By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 1, 2026
Serves 8
291 cal · 70 min
Kibbeh Khamoustah
Recipe GLPR71f3cd398a44b1
A traditional Middle Eastern soup featuring tender semolina and matzo meal dumplings filled with seasoned ground beef, simmered in a savory broth of garlic, scallions, and Swiss chard. This hearty, comforting dish combines delicate dough pockets with aromatic vegetables for a satisfying one-pot meal.
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Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (85% lean, coarsely ground if possible)
2 tablespoons salad oil, divided
1 cup matzo meal
1 1/2 cups semolina
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
10 scallions, chopped
6 cups Swiss chard, chopped (about 2 bunches)
6 cups water (for broth)
Lemon juice to taste (optional)
Directions
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the salad oil. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set the cooked beef aside.
In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, semolina, 1 cup of water, and salt. Mix until a uniform dough forms. The mixture should be moist but hold together when squeezed.
Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking. Take a piece of dough about the size of a walnut and gently roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly into a thin circle in the palm of your hand, then place about 1 tablespoon of the cooked ground beef in the center. Fold the edges up and over the filling to seal it completely, forming a dumpling. Repeat with the remaining dough and beef.
In a large pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of salad oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the chopped scallions and Swiss chard to the pot, stirring well to combine. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chard begins to soften and reduce in volume.
Pour in the 6 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. If desired, add lemon juice to taste for brightness.
Carefully add all the filled dumplings to the boiling broth. The dumplings will sink initially and then begin to float. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the dumplings are tender and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt or additional lemon juice as desired. Serve hot in bowls with plenty of broth, vegetables, and dumplings.
Comments
Swiss chard and scallions are reliably stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Kroger, but matzo meal and semolina as primary binders—rather than as occasional specialty ingredients—mean you'll budget an extra stop at Harris Teeter's Jewish section or a Middle Eastern market unless you already keep them on hand. The 70-minute time ignores assembly and pan-frying, which adds another 20 minutes for a household meal; budget 90 minutes total. Ground beef, lemon, salt, and garlic keep costs moderate at roughly $2.50 per serving, but this is a same-night dish that does not reheat well once fried, so plan to serve all eight portions at once or expect texture loss the next day.
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