Brazilian Quibe Assado, Baked Brazilian Kibbeh

📍 Where this dish comes from: Minas Gerais · Historic Ouro Preto
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Quibe arrived in Brazil with Syrian and Lebanese immigrants and has been a beloved salgado ever since. This baked version, quibe assado, layers spiced beef and fresh mint in a pan and bakes it until the top is browned and crisp. Riced cauliflower takes the place of the bulgur wheat and keeps the texture light.

Per serving: 310 calories · 3.1 g net carbs · 17 g protein · 25 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Brazilian Quibe Assado, Baked Brazilian Kibbeh

Quibe arrived in Brazil with Syrian and Lebanese immigrants and has been a beloved salgado ever since. This baked version, quibe assado, layers spiced beef and fresh mint in a pan and bakes it until the top is browned and crisp. Riced cauliflower takes the place of the bulgur wheat and keeps the texture light.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 310kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound 2 ounces lean ground beef
• 2 cups riced cauliflower squeezed very dry
• 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1 small onion grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice or Syrian pepper blend
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon wedges to serve

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Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and brush an 8-inch square baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, cauliflower, almond flour, onion, mint, parsley, egg, allspice, salt and pepper. Knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and sticky.
• Press the mixture evenly into the dish. With a knife, score the top into diamonds, cutting about halfway down.
• Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top so it runs into the cuts.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until browned on top and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes, then cut along the scored lines and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Kneading the meat well gives quibe its firm, sliceable texture. Squeeze the cauliflower thoroughly in a towel so the quibe does not turn watery. Leftovers are excellent cold, tucked into lettuce leaves with a spoon of yogurt.

Chef's Tip: Press a layer of crumbled feta or seasoned ground beef into the middle for a stuffed quibe recheado, a popular Brazilian variation.

Keto Swap: Traditional quibe uses bulgur wheat as a main ingredient. Riced cauliflower and a little almond flour provide the same bulk and texture with very few carbs.

Success Tip: Shape the mixture into small footballs and air fry them for party snacks that look like the fried quibes sold at Brazilian snack bars.

Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 310kcal | Protein: 17g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 1.8g

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About This Dish

Syrian and Lebanese immigrants began arriving in Brazil in large numbers in the late 1800s, and their food became part of everyday Brazilian eating. Quibe and esfiha are now sold in nearly every snack bar and bakery, and there are Brazilian fast-food chains that specialize in them. In Brazil, fried quibe is usually shaped into an oval with pointed ends. Brazilians often squeeze lime or lemon over it before eating. The spice mix sold in Brazil as pimenta síria, or Syrian pepper, typically contains allspice, cinnamon and black pepper, among other spices.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 2: Snacks & Street Food (Historic Ouro Preto). See all Brazilian recipes