Kipes are one of my favorite Dominican appetizers. Crispy, deep-fried and so flavorful, this quipe recipe is a must-try!
What are Kipes?
Kipes, or quipes, is a deep-fried, seasoned bulgur wheat and meat appetizer filled with minced beef for a crispy bite that’s full of flavor! This delicious party food is a must-have at any gathering.
Where is Quipe from?
It is the Dominican version of Lebanese kibbeh and it’s one of the most common foods influenced by Middle East immigrants, who came to the Dominican Republic in the 1900s.
We use beef rather than lamb and mix up the seasonings a little, and let me tell you, they are just as good, if not better than the original!
Be sure to try my Fried Plantains and Plátanos Maduros Fritos too!
Ingredients
- Bulgur Wheat
- Ground Beef
- Onion
- Mint
- Adobo
- Black Pepper
- Oil for frying
For the Filling
- Vegetable oil
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Cubanelle pepper
- Seasonings: Garlic, cilantro, oregano, adobo, black pepper.
- Tomato Sauce
- Olives or alcaparrado
- Raisins (optional)
How to make Dominican kipes
- The day before you want to place the bulgur wheat in a bowl and add about 2 cups of water (enough to cover it). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight or for at least 5-6 hours.
- Drain the leftover water from the bulgur and sieve to get rid of ALL the water. Make sure to remove all of the water from the bulgur so squeeze it with your hands or a sack towel if you need to.
- To make the seasoning, pulse onion, and mint in the food processor until fully chopped.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound of the meat and seasoning mixture. Add the adobo, and ground black pepper.
- Combine the meat with the bulgur and mix in the food processor until you get a uniform mixture.
To make the filling
- To make the seasoning, pulse onion, cubanelle pepper, garlic, and cilantro in the food processor until fully chopped. Combine the chopped vegetables with 1/2 lb of the meat. Add adobo, oregano, and black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the meat until brown.
- Stir in tomato sauce, olives, ½ cup of water, and the raisins. The raisins are completely optional.
- Let simmer over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Remove it from the heat. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature before assembling the kipes.
To assemble the kipes
- Put 3 tablespoons of the mixture on the palm of your hands and flatten. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center and roll the mixture around the filling to close it. Make sure that it is completely sealed. Use your hands to roll and shape it into a cone-like shape.
- Place the kipes in a glass pan or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours.
- Heat oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry your kipes, one or two at a time, and cook until deep brown outside.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kipes are best served when they have just been fried so that they are nice and crispy, but leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat them in the oven to warm them through at 360F for 10 to 15 minutes.
The main thing that sets these Dominican kipes apart from Lebanese kibbeh is that we use beef instead of lamb. If you have ground lamb then you can of course use that. It’s best not to use lean meats like chicken or turkey as they don’t contain enough fat and they can fall apart easily.
However, you can add different fillings to the kipe such as chicken or cheese.
Quipes are delicious just as they are. I like to squeeze over some fresh lime juice for a zingy flavor, and they will work great served with all of your favorite dips such as mayo-ketchup, or a fresh side salad.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- I used ground beef that is 90% lean. Using meat with higher fat can help prevent the kipe from breaking down when frying.
- Let the bulgur rest overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Refrigerate the Kipes for at least 2 hours before frying them to keep them from breaking apart.
- Make sure to let the Dominican kipes fry long enough to cook through. If the inside of the kipe has any pink parts it’s not fully cooked.
- The raisins in the filling are completely optional. We actually have a debate at home and plenty of discussions around the subject of whether raisins should be added to savory foods or not. 😂
More Appetizers
- Cuban Sliders (Roasted Pulled Pork Sliders)
- Arepitas de Maíz (Cornmeal Fritters)
- Tuna Avocado Tostadas
- Cheese Stuffed Fried Yuca Balls
Dominican Kipes (Quipes)
Author:Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 3 cups of water, divided (may not use all)
- 1 ½ lb of ground beef, divided
- 8 – 10 mint leaves
- 1 ½ small onion, divided
- 2 teaspoons adobo, divided
- 1 ¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- ½ cubanelle pepper, chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- ¼ cup olives or alcaparrado
- ¼ cup raisins, optional
- 2 cups and 2 tablespoons oil, divided
Instructions
- Place the bulgur in a bowl and add about 2 cups of water (enough to cover it). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight or for at least 5-6 hours.
- Drain the leftover water from the bulgur and sieve to get rid of ALL the water. Make sure to remove all of the water from the bulgur so squeeze it with your hands or a sack towel if you need to.
- To make the seasoning, pulse 1 onion, and mint in the food processor until fully chopped.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound of the meat and seasoning mixture. Add the 1 ½ teaspoons adobo, and 1 ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Combine the meat with the bulgur and mix in the food processor until you get an uniform mixture.
To make the filling
- To make the seasoning, pulse ½ onion, cubanelle pepper, garlic and cilantro in the food processor until fully chopped. Combine the chopped vegetables with 1/2 lb of the meat. Add ½ teaspoon adobo, ½ teaspoon oregano and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the meat until brown.
- Stir in tomato sauce, olives, ½ cup of water and the raisins. The raisins are completely optional.
- Let simmer over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Remove it from the heat. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature before assembling the kipes.
To assemble the kipes
- Put 3 tablespoons of the mixture on the palm of your hands and flatten. Place the filling in the center and roll the mixture around the filling to close it. Make sure that it is completely sealed. Use your hands to roll and shape it into a cone-like shape.
- Place the kipes in a glass pan or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours.
- Heat oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry your kipes, one or two at a time and cook until deep brown outside.
- Remove from the oil and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving.
Notes
- I used ground beef that is 90% lean. Using meat with higher fat can help prevent the kipe / quipe from breaking down when frying.
- Let the bulgur rest overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Refrigerate the Kipes before frying them to keep them from breaking apart.
- Make sure to let the Dominican quipes fry long enough to cook through. If the inside of the kipe has any pink parts it’s not fully cooked.
- The raisins in the filling are completely optional. We actually have a debate at home and plenty of discussions around the subject of whether raisins should be added to savory foods or not. 😂
Nutrition
The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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