Vegan Samosa Recipe!

This popular Middle Eastern hot appetizer of fried crispy pastry filled with spiced meat or melting cheese is a traditional Iftar appetizer in Ramadan that never fades. This vegan samosa recipe is the Plant-based version of Arabic samosas with 2 filling options.

What is Samosa?

In Arabic, it’s called ” Sambousek.” It’s usually made with puff pastry or frozen samosa sheets, as in this recipe. It’s stuffed with minced spiced beef or white cheese. After filling, it can be either fried or baked.

There is much debate about whether samosa originated in India or the Middle East, but that’s not our topic today. All you need to know is that it’s quite popular in all Middle Eastern countries and India as well. Each region has its own unique flavor blends, a mix of spices, and a way of making it.

There are many recipes for samosas, whether for the dough or the fillings. The recipe for today is for the Arabic beef samosa and cheese samosa, both of which are Plant-based.

Vegan samosa recipe Ingredients:

• Samosa sheets: I used frozen Swits samosa sheets, which are very easy to use and crisp up perfectly when frying.

• For the cheese filling:
  • Vegan Mozzarella cheese: Violife is a vegan brand that works well in this recipe; it melts perfectly like regular cheese. You can substitute with any vegan cheese brand available.
  • Vegan Cheddar cheese: I have used Violife cheddar cheese, but you can use any other brand.
  • Parsley
  • Salt

• For the beef filling:
  • Vegan mince: The one I use is made of soy vegetable protein and flavorings. Adjust the salt accordingly, as some mince is already salted. Alternatively, you can use any plant-based mince, whether home-made or store-bought.
  • Onion
  • Olive oil
  • Parsley
  • Pine nuts: or almond silvered.
  • Lebanese 7 spices blend.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pomegranate molasses
• Flour and water mix: this is just to help seal samosas so they won’t open while frying.
• Vegetable frying oil.

How to make Samosa?

Making the Vegan mince filling:

• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent.
• Add the vegan mince to the onion and mix. Next, add the spices, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the pomegranate molasses and parsley and mix. Turn the heat off and let it cool. Add the pine nuts and set aside once it has cooled to room temperature.

Making the Vegan cheese filling:

• Transfer the vegan cheese filling ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.

Prepping the Samosas:

• First, mix the flour and water to make a paste to seal each samosa after filling it. Grab both your fillings and the samosa sheet near you.
• Start by taking a tablespoon of the filling (cheese or meat), add it to the sheet, and start folding it in a triangle shape (watch the video above for folding the samosas)
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Add the samosas and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning halfway through. Fry until golden and crispy. Drain the excess oil on a kitchen towel.

How to serve Samosa?

Vegan sambousek can be served as a hot appetizer with any dip of your choice, such as ketchup or vegan mayo.

Alternatively, serve it with any salad, such as this Vegan lentil or Arabic salad.

I like to serve it with soup, especially with this vegan roasted tomato soup. Instead of serving your tomato soup with grilled cheese, try it the Middle Eastern way, with vegan cheese samosa.

How to freeze vegan samosa?

This Vegan samosa recipe can be easily prepped in advance, and frozen as well. The best way is to make a big batch and freeze it in the freezer since they are time-consuming to make, which mainly means the folding part. Still, it is much easier than making “kibbeh.” But if it’s your first time making samosas, the folding might take time, and trust me, it gets easier the more you make. Plus, it’s worth it in the end!

For freezing, all you need to do after you have filled it with the filling is put it in a single layer in a tray and pop it in the freezer overnight. Next morning, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container or zipper bag and freeze it.

To cook frozen samosas, fry them once you take them out of the freezer. Don’t thaw them; heat your frying oil and pop the samosas in the hot oil.

Recommended Recipe:

For more Middle Eastern-inspired appetizers, try these plant-based Palestinian musakhan rolls or these Middle Eastern nachos.

More Plant-based recipes at VBA:

• Iraqi carrot rice recipe.
• Autumn salad recipe.
• Vegan bamia.
• Vermicelli rice.
• Easy vegan sweet potato recipe.

If you make this recipe, I’d love a comment and a rating. Please make sure to tag me in re-creation on Instagram @veganbilaraby. I love to see your take on my vegan recipes 💚