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A beautiful arrangement of red lentil balls on a bed of lettuce with lemon wedges.

Authentic Turkish Red Lentil Balls (Mercimek Köftesi)

A traditional vegan Turkish appetizer made of red lentils and fine bulgur, seasoned with sautéed onions, pepper paste, and fresh herbs.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 30 balls
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 64
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

The Grains:
  • 1 cup Red Lentils (rinsed)
  • 3 cups Hot Water
  • ¾ cup Fine Bulgur
The Savory Sauce:
  • ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 medium Onion (finely diced)
  • 1 tbsp Red Pepper Paste
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • Salt (to taste)
The Fresh Finish:
  • 2 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
  • Juice of 1/2 Lemon
  • ½ bunch Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
  • 4-5 Green Onions (finely sliced)
  • 1 head Lettuce (for serving)

Equipment

  • Medium Pot: For boiling the lentils and soaking the bulgur.
  • Skillet: For sautéing the onion and paste sauce.
  • Large Mixing Bowl: Large enough to comfortably knead the mixture.
  • Serving Platter: To arrange the lettuce and köfte beautifully.

Method
 

  1. Boil red lentils in 3 cups of water on low heat until they absorb the liquid and soften.
    Boiling red lentils in a pot for Turkish köfte.
  2. Add fine bulgur to the hot lentils, stir, and let it rest covered for 30 minutes.
    Mixing fine bulgur into cooked red lentils.
  3. Sauté diced onions in oil until translucent. Add tomato and pepper pastes and spices.
    Sautéing onions and Turkish pepper paste in a skillet.
  4. Pour the warm onion-paste sauce over the rested lentil/bulgur mixture.
    Pouring a savory red sauce over soaked lentils and bulgur.
  5. Knead the mixture thoroughly until it becomes a cohesive, smooth dough.
    Kneading the red lentil and bulgur dough by hand.
  6. Add chopped parsley, green onions, lemon juice, and pomegranate molasses. Knead again.
    Adding fresh parsley and green onions to lentil balls.
  7. Take small pieces and squeeze them in your palm to form traditional log shapes.
    Hand-shaping Turkish red lentil balls into small logs.

Video

Notes

If your mixture feels too dry while kneading, add a tablespoon of warm water. If it feels too wet, let it sit uncovered for 10 minutes to allow more moisture to evaporate. Always serve chilled or at room temperature (20-22°C / 68-72°F) for the best flavor balance!