Sambusa Recipe

Samosa is one of the most popular and elegant appetizers -specially in Ramadan- in the Arab world, Pakistan and India. In Egypt we buy Samosa or Sambosa wrappera and fill them with various types of fillings. Samosa wrappers are very thin, long sheets of dough close to the egg rolls and shaped like triangles and then deep fried.

❤️ Why You'll Want to Make It

• Easy samosa recipe without the need to make your own dough.
• It's a crowd-pleaser, everyone will love this delicious triangles.
• It's versatile, you can fill those with whatever you like with different meat or vegetarian.

📝 Ingredients

Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📋 Ingredient Notes

• Uncooked tortillas, or samosa sheets if you can get a hold of it or just make your own dough if you prefer to.
• Ground beef filling: ground beef, onion, parsley and some spices.
• Chicken filling: here I've used chicken breasts cut into cubes, onion, black olives, green pepper and spices.
• Cheese mix: feta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese mixed with za'atar or dry mint.
• Flour : mixed with water to make a gluing paste to seal the samosa.

I've never managed to get the Samosa dough in Colorado, some people suggested using phyllo dough, egg rolls or puff pastry and others make their own sambusa dough. Homemade samosa dough is great but requires some patience and time, two things I do not currently have in our busy home.
Being in Egypt specially during Ramadan, is a great opportunity to fill up my tummy with this scrumptious appetizer. But guess what? I do not have to wait for a whole year to have it. One of my friends told me to just use the uncooked tortillas as a great substitute for the traditional long sambusa sheets we buy in Egypt.

It worked like a charm and my kids just love it. I've stuffed it with all sorts of stuffings and here I will show you 3 of them but do not let that stop you. Stuff them however you like, make the traditional Indian potato stuffing or stuff with cream cheese and green onions, pizza topping anyone? seriously the sky's the limit here. The most common kind is the one filled with seasoned ground beef, but you can fill it with cheese mix, chicken, veggies and dates as they do so in Saudi Arabia.

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Make the flour paste this is done to help seal the edges so it will not open during frying. Just mix water and flour until you get a mixture of the consistency above.
2. Cut tortilla in half place one half on the table and with your finger smear half or all of the straight part of the tortilla with the flour mix.
3. Fold the tortilla to make a cone shape as directed in images 3 and 4 pressing tightly on the edges to seal.
4. Now add about two tablespoons of your filling to the pocket and smear the rounded edge with more flour paste.
5. Press tightly to seal the opening as shown in image 6.

• Heat oil in a frying pan, use this method here to test if the oil is ready or not.
• Fry on both sides until golden brown.

👍 Amira's Tips

• Do not over stuff the sambusa, I know it is tempting but over stuffing makes it hard to seal and it usually opens up while frying.
• After frying, transfer the sambusas to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.

👩‍🍳 Variations

• Make taco samosa by seasoning your ground beef with taco seasoning.
• Although ground beef is the more common chicken samosa has its audience as well. Get creative and use any chicken filling you like or use the one I provided below.
• I also like filling them with a cheese mix.
• Use pie filling for a sweet pie filled samosas.
• Make lentil sambusa by cooking lentils and adding them to sauteed onion and garlic the spice to your liking.
• Use gluten free spring roll wrappers to make gluten free samosa.
• Air fryer samosa are great option if you do not like to fry them. Spray samosas with cooking oil and air fry on 350F for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown and crisp. You can also make baked samosa.

🧺 Storage

• Fried samosas can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. To reheat crisp them up again in the oven or an air fryer
• Samosas are great for make ahead too. Stuff and fold, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm then place frozen samosas in a freezer bag. Do not thaw, fry from frozen.

💬 FAQs

👩‍🏫 My Personal Experience

The above image shows you how to wrap samosa using the long strips of samosa dough that is widely available in the Middle East specially in Ramadan. Take a sheet of the dough fill it with 1Tbs of the meat mixture and fold in a triangle as shown above.

📣 Related Recipes

• Spinach fatayer are a type of savory pastry that are commonly enjoyed in Lebanese cuisine. Fluffy dough with slightly crisp exterior hugging the most delicious tart spinach filling for an enjoyable satisfying snack.
• Here is our favorite easy empanadas recipe filled with a flavorful ground beef mixture.
• Sfiha is one of the authentic Middle Eastern recipes made with an easy delicious dough.
• Manakeesh with za'atar or cheese are another favorite and it is sometimes called the Arab pizza.
• Egyptian meat pie is a delicious, buttery meat phyllo pie that is a stunning side dish for parties and holidays.
• This moist meatloaf with bread crumbs is tender, old fashioned with a delicious glaze. Sticky sweet and super delicious! You can eat the whole thing in one sitting – I won't tell.
• Little smokies pigs in a blanket are the perfect beefy meaty and buttery flaky combination for a quick snack or party appetizer. Make them extra special with different toppings.

If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

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Sambusa (Easy Samosa Recipe)

Sambusa or Samosas are triangular shaped pastry filled with spicy vegetables or meat mixture. Very popular through the Middle East, India and many other countries. Here is an easy samosa recipe that will take just 15 minutes to prep.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean, Middle East

Diet: Halal

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 24 piece

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Amira

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 uncooked tortillas

Ground beef filling:

• ▢ 1 Tablespoon oil.
• ▢ ½ pound (250g) ground beef.
• ▢ 1 small onion finely chopped.
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste.
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon tomato paste.
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped.

Chicken filling:

• ▢ ½ pound (250g) chicken breast cut into small cubes.
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons oil.
• ▢ 1 garlic clove.
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste.
• ▢ ½ medium green bell pepper cubed.
• ▢ ⅓ cup black olives.

Cheese Mix filling:

• ▢ ¼ pound (125g) feta cheese.
• ▢ ¼ pound (125g) mozzarella cheese.
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (30g) Parmesan cheese.
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Za’atar or dry mint.

For the sealant:

• ▢ 2 Tablespoons flour.
• ▢ 2 ½ Tablespoons water.
• ▢ Oil for frying

Instructions

Prepare the ground beef filling:

• In a skillet heat oil then sauté onion until fragrant then add ground beef and break to brown well.
• Add tomato paste, spices and parsley, mixing everything well to combine.
• Set aside.

Prepare the chicken filling:

• In a skillet add oil then sauté garlic for 30 seconds, add chicken and cook until almost done.
• Add spices, green bell pepper and cook for a couple of minute. Turn heat off, mix in the olives.

Prepare cheese filling:

• In a large enough bowl, combine all ingredients well.

Make the sealant mixture:

• In a small bowl combine flour and water to make a paste.

To wrap the samosas:

• Cut each tortillas in two equal parts. With your finger brush the straight line of the tortilla half with the sealant paste.
• Fold it into a cone shaped pressing the edges to seal.
• Take about 2 tablespoons of the filling and stuff it in.
• Now with your finger again brush the open part of the cone with the flour paste and press to seal completely. Set aside until you are done with the rest of the samosas. Note1

Frying:

• Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a frying pan. Note2 .
• Add samosas to the pan and fry until golden brown turning it on the other side midway.
• Take samosas out on a paper bowl line plate .
• Samosa is better served hot so it can be crunchy. Note3

Notes

• Note1: You can freeze samosas at this point. When ready to use fry immediately there is no need to thaw.
• Note2: Test if the oil is ready using the wooden stick method I showed you in kibbeh recipe.
• Note3: leftovers keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and more frozen. Heat them in the oven for a couple of minutes, do not microwave.
• For more tips and variations please check the post above.
• Nutrition in the table below is for the ground beef filled samosas.
  • Nutrition for Chicken Samosas:
    • Calories 151.4
    • Total Fat 8.1 g
    • Cholesterol 16.3 mg
    • Sodium 400.6 mg
    • Potassium 15.5 mg
    • Total Carbohydrate 12.1 g
    • Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
    • Sugars 0.8 g
    • Protein 7.4 g

• • Nutrition for Cheese Samosas:
    • Calories 170.2
    • Total Fat 9.5 g
    • Cholesterol 26.9 mg
    • Sodium 412.3 mg
    • Potassium 13.7 mg
    • Total Carbohydrate 11.9 g
    • Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
    • Sugars 1.2 g
    • Protein 7.8 g
• Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.3g | Protein: 7.1g | Fat: 10.9g | Cholesterol: 26.6mg | Sodium: 307.7mg | Potassium: 135.9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1.7g | Vitamin A: 3.2IU | Vitamin C: 6.2mg | Calcium: 0.9mg | Iron: 6.2mg

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First published July 1, 2013 . Last updated March 16, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.