Sambusa Delight with Crispy Outside, Juicy Inside; Party Snack Pairs Great with Alcohol

By Ryo Kato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

16:15 JST, December 14, 2025

Aki Komatsu, a food researcher specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, shares her recipe for sambusas, a crispy appetizer that goes great with alcohol.

Sambusas may remind some of samosa, the similar-sounding Indian fried pastry filled with savory ingredients such as potatoes. Sambusas are fried pastries eaten in Syria, Egypt and elsewhere. They have thinner dough than samosa, closer to the thickness used for spring rolls.

“Samosas give the impression of being a snack sold on street corners, but sambusas are something you eat at a get-together,” Komatsu said. “Although many people where sambusa come from don’t drink alcohol, the pastry pairs well with drinks.”

Some establishments in Syria and Egypt serve alcohol to tourists and non-Muslims.

Sambusa dough is sold frozen or other forms there but cannot be found in Japan, so spring roll wrappers are used instead.

The spring roll wrappers and sambusa dough are shaped differently. Komatsu cut the wrappers into three equal parts, one of which is cut in half and joined with each of the others to make two long wrappers.

“With this length, the dough becomes thick and filling when folded,” she said.

She introduced two common fillings: cheese and meat. The saltiness of olives and cheese minimizes the need for seasoning. A tip for wrapping ground meat is to blot excess oil off with a paper towel when the meat is sauteed because too much fat makes wrapping difficult.

She rolled the fillings up with gentle pressure to keep pockets of air from forming. The cheese filling should be sealed because melted cheese can cause oil splatter if it overflows. Once the wrappers are deep-fried to a golden crisp, they’re done.

The rich, savory minced meat filling and the creamy, flavorful cheese filling with just the right amount of salt make them irresistible. I recommend making a big batch and chowing down on them with drinks.

Sambusa

Ingredients (10 pieces of each flavor)

• 10 spring roll wrapper sheets
• Parsley to taste
• Frying oil as needed
• Cheese filling
• 100 grams shredded cheese
• 25 grams pitted olives
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Meat filling
• 150 grams ground beef
• ¼ onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp oil



Directions:

1. To make cheese filling, chop olives and put them in a bowl. Add shredded cheese and dried oregano. Mix well.

2. To make beef filling, heat oil in a frying pan and saute minced onion and garlic. Once softened, add ground beef and saute until thoroughly cooked. Season with allspice, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cut each spring roll wrapper into three equal pieces. Cut one of the pieces in half. To make a longer wrapper, overlap one of the remaining thirds with a half-piece by about 2 centimeters. Brush the overlap with a mixture of flour and water to seal. Repeat with the remaining pieces to make additional sets, creating 20 pieces from 10 wrappers.

4. Place wrapper with the short side facing yourself. Divide the filling equally and place one portion on the wrapper strip closest to yourself. Fold the filled end into a triangle, then continue folding toward the far end while maintaining the triangular shape. Finally, tuck the remaining excess inward. Make 10 pieces for each flavor.

5. Fry in oil heated to 180 C until golden brown. Plate and garnish with parsley.

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  Cut one of the three divided spring roll wrappers in half

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  Overlap one of the remaining two thirds

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  Fold so the part with the filling forms a triangle, then continue folding sequentially toward the far end while maintaining the triangular shape.

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