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African Beef Sambusas

East African · Appetizer

Crispy, golden-brown pastry triangles filled with a savory, spiced ground beef and aromatic herb mixture, a classic snack popular across East Africa.

Intermediate
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African Beef Sambusas — recipe cover
1 hrA little patience, a lot of flavor
Prep time35 min
Cook time25 min
Servings6 people
DifficultyIntermediate
Let's make something good

How to make it

6 steps. Take it one step at a time.

  1. In a large skillet

    In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Add the cumin, turmeric, cardamom, minced garlic, grated ginger, and green chili

    Add the cumin, turmeric, cardamom, minced garlic, grated ginger, and green chili to the beef. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

    3 min
  3. Stir in the diced onions

    Stir in the diced onions and cook until softened but not mushy. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro. Let the filling cool completely.

  4. Mix flour, water, and oil

    In a bowl, mix flour, water, and oil to form a smooth dough. Knead for 5 minutes, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

    15 min
  5. Roll out small portions of dough

    Roll out small portions of dough into thin circles, cut into halves or thirds, and fold into cone shapes. Fill each cone with a tablespoon of beef mixture and seal the edges with a flour-water paste.

  6. Heat oil in a deep pan

    Heat oil in a deep pan to 180°C (356°F). Fry the sambusas in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

    5 min

A little kitchen wisdom

Ensure the filling is relatively dry to keep the pastry crispy. You can substitute store-bought spring roll wrappers if you are short on time.

What you'll need

SkilletMixing bowlRolling pinDeep frying pan
Keep the good going

For now. And for later.

Make it ahead

Sambusas can be assembled and frozen raw. Fry directly from frozen for an extra 2-3 minutes.

Store & enjoy

Store in an airtight container. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 175°C (347°F) to maintain crispiness.

Allergens

Contains wheat, gluten.

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An AI-created recipe from the EZdish collection. Ingredient quantities and techniques have not been independently kitchen-tested. Published on this website . Updated . First published in the EZdish collection .

African Beef Sambusas
Step 1 of 6

In a large skillet

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.