Baked Beef Samosa – The Wanderlust Kitchen

Dive into the flavors of our Baked Beef Samosa! They’re a perfect combination of juicy beef, aromatic spices, and crisp pastry – an appetizer that’s both satisfying and delicious.

What is a Samosa?

A samosa is a popular snack or appetizer in many South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. It typically consists of a crispy pastry shell filled with a savory mixture of ingredients. The filling often includes ingredients like spiced potatoes, peas, lentils, ground meat (such as beef, chicken, or lamb), and a blend of aromatic spices.

Samosas are usually deep-fried or baked until they become golden and crispy on the outside. The samosa is made in different shapes, depending on the region, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the local cuisines of South Asia, Western Asia, Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

Reasons to Love Baked Beef Samosas

The crispy pastry shell provides a satisfying crunch that’s hard to resist.
I love that the spiced beef and vegetable filling for this beef samosa recipe offers an explosion of savory flavors.
Beef Samosa is perfect for on-the-go munching, making it a convenient snack option.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for baked beef samosa prepared on a table.

Sweet Yellow Onions: These onions add a sweet and mild flavor when finely chopped. They become soft and slightly caramelized when cooked.
Ginger Root: Fresh ginger root provides a zesty, slightly spicy, and citrusy flavor.
Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Chili Powder, Cinnamon, Cumin Seeds, Cardamom): This combination of spices adds a complex and aromatic blend of flavors. They contribute to the overall spiciness, warmth, and depth of the dish.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

While this recipe is for beef samosas, you can switch out the ground beef for ground lamb, chicken, or turkey and instead make lamb samosas, chicken samosas or turkey samosas with this recipe.

MAKE TIME FOR THIS RECIPE

This beef samosa recipe takes a little time to make due to the time it takes to fill the pastry, but it is fun and gets done faster if you invite a family member or friend to help! The time to make this on the recipe card assumes you are doing it yourself. It takes about 2 minutes to fill each beef samosa and since this yields 25-30, the time to fill the samosas is about an hour.

How to Make Baked Beef Samosa

Step #1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

Make the Samosa Filling

Step #1: Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and salt lightly, and bring the water to a boil.

Step #2: Gently pour in the potatoes and peas, being careful not to get any hot water on you.

Step #3: Cook for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Potatoes and peas boiling in a medium-sized saucepan.

Step #4: Drain off the water and then mash the potatoes and peas together, then set them aside.

Step #5: Use a large saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil, heating it with medium-high heat.

Step #6: Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf to the vegetable oil and brown for 60-90 seconds.

Large saucepan with vegetable oil, cumin seeds, and bay leaf.

Step #7: Mix in the onions and ground beef into the large saucepan. Cook until the beef is browned and the onions are soft, about 5-10 minutes.

Onions and ground beef in a large saucepan.

Step #8: Mix in the fresh ginger and garlic.

Step #9: Mix in the seasonings: cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, salt, and black pepper.

Seasonings added to the meat mixture for our beef samosa.

Step #10: Mix in the mashed potatoes and peas until evenly combined.

Combining mashed potatoes and peas until evenly mixed.

Step #11: Remove the saucepan from the heat and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until it has cooled enough to handle easily.

Step #12: Mix the cilantro and green chile peppers into the samosa filling mixture.

Mixing the cilantro and green chili peppers into the samosa filling mixture.

Fill the Samosas

Step #1: Please view the photos and/or video in this post to see exactly how to easily fill these samosas.

Step #2: Open the phyllo package, unroll it, and lay it onto wax paper.

Step #3: Peel off one phyllo sheet and place it onto another piece of wax paper, then cover the rest of the phyllo sheets with wax paper or they will dry out quickly.

Step #4: Brush the melted butter across the phyllo sheet.

Brushing melted butter on the phyllo sheets.

Step #5: Taking hold of the long side of the phyllo sheet, fold one-third of the phyllo sheet over, then do the same with the other long side so that you have a long phyllo sheet with three layers.

Folding one-third of the long side of the phyllo sheet over.

Step #6: Take one end of the short side of the phyllo sheet and fold it over to form a triangle, where some of the folded phyllo sheet will be outside of the phyllo sheet underneath.

Taking one end of the short side of the phyllo sheet and folding it over to form a triangle.

Step #7: Brush butter on the phyllo sheet above the triangle and fold it over one more time for another triangle, where the edges will align together. Please note that it helps to put your finger at the top of the previous triangle to get the fold where you want it. This creates the pocket for the filling.

Folding the phyllo sheet over once more for another triangle, aligning the edges together.

Step #8: Pick up the phyllo sheet gently and open the pocket for the filling.

Gently opening the phyllo sheet pocket for the filling.

Step #9: Place approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the samosa filling into the pocket of each phyllo sheet.

Filling the phyllo sheet with samosa filling for our beef samosa.

Step #10: Fold the triangle three or four more times to complete the samosa and set it on the baking sheet.

Folding the triangle three or four more times to make our baked beef samosa.

Cook the Samosas

Step #1: Place the samosas on a greased baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes until the corners are golden brown.

Putting the samosa on a greased baking sheet and baking until golden brown.

Serve

Expert Tip

When folding the samosas, make sure to seal the edges of the wrappers securely with a mixture of flour and water. This will prevent the filling from spilling out during baking, ensuring neatly wrapped and delicious samosas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use garam masala for my beef samosa to substitute other spices?

Yes. You can use garam masala which is a blend of ground spices commonly used in India. It typically includes spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and more.

Can I make these samosas without using butter?

You can substitute melted butter with ghee or a dairy-free alternative for a similar result.

Storage Info

If you want to extend their shelf life, you can freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Place the samosas in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag.

When reheating, place them in a preheated oven at 350°F(180°C) for about 15-20 minutes until they are heated through and crispy.

More Delicious Recipes That You Will Love

Baked beef samosa on a plate paired with mango chutney.

Print Recipe

Make the Samosa Filling

Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and salt lightly, and bring the water to a boil.
Gently pour in the potatoes and peas, being careful not to get any hot water on you.
Cook for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Drain off the water and then mash the potatoes and peas together, then set them aside.
Use a large saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil, heating it with medium-high heat.
Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf to the vegetable oil and brown for 60-90 seconds.
Mix in the onions and ground beef into the large saucepan. Cook until the beef is browned and the onions are soft, about 5-10 minutes.
Mix in the fresh ginger and garlic.
Mix in the seasonings: cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, salt, and black pepper.
Mix in the mashed potatoes and peas until evenly combined.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until it has cooled enough to handle easily.
Mix the cilantro and green chile peppers into the samosa filling mixture.

Fill the Samosas

Please view the photos and/or video in this post to see exactly how to easily fill these samosas.
Open the phyllo package, unroll it, and lay it onto wax paper.
Peel off one phyllo sheet and place it onto another piece of wax paper, then cover the rest of the phyllo sheets with wax paper or they will dry out quickly.
Brush the melted butter across the phyllo sheet.
Taking hold of the long side of the phyllo sheet, fold one-third of the phyllo sheet over, then do the same with the other long side so that you have a long phyllo sheet with three layers.
Take one end of the short side of the phyllo sheet and fold it over to form a triangle, where some of the folded phyllo sheet will be outside of the phyllo sheet underneath.
Brush butter on the phyllo sheet above the triangle and fold it over one more time for another triangle, where the edges will align together. Please note that it helps to put your finger at the top of the previous triangle to get the fold where you want it. This creates the pocket for the filling.
Pick up the phyllo sheet gently and open the pocket for the filling.
Place approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the samosa filling into the pocket of each phyllo sheet.
Fold the triangle three or four more times to complete the samosa and set it on the baking sheet.

To store these Baked Beef Samosas, allow them to cool completely before refrigerating them in an airtight container. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, maintaining their flavor and texture.
If you want to extend their shelf life, you can freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Place the samosas in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag.
When reheating, place them in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15-20 minutes until they are heated through and crispy.