs.
- Serve on a platter with lettuce leaves and lemon wedges.
Video
Notes
- Use fine bulgur, sold as çiğ köftelik bulgur in Turkish shops. Coarse bulgur won’t soften, and the mixture won’t hold together.
- Squeeze as much juice as you can out of the grated onions with a clean kitchen towel, or the mixture turns watery.
- Mix until a small piece holds together when you squeeze it, and add a spoonful of olive oil if it feels dry.
- Both pastes are salty, so taste before adding any extra salt.
- If you can’t find isot, use extra chili flakes.
- Without a stand mixer, knead it by hand in a large, wide bowl for 20 to 30 minutes, until smooth.
- Use a glove or wet your fingers when shaping, so the mixture doesn’t stick.
- To eat, wrap a piece in a lettuce leaf with a squeeze of lemon.
- You can mix everything the day before, keep it covered in the fridge and shape it shortly before serving.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I don’t recommend freezing it.
- It’s vegan, but it isn’t gluten free, because bulgur is made from wheat.
Lauren says
Made these koftes today and we really enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us all.
Ayla Clulee says
Dear Lauren, it is my pleasure!