Lamb Sambousek

By
Saad Fayed
Saad Fayed
A restaurateur and food writer, Saad Fayed has published hundreds of recipes and articles about Middle Eastern cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/28/21
Edward Karaa
Prep: 80 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Sambousek is a small meat pie, served as an appetizer or snack. It is usually filled with ground beef or lamb but can be filled with feta and other cheeses. Use your imagination! It is served in small amounts, usually 3 to a plate.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 teaspoon yeast

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped or grated

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 pound ground lamb, or beef

  • Oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

Make the Dough

  1. Sprinkle yeast over water in measuring cup. Allow to dissolve and stir until thoroughly mixed.

  2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.

  3. Slowly stir in yeast water and mix dough with hands or a wooden spoon.

  4. Add oil, and coat the dough, continuing to mix until dough is elastic.

  5. Cut dough into small pieces (about 10 to 12) cover, and allow to sit for 1 hour in a warm place.

Make the Filling

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions in olive oil, adding pepper and cumin in a frying pan.

  2. Add ground meat and brown.

  3. Stir to ensure the meat and onions are well mixed.

  4. Allow to cool.

Assemble

  1. Roll out small pieces of dough into the desired shape, about 1/16-inch thin. You can do circles, triangles, squares, or crescents.

  2. Place 1 tablespoon of meat filling into the center of the dough.

  3. Seal and crimp edges to seal again.

  4. Fry until golden brown on each side—about 6 to 8 minutes.

  5. Drain on a paper towel and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
898 Calories
48g Fat
76g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 898
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 48g 61%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 110mg 37%
Sodium 617mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 528mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)