This popular Middle Eastern hot appetizer of fried crispy pastry filled with either spiced meat or melting cheese, is a Ramadan Iftar tradition that never fades. This recipe is the Plant-based version of Arabic samosas with 2 filling options.
What is Samosa?
In Arabic it’s called ” Sambousek“, usually made with either puff pastry or with frozen samosa sheets such as in this recipe. Stuffed with either minced spiced beef or white cheese. After filling it can be either fried or baked.
There is a lot of debate on the origin of samosa whether it 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, mix of spices, and their way of making it their own.
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 are Plant-based.
Samosas 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: the vegan cheese brand that works well in this recipe is Violife, it melts perfectly just like normal cheese does. You can substitute with any vegan cheese brand available to you.
- Vegan Cheddar cheese.
- 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 salted already. 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:
- In a frying pan heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion, cook for 4 minutes till translucent.
- Add the vegan mince to the onion and mix. Add the spices, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add pomegranate molasses and parsley and mix. Turn the heat off and let it cool. Once cooled to room temperature add the pine nuts and set aside.
Making the Vegan cheese filling:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the vegan cheese filling ingredients and set aside.
Prepping the Samosas:
- First thing mix the flour and water to make a paste to seal each samosa after filling it. Grab both your fillings near you and the samosas sheet.
- 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 frying oil in a deep frying pan, then add the samosas and fry for 2 to 3 minutes turning it halfway through. Fry till it’s golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on a kitchen towel.
How to serve Samosa?
Samosa can be served as a hot appetizer, you can serve it with any dip of your choice, such as ketchup or vegan mayo.
Alternatively serve it with any salad, such as this Vegan lentil salad, or this 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 samosas?
Samosas can be easily prepped in advance and can be frozen as well, the best way is to make a big batch and freeze it in the freezer since it is time-consuming to make it, which mainly means the folding part, still, it is much easier than making “kibbeh“, but if it’s your first time making samosa the folding might take time and trust me it gets easier the more you make, plus its worth it at the end!
For freezing all you need to do after you have filled it with the filling, is put them in a single layer in a tray and pop them in the freezer overnight. Next morning just put them in a freezer-friendly container or zipper bag and freeze them.
For cooking frozen samosas, make sure to fry them once you take them out of the freezer, and don’t thaw them just 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:
If you make this recipe, I’d love a comment, and to rate this recipe. Please make sure to tag me in re-creation on Instagram @veganbilaraby. I love to see your take on my vegan recipes 💚
Vegan Samosa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pack frozen samosas sheet defrost before using
- 1 tbsp flour to make flour and water paste
- 4 tbsp water
- vegetable oil for frying
Cheese fillings ingredients:
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- black seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)
Vegan meat filling:
- 200 g frozen vegan mince defrost before using
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Lebanese spice blend
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Vegan meat filling:
- In frying pan heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion, cook for 4 minutes till translucent.
- Add the vegan mince to the onion and mix. Add the spices, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add pomegranate molasses and parsley and mix. Turn the heat off and let it cool. Once cooled add the pine nuts and set aside.
Vegan cheese filling:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the vegan cheese filling ingredients and set aside.
Prepping the samosas:
- First thing mix the flour and water to make a paste to seal each samosa after filling it. Grab both your fillings near you and the samosas sheet.
- 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 frying oil in a deep frying pan, then add the samosas and fry for 2 to 3 minutes turning it halfway through. Fry till it's golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on a kitchen towel and serve and enjoy.
Farah says
Great recipe😍I will try it out🙋🏻♀️
Made it for my family. It was amazing!
Thank you , am glad you have enjoyed it♥️
It was amazing
Thank you💚