Chebureki

Chebureki are thin, crispy fried pastries filled with juicy ground beef and onions. In Turkey, they are known as Çiğ Börek or Çibörek, and they are especially popular in Eskişehir, where many Crimean Tatars settled.

Similar to Pisi - Turkish Fried Dough, Chebureki are best served hot, straight from the skillet, while the pastry is still crisp and the filling is juicy. You can enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or as a hot snack with Turkish Tea - Çay, Cacik, or a simple salad on the side.

Jump to:

• What is Chebureki
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Chebureki - Çiğ Börek?
• How to Keep Chebureki Juicy
• How to Stop Chebureki Opening While Frying
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Filling Variations
• What to Serve with Chebureki
• Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Chebureki - Çiğ Börek

My Chebureki recipe uses homemade dough, a simple raw meat filling, and a little water to keep the inside juicy as it cooks. I’ve also added a video in the recipe card, so you can see how thin to roll the dough, how much filling to use, and how to seal the edges before frying.

What is Chebureki

Chebureki are half-moon-shaped fried pastries filled with raw ground meat, onion, and seasoning. The dough is rolled thin, filled, sealed, and fried until golden and crisp.

In Turkey, this pastry is usually called Çiğ Börek or Çibörek. It is a Crimean Tatar dish and is also popular across Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine.

The name Çiğ Börek can sound confusing because “çiğ” means raw in Turkish, but the pastry is fully cooked. The name comes from the raw meat filling, which cooks inside the dough while the pastry fries.

Chebureki are similar to fried turnovers, but the filling is spread thinly inside the dough rather than being cooked first. This keeps the pastry light and gives the filling a juicy texture.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Good Chebureki should be crisp on the outside with a juicy meat filling inside. This recipe keeps things simple and still gives you that texture.

• It is a great recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and snacks.

• You can prepare the dough and filling ahead, then shape and fry the Chebureki just before serving.

• I’ve kept the filling simple, as it should be. The flavor comes from the meat, grated onion, salt, black pepper, and the juices inside the pastry.

• There is also a video in the recipe card, which is useful if you want to see how thin to roll the dough, how much filling to add, and how to seal the edges properly.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Strong bread flour - Bread flour gives the dough a little more strength and elasticity, which makes it easier to roll thinly. You can use all-purpose flour if that is what you have, but add the water gradually because different flours absorb liquid differently.

• Vinegar - White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar helps the dough fry crisp. You won’t taste it in the finished pastries.

• Ground Beef - Ground beef with around 15% fat works well for Chebureki. You can also use ground lamb, ground pork, or a mixture of beef and lamb if you prefer.

• Onion - It adds flavor and moisture to the filling. I grate it so it blends into the meat and helps keep the filling juicy.

• Water - It loosens the meat mixture and gives the filling a softer, juicier texture once cooked. Stir the filling well before using because the liquid can settle at the bottom of the bowl.

How to Make Chebureki - Çiğ Börek?

Prepare the Dough

Place the water, salt, and vinegar in a large bowl and mix well. Add the flour gradually and mix until you have a soft but firm dough. You may not need every spoonful, so add it slowly.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the Filling

Grate the onion into a bowl. Add the ground beef, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and water.

Mix everything well until the filling looks soft and slightly loose. It should be spreadable, not firm like a meatball mixture.

Keep the filling in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape the Chebureki.

Shape the Chebureki

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 1½ oz / 40 g each. Shape each piece into a ball, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rest for another 15 minutes. This makes the dough easier to roll.

Take one dough ball and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a thin circle, about 6 inches / 15 cm wide.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of filling over one half of the dough, leaving a clean border around the edge. Keep the filling thin so it cooks through quickly. Press the edges together with your fingers.

Trim the edge with a pizza cutter or pastry wheel to seal it neatly. Place the shaped Chebureki on a lightly floured surface and repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

Fry the Chebureki

Pour enough oil into a large skillet to shallow fry the pastries. Heat it over medium-high heat. Carefully place two Chebureki in the hot oil, depending on the size of your skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. The dough should bubble slightly and the filling should cook through inside.

Transfer the fried Chebureki to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve straight away while hot and crisp.

How to Keep Chebureki Juicy

• The filling should feel softer than a meatball mixture. It might look a little loose, but that is what gives Chebureki their juicy middle.

• Don’t skip the water in the filling. It helps the meat cook gently inside the pastry and stops it from drying out.

• Spread the filling thinly over one half of the dough. If the filling is too thick in the middle, the pastry can brown before the meat cooks properly.

• Use meat with a little fat if you can. Very lean beef can make the filling drier.

How to Stop Chebureki Opening While Frying

Leave a clean border around the filling so the edges can seal properly.

Don’t overfill the pastry. One tablespoon of filling is enough for a 6-inch / 15 cm circle.

Press out trapped air before sealing. Air pockets can expand in the hot oil and make the pastry open.

Pinch the edges firmly, then trim with a pizza cutter or pastry wheel. This gives you a neat edge and helps seal the pastry.

Keep the shaped Chebureki on a lightly floured surface while you finish the rest. If they stick to the counter, they can tear when you lift them.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Let the dough rest before rolling. Resting makes the dough easier to handle and stops it from shrinking back.

• Don’t leave the dough to rest for longer than 1 hour, as it can become too loose and harder to roll.

• Keep the dough balls covered while shaping so they don’t dry out.

• Roll the dough thinly. Thick dough can feel heavy and may not cook as nicely in the short frying time.

• Stir the filling before each use because the liquid can settle at the bottom of the bowl.

• Keep the filling thin and don’t overfill the pastries.

• Seal the edges well before frying so the filling stays inside.

• Fry in hot oil, but don’t let the oil smoke. If the pastry browns too quickly, lower the heat slightly.

• Serve Chebureki as soon as possible. They are best while the pastry is still hot and crisp.

Filling Variations

Ground beef is the filling I use most often, but Chebureki also works well with ground lamb, ground pork, ground turkey, or a mixture of meats.

You can add a little chopped parsley or cilantro if you like a fresher filling.

Some versions use garlic, paprika, chili flakes, or cumin. I keep mine simple because that is how Çiğ Börek is usually made in Turkey.

What to Serve with Chebureki

Chebureki are usually served hot and fresh, so they don’t need much on the side.

I like them with Ayran, Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad, Greek Cucumber Salad, Arugula Spinach Salad, or a simple Tomato and Cucumber Salad.

For a fuller meal, serve them with Yayla Corbasi - Turkish Yoghurt Corbasi, Wild Garlic Soup, or Turkish Orzo Soup.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing

Chebureki taste best fresh, while the pastry is still hot and crisp.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pastry will soften as it sits, but it crisps up again when reheated properly.

Reheat Chebureki in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer until hot and crisp. Don’t use the microwave if you want the pastry to stay crisp, as it will make them soft.

You can freeze Chebureki before or after frying. Place parchment paper between each one so they don’t stick together, then freeze in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.

To cook frozen uncooked Chebureki, thaw them in the refrigerator first, then fry as written in the recipe.

To reheat cooked frozen Chebureki, thaw them in the refrigerator, then warm them in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious Turkish breakfast/brunch recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these scrumptious fried boreks, Chebureki, as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂