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    Kiymali Borek (Meat Borek)

    November 2, 2021 by Ayla Clulee 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Turkish cuisine has a very large selection of borek recipes of all types and Kiymali Borek (Meat Borek) is probably one of the most popular among them. These scrumptious Turkish pastries are made with spiced mince and onions wrapped in yufka sheets. They are perfect for parties as finger food as well as for breakfast/brunch, picnics, or packed lunch.

    Turkish filo pie made with spiced mince and onions
    Borek - traditional Turkish street food
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • How to Make Turkish Meat Borek?
    • Related Recipes
    • Top Tip From The Chef
    • Kiymali Borek (Turkish Meat Borek)

    Traditionally a borek is made with thin pastry sheets called "yufka" but you can use filo pastries instead. These tasty savoury pies are very much loved street food in Turkey and it is easy to make your own version at home.

    Turkish pastries called "Kiymali borek (Turkish meat borek) made with yufka and mince
    Turkish Borek filled with mince and onions

    If you are not a meat-eater, there are vegetarian versions of these delicious Turkish pastries such as Potato Borek, Spinach and Feta Borek, Turkish Rolls( Sigara Boregi) and Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek)

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Ingredients for Kiymali Borek (meat borek)
    • Yufka - These round shape thin dough parcels are easy to find online or from Turkish or Middle Eastern food shops. You can use filo pastries instead which are similar but thinner than yufka, and they come in rectangular shapes. Filo (or phyllo) pastries are available in most supermarkets and shops, and you can buy them fresh or frozen.
    • Minced meat - Use beef or lamb, or a mixture of both. Try and use mince with a minimum of 15-20% fat for extra flavour. Mince with high-fat ratio releases enough fat to saute the onions when you brown them, therefore, you don't need to add any olive oil!
    • Onions - They add umami flavour and sweetness to the mince filling.
    • Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavouring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater. I use two large or three small fresh garlic cloves for this recipe.
    • Seasoning - Adjust the amount of spiciness and seasoning to your liking, add extra spices that you like and create your version. Add some fresh or dried herbs as an extra flavouring.
    • Egg - It gives colour as well as flavour to the borek. You can omit and add extra oil and/or yoghurt to the sauce.
    • Yoghurt - Use plain or natural yoghurt with no sugar & flavour added. Yoghurt gives the borek a fluffy and light texture.
    • Milk - Use semi-skimmed or full-fat milk. You can omit the milk and add extra yoghurt.
    • Vegetable oil - You can substitute it with melted butter, olive oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil. It adds an extra crispness to the borek.
    • Vinegar - A little amount of vinegar will help your borek to be softer inside while it's crispy outside.
    • Melted butter - Apply with a pastry brush on top of the borek before baking in the oven. Butter makes the borek extra crispy and delicious! Use egg yolk and yoghurt mixture if you don't want to use butter.
    • Sesame, nigella or poppy seeds - They give extra crunch to borek or pastries. They are commonly used in sweet or savoury Turkish bakeries.

    Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities.

    How to Make Turkish Meat Borek?

    Making these scrumptious pastries is easier than you think. However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

    Prepare the Mince Filling

    Put a heavy-based pan on medium heat and brown the mince until it releases its fat. Depending on the fat ratio of your mince, you might have some fat enough to saute the onions. If not, add the olive oil to the pan and then sauté the onions along with the garlic until soft and translucent. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and paprika, remove from the heat and then let it cool down while preparing the sauce.

    browning the mince for borek
    add onions and spices to the mince
    let the filling cool down before filling the yufka

    Prepare the Sauce and Build the Borek

    To make the sauce, whisk an egg in a medium-sized bowl. Add vegetable oil, milk, yoghurt and vinegar to the eggs and then whisk until combined. Preheat the oven to 180° C and then start building the borek parcels.

    Lay one sheet of yufka on a clean work surface and then drizzle 1-1 ½ tablespoon of the sauce, spread it evenly using a brush. Fold one rounded side towards the middle and then fold the opposite rounded side to meet in the middle.

    Drizzle some more sauce, just enough to lightly cover the pastry and spread it with the brush. Fold the other rounded sides towards the middle to form a square parcel. Brush lightly with sauce and then cut them into four squares.

    fold two opposite sides of the yufka
    fold other sides of yufka to meet in the middle

    Place a large spoonful of mince filling in the middle of each pastry square. Fold each of the corners toward the middle to form a square parcel, gently press in the middle where all the corners meet and then turn the pastry upside down.

    put some mince filling on yufka
    fold the opposite corners towards the middle
    form a square parcel

    Repeat the same steps for the 2 other yufka pieces. Line a baking sheet with silicone paper and then place the borek parcels ½ cm away from each other. Add melted butter to the sauce. If you don't have any sauce left, don't worry, melted butter is enough to give enough crunch to borek. Brush your pastries with the sauce and butter mixture evenly.

    Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, nigella seeds, or poppy seeds. Place the tray in the hot oven and then bake the boreks for 30 to 35 minutes, until they have turned golden brown and crispy.

    place the bores on a tray
    brush with sauce & butter mixture, sprinkle on sesame seeds
    bake the borers until golden and crispy

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious Turkish Recipes why not try:

    • Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi)
    • Lahana Sarmasi (Turkish Cabbage Rolls)
    • Ali Nazik
    • Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs)
    • Yayla Corbasi (Turkish Yoghurt Soup)
    • Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)
    • Sac Kavurma (Turkish lamb Sauté)
    • Beyti Kebab
    • Tavuk Sote (Turkish Chicken Sauté)
    • Bamya (Turkish Okra Stew)
    How to reheat the Meat Borek?

    It is very easy to reheat the borek and you can reheat them straight out of the freezer without defrosting. Wrap them in tinfoil and then place them in a preheated oven (180° C) for about 10 minutes, or until they are piping hot in the middle. Give extra 5 minutes for frozen boreks.
    Alternatively, you can reheat them in a microwave for a couple of minutes but they would lose their crispness.

    What is the difference between borek and gozleme?

    Gozleme is usually cooked in a pan, hence they are called "Turkish Pancakes" in Western countries. Borek is generally baked or pan-fried. Also, gozleme is generally made with a thicker dough than yufka or filo sheets which are usually rolled out by hand.

    What to serve with Kiymali Borek (Meat borek)?

    Kiymali Borek is very versatile and can be served for breakfast/brunch, lunch, or even dinner. They are also great as a snack or party food. There are many ways to enjoy these delicious savoury Turkish treats.
    Try them with a bowl of soup such as Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, Turkish Lentil Soup, or spicy Autumn Squash Soup. If you want to serve them as a light lunch, they go perfectly with a bowl of salad such as Greek Salad, Tomato & Walnut Salad (Gavurdagi Salatasi) or Summer Chickpea Salad.
    If serving them for breakfast, a cup of tea or freshly cut cucumbers and tomatoes is all you need!

    Top Tip From The Chef

    Double the recipe up and keep extra borek parcels in the freezer for up to 3 months. They are great for last-minute emergencies or guests and very easy to reheat from frozen.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Turkish pastries as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    Turkish pastries called "Kiymali borek (meat borek) made with yufka and mince

    Kiymali Borek (Turkish Meat Borek)

    Delicious Turkish pastries made with thin & crispy yufka sheets filled with spiced mince and onions.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish
    Servings 12 boreks
    Calories 191 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Kitchen Digital Scale
    • 1 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups
    • 1 Measuring Spoons
    • 1 sharp knife
    • 1 High Heat Silicone Spatula
    • 1 Cuisinart Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Mince Filling

    • 400 g minced beef (you can use lamb or mixture of both)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 medium onions (finely chopped)
    • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon paprika (use chilli or hot paprika if you want spicy)
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    For the Sauce

    • 1 egg
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • ⅓ cup milk
    • 2 tablespoon Greek yoghurt or natural yoghurt
    • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

    For Building the Borek

    • 3 pieces yufka sheets
    • 30 g melted butter (for the top)
    • sesame seeds, nigella seeds or poppy seeds

    Instructions
     

    Preparing the Mince Filling

    • Put a heavy-based pan on medium heat and brown the mince until it releases its fat.
    • Add the olive oil to the pan and saute the onions along with the garlic until soft and translucent.
    • Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and paprika, remove from the heat and let it cool down while preparing the sauce.

    Preparing the Sauce

    • Whisk an egg in a medium-sized bowl.
    • Add vegetable oil, milk, yoghurt and vinegar to the eggs and whisk until combined.

    Building the Borek Parcels

    • Preheat the oven to 180° C.
    • Lay one sheet of yufka on a clean work surface.
    • Drizzle 1-1 ½ tablespoon of the sauce and spread it evenly using a brush. 
    • Fold one rounded side towards the middle and then fold the opposite rounded side to meet in the middle.
    • Drizzle some sauce just enough to lightly cover the pastry and spread it with the brush.
    • Fold the other rounded sides towards the middle to form a square parcel.
    • Brush lightly with sauce and cut them into 4 squares.
    • Place a large spoonful of mince filling in the middle of each pastry squares.
    • Fold each of the corners toward the middle to form a square parcel, gently press in the middle where all the corners meet and turn the pastry upside down.
    • Repeat the same steps for the 2 other yufka pieces.
    • Line a baking tray with silicone paper and place the borek parcels ½ cm away from each other.
    • Add melted butter to the sauce. If you don't have any sauce left, just use the melted butter.
    • Brush your pastries with the sauce and butter mixture evenly.
    • Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, nigella seeds or poppy seeds.
    • Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until they have turned golden brown and crispy.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Bakery, Dinner Ideas, Mediterrenean Cuisine, Traditional Turkish Recipes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Roxanne

      November 24, 2021 at 5:32 am

      5 stars
      I finally found some yufca pastry and made this borek last night. Turned out delicious. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        November 24, 2021 at 11:13 am

        Hi Roxanne
        So glad it turned out great.
        Best wishes
        Ayla

        Reply
    2. Anne

      April 24, 2022 at 6:49 am

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner tonight, very easy to put together, came out amazing! This recipe is just perfect...

      Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    In Turkish culture, food is at the centre of every gathering: religious holidays, birthdays, celebrations, funerals and the list goes on. So, probably like many others, I love food. And not just the food itself, but also the process of preparing the food fascinated me from a very young age. 

    More about me →

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