Turkish Lamb and Bulgur Meatball Soup
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
In Gaziantep, Türkiye, Sulbiye Adanacıoğlu of Gazi Köşk Kebap & Beyran Salonu introduced us to ekşili köfte, a sour meatball soup. The dish—one of the best things we tasted during our trip—married a rich, tomatoey broth with chickpeas, tender chunks of lamb and meatballs made by mixing bulgur with ground lamb and spices. Sumac added tang and a drizzle of mint oil tied everything together. For our version, we skip the chunks of slow-cooked lamb and instead simmer a small amount of ground lamb into the broth to build flavor. In this simpler but equally delicious soup, the meatballs are the focus. (If you prefer beef over lamb, it’s a perfectly fine swap.) To make the mint oil for drizzling, we blend olive oil with both fresh and dried mint. The two are botanically the same, but the flavors are different. If dried mint is not sold in the spice aisle, look instead for pure spearmint tea, either loose or in tea bags; use an equal amount.
Don’t use coarse or medium bulgur. Fine bulgur is essential, or the meatballs won’t hold together. If you can’t source fine bulgur, pulverize an equal amount of coarse or medium bulgur in two batches in a spice grinder for 10 to 15 seconds. Also, make sure the bulgur is fully hydrated before adding the remaining meatball ingredients; all the water should be absorbed. Finally, don’t be afraid to knead the meat-bulgur mixture to ensure compact, well-structured meatballs.
Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir together the bulgur and boiling water; set aside. In a blender, combine ¼ cup oil, the fresh mint and the 2 tablespoons dried mint. Blend on high until pulverized and the oil is dark green, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Step 2
In the now-empty blender jar, combine the tomato paste, roasted peppers, Fresno chili, sugar, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, ¼ teaspoon cumin and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Blend on high until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside.
Step 3
In a large Dutch oven, over medium, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add ⅓ cup (about 3 ounces) of the ground lamb, all but ¼ cup of the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the lamb is browned and sticks to the pot and the onion has softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste–pepper puree; cook, stirring, until it darkens in color and sticks to the pot, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Stir in the broth and 2 cups water; bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes while you prepare the meatballs.
Step 5
To the hydrated bulgur, add the remaining ground lamb, the reserved ¼ cup onion, the remaining ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon dried mint, the remaining ¼ teaspoon cumin and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix with your hands using a kneading motion until well combined. Divide the meat mixture into 16 to 18 portions (about 2 tablespoons each), forming each into a compact ball and placing them on a large plate.
Step 6
Add the meatballs one at a time to the simmering broth, then stir in the chickpeas and their liquid; return to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the meatballs reach 165°F at the centers, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with mint oil.
