Vegetarian "Beef" Samosa

Ingredients

• 230 gplain flour
• 155 g (½ cup)water
• 1 packet (340 g)plant-based mince
• ½ smallonion
• ⅓spring onion
• ⅓carrot
• 1 clovegarlic
• ½ tspground cumin
• ½ tspgaram masala
• ¼ tspblack pepper
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   For homemade wrappers, mix the flour with 155 g (½ cup) water, adding a little more only if the dough is too dry. Knead for 5 minutes until you have a soft, non-sticky ball, then place it in a well-oiled bowl and leave it to rest. Skip these wrapper-making steps if using ready-made wrappers.

2. 2

   Prepare the filling

   While the dough rests, finely chop the onion, spring onion, carrot and garlic, and measure out the spices. Cook the plant-based mince in a pot over medium heat until it changes colour and its liquid has cooked off; break up any large clumps. Add the spices and chopped vegetables and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the filling to a bowl and chill it in the fridge.

3. 3

   Shape the wrappers

   Roll the rested dough into a log and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Roll one piece into a circle about 13–15 cm (5–6 inches) across, spread a generous amount of vegetable oil over it and dust with flour. Roll out a second piece to the same size and stack it on top; repeat with a third piece, leaving the top of the final circle un-oiled. Set the stack aside and make another stack in the same way. Roll each stack into a larger circle about 28–30 cm (11–12 inches) across.

4. 4

   Part-cook wrappers

   Cook each large circle in a pan over low-medium heat until the top begins to turn translucent. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute, then repeat with the remaining stack. Take the wrappers off the heat and leave them to cool for about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Cut and seal

   Choose one of the two shaping methods. For strips, cut each round wrapper into 3 strips; trim the curved edges to make rectangles if you like, saving the trimmings for frying as chips. Separate the strips gently. Mix about 2 tablespoons of flour with enough water to make a thick paste. Fold one corner of a strip into a triangle, fold it over to form an upside-down triangle, and paste the open edge to make a cone. Fill the cone, paste the remaining flap and fold it over to seal.

6. 6

   Shape quarter circles

   For the other method, cut a wrapper in half across the diameter, then cut it from top to bottom to make 4 pieces. Separate them gently and mix about 2 tablespoons of flour with enough water to make a thick paste. Position a piece with its sharp point at the top and curved edge at the bottom. Fold the curved edges in to form an upside-down triangle and paste the sides together to make a cone. Fill it, push the shortest edge into the filling, then paste and fold the flap over; seal all the corners.

7. 7

   Fry until golden

   For deep-frying, pour neutral oil into a pot to a depth of about one-third of the pot and heat over medium heat. Test it with a scrap of dough: the oil is ready when the piece floats and sizzles. Add samosas one at a time, without overfilling the pot, and fry on each side until golden brown. Lift them out and drain on kitchen paper.

8. 8

   Air-fry samosas

   Alternatively, arrange the samosas in an air fryer and spray them generously with oil. Air-fry at 188°C (370°F) for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

What are East African samosas?

Samosas are filled pastries found in many food traditions, including East African cooking, where they are often served as a snack or part of a meal. This version keeps the familiar triangular parcel and spiced savoury filling while using plant-based mince instead of meat.

Homemade wrappers are layered and rolled into large circles, giving you pastry to cut and fold around the filling. The two shaping options let you choose between strips or quarter-circle pieces.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 180 calories, 9g protein, 18g carbs, 8g fat.

The flour wrapper contributes most of the carbohydrates, while the plant-based mince supplies much of the protein and fat; the frying method can add further fat. Pair a serving with salad or vegetables for freshness and a more balanced plate.

The plant-based filling

Mince first: cook the plant-based mince until its colour changes and excess liquid has evaporated. Breaking up clumps at this stage helps the filling sit evenly inside each pastry.

Vegetables next: add the chopped onion, spring onion, carrot and garlic with the cumin, garam masala, pepper and salt. Cook until the vegetables soften, then chill the mixture before assembling so it is easier to handle.

Getting the wrapper right

Soft dough: add the measured water to the flour and knead until the dough is soft but not sticky. If it feels dry, add a little more water; allow it to rest in an oiled bowl before rolling.

Layered circles: stack three small circles with oil and flour between the layers, leaving the top circle bare. Rolling the stack into a larger circle creates wrapper layers that can be separated after cooking.

Sealing the samosas

Flour paste: mix flour with just enough water to make a thick, glue-like paste. Use it on the open edges so the parcels stay closed as they cook.

Choose a shape: strips make a slim cone that you fold around the filling, while quarter circles form a cone from the rounded edges. In either case, keep the filling inside the pastry edges and seal every corner.

Frying and doneness

Oil cue: a scrap of dough should float and sizzle when the oil is ready. Fry the samosas in batches rather than crowding the pot, turning them so both sides become golden.

Air-fryer option: spray the pastry generously with oil and cook at 188°C for 20 minutes, turning halfway. The samosas are ready when the outside is golden brown.

Serving ideas

Serve the samosas hot, as the recipe suggests, when the pastry is at its crispest. They work on their own as a snack or alongside a fresh salad or vegetables for a more complete plate.

The recipe also suggests frying the curved wrapper trimmings as chips. Keep them separate from the filled parcels and cook until crisp.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chill the cooked filling before shaping so it is easier to portion into the wrappers.
• Break up the plant-based mince as it cooks to avoid large lumps in the filling.
• Keep the dough covered while working so it does not dry out.
• Use a thick flour paste and press the edges firmly to help each samosa stay sealed.
• Fry in batches, leaving room for the samosas to move in the oil.
• Turn the air-fried samosas halfway through for more even browning.

Variations

• Use ready-made wrappers: skip the dough preparation and wrapper-cooking steps.
• Try the strip shape: cut the wrapper into 3 strips and fold each into a cone.
• Try quarter circles: cut the round wrapper into 4 pieces and form a cone from each.
• Air-fry: spray the shaped parcels generously with oil instead of deep-frying.
• Use the trimmings: fry the curved pastry scraps as chips.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dry dough: add a little more water until it becomes soft and workable.
• Large mince clumps: break them up in the pot before adding the vegetables.
• Warm filling: chill it before stuffing so it is easier to manage.
• Thin sealing paste: add flour until the paste is thick and glue-like.
• Crowded pot: fry fewer samosas at a time so they can brown properly.
• Unsealed corners: apply paste to the edges and press them closed before cooking.

How to store

Cool leftover samosas and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer or oven until hot and crisp; the pastry may soften if reheated in a microwave.

Frequently asked questions