Kibbeh Nayeh with Lebanese Garlic Cream

 A traditional Levantine tartare with bold, clean flavours.

Kibbeh nayeh is Lebanon’s own tartare: a silky, hand-pounded mixture of raw lamb, fine bulgur, spices, and olive oil. It’s one of the most iconic dishes in Lebanese cuisine, usually prepared with exceptional care, using the freshest meat available. The mixture is worked until perfectly smooth, then shaped on a plate and garnished with mint leaves and toasted pine nuts.

The flavours are earthy, slightly spicy, and incredibly fresh especially when eaten with the classic accompaniments: finely chopped onions, mint, and toum, the famous Lebanese garlic cream. This makes a fine addition to any Mezze platter 

What is Kibbeh Nayeh?

Kibbeh nayeh is made from:

finely minced lamb (or sometimes beef),

fine bulgur,

Aleppo pepper or mild chilli paste,

ground 7-spice,

raw onion,

salt and olive oil.

Traditionally, the meat is pounded with the bulgur and spices until it reaches a smooth, almost pâté-like texture. It’s then shaped with a fork to create ridges that catch the olive oil and garnished with pine nuts and mint.

The Garlic Cream: Toum

Toum is Lebanon’s signature garlic sauce — a white, fluffy emulsion made from:

fresh garlic,

lemon juice,

neutral oil,

a pinch of salt.

Its texture is airy, almost like a garlic mousse, and its sharpness cuts through the richness of the kibbeh nayeh beautifully. The combination of raw lamb and potent garlic cream is classic: rich meets bright, silky meets sharp.

How It’s Eaten

Kibbeh nayeh is typically served with:

fresh mint

chopped raw onions

toum (garlic cream)

flatbread for scooping

You take a bit of tartare, add mint and onion, swipe through the garlic cream, and enjoy the contrast: spicy, creamy, herbal, and refreshing all at once.

To drink with it: Chateau Kefraya red

In Lebanon, kibbeh nayeh is more than food. It’s a symbol of hospitality and family gatherings. Preparing it properly is considered an art, and every family has its own proportions, technique, and preferred seasoning.

Whether you’re a tartare lover or simply curious about Levantine flavours, kibbeh nayeh with toum is one of the most authentic and memorable dishes you can try.

Here is another great raw meat recipe:

Américain Préparé, Belgian beef tartare