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Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters)

Torpedo-shaped shells of soaked bulgur kneaded with seasoned ground beef, stuffed with a saucy beef and raisin picadillo and fried crisp, a fixture of every Dominican picadera.
Dominican · medium · serves 8
prep 45 min · cook 30 min · plus 6 h hands-off time
~436 cal · 25g protein · 24g carbs · 27g fat · 3g fiber · 6g sugars · 7g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Deep brown fried torpedo-shaped bulgur and beef fritters with pointed ends, one cut open to show beef filling, with ketchup
AI-generated illustration
Quipes, also spelled kipes, are the Dominican Republic's version of kibbeh. Lebanese and Syrian immigrants brought the dish to the island in the late nineteenth century, and over generations it became thoroughly Dominican: sold in cafeterías and by street vendors, and one of the essential frituras of a picadera, the spread of party bites set out at birthdays, weddings and holidays alongside croquetas, pastelitos and little sandwiches.
The shell is wheat, soaked until soft, squeezed hard and kneaded for a good ten minutes with raw ground beef and a blended sazón of onion, green pepper, garlic, fresh herbs and often mint, until it turns into a smooth, sticky paste that holds its shape. Dominican cooks use beef rather than the lamb of the Levant. Inside goes a small spoonful of beef cooked down with onion and tomato sauce, often with raisins for sweetness.
The quipes are shaped into ovals with pointed ends, chilled so they hold together, and fried until deep brown and crunchy. They are eaten hot with ketchup, hot sauce or a squeeze of lime, and with a cold fruit juice.
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Make it yours

✓ Naturally dairy-, nut-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.

Ingredients

Serves 8
  • 1 cup (160 g) fine wheat (no. 1 or no. 2)
  • 450 g (1 lb) lean ground beef (for the shell)
  • 1/2 onion, roughly chopped (for the shell)
  • 1/2 cubanelle pepper (ají cubanela), roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro
  • 6 to 8 fresh mint leaves, optional
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 225 g (1/2 lb) ground beef (for the filling)
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped (for the filling)
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce (passata)
  • 1/4 cup raisins, optional
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for the filling)
  • 1 l vegetable oil, for frying
  • to taste ketchup, hot sauce or lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

  • 1
    Cover the bulgur with plenty of water and leave it to soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge, until soft.
  • 2
    Make the filling: heat the tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and soften the finely chopped onion for 3 minutes. Add the 225 g of beef and cook, breaking it up, for 5 minutes until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, raisins, a pinch of oregano, salt and pepper, and a splash of water, and simmer for about 10 minutes until thick and dry. Leave to cool.
  • 3
    Blend the roughly chopped onion, cubanelle pepper, garlic, parsley or cilantro and mint to a paste.
  • 4
    Drain the bulgur and squeeze out every drop of water with your hands, then again in a clean tea towel. Put it in a large bowl with the 450 g of beef, the herb paste, oregano, salt and pepper, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, uniform and slightly sticky.
    ✎ Chef’s note
    This kneading is what stops quipes cracking in the oil. A food processor, in two short bursts, gives an even firmer shell.
  • 5
    With damp hands, take about 3 tablespoons of the mixture, roll it into a ball and push a finger into the middle to make a hollow. Add a teaspoon of filling, close the shell over it and roll it between your palms into an oval with pointed ends. Chill the quipes on a tray for at least 2 hours.
  • 6
    Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 175 to 180C (350F). Lower in the quipes a few at a time and fry for 5 to 6 minutes, turning, until deep brown and crisp. Drain on paper and serve hot with ketchup, hot sauce or lime.
Dominican tradition (from Lebanese and Syrian kibbeh).

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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination

📍
Cibao. The Cibao valley is the Dominican agricultural heartland, where mangu, mashed green plantain, comes with its three companions, los tres golpes: fried salami, fried cheese, and a fried egg, with pickled red onions piled on the plantain itself. Rice, red beans, and stewed meat make up la bandera, the flag, eaten at midday nearly everywhere.
🗺️
Dominican Republic. Dominican cooking is comforting and citrusy, la bandera (rice, beans, and stewed meat), mangú mashed plantains, and hearty sancocho stew. Sofrito, plantain, and a Spanish-African-Taíno heritage define the plate.
🌍
North America. The most consequential technique on this continent is nixtamalisation, cooking maize with lime or wood ash. It loosens the skins, makes the dough that becomes tortillas and tamales, and frees up niacin the body cannot otherwise absorb, which is why maize spread around the world without the technique and took pellagra with it.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.

More from Dominican Republic

MangúSilky mashed green plantains under pickled red onions, the Dominican breakfast that carries the day.
La Bandera DominicanaThe Dominican everyday plate: white rice, stewed red beans, and braised meat, often with fried plantain.
Chicharrón de PolloMarinated chicken pieces dredged and fried crisp, a Dominican favorite from colmado counters and family lunches.
Browse all Dominican Republic recipes →

Good to know

You’ll need: Skillet or frying pan, Blender.
Storing it: Fried food is best eaten fresh while crisp. Re-crisp leftovers in a hot oven or air fryer; the microwave makes them soft.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters)?

Torpedo-shaped shells of soaked bulgur kneaded with seasoned ground beef, stuffed with a saucy beef and raisin picadillo and fried crisp, a fixture of every Dominican picadera.

Where does Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) come from?

Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) is a Dominican dish from Cibao, Dominican Republic.

Can Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?

This Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions. Treat the substitutions as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.

Is Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) safe for people with food allergies?

Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we still count coconut as a tree nut to be cautious, although the FDA stopped listing it as one in 2025), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.

How long does Quipes (Dominican Bulgur and Beef Fritters) take to make?

About 7 h 15 min in all: 45 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking, plus 6 h of hands-off waiting the method needs, serving 8.

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