This easy Turkish Borek recipe is filled with authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spices. With its flaky, creamy layers and hearty filling of cheese and seasoned ground meat, this borek is one of my top Turkish Recipes.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
📌 Recipe: Easy Turkish Borek (Meat & Cheese Pie)
⏲️ Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (40 min prep, 45 min cook)
👥 Serves: 6 servings
🌏 Cuisine: Turkish
📝 Quick Summary: Crispy, golden phyllo layers filled with seasoned ground meat, soft potatoes, and a creamy cheese-egg mix. Perfect for sharing with family or friends.
🌟 Main Ingredients: Phyllo pastry, ground meat, onions, garlic, potatoes, crushed tomatoes, eggs, milk, yogurt, parmesan, butter, spices.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep phyllo covered with a slightly damp towel while working so it doesn't dry out and crack while layering.
💡 Summarize and save this recipe on
Borek is a staple on dinner tables across Turkey. Made with thin layers of phyllo dough, it is filled with fillings like cheese, spinach, ground meat, or potatoes. The layers are stacked or rolled, creating a deliciously flaky and hearty treat.
Perfect for pairing with other dishes like Şakşuka (Turkish fried vegetables), roasted eggplant with creamy yogurt, or enjoying alongside Turkish coffee or ayran, a refreshing Turkish yogurt drink for an authentic morning treat. It tastes just like the borek you'd find at a bakery in Istanbul.
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Borek fits any meal, whether you serve it as a quick snack, a light starter, or the main event. It is a staple at Turkish celebrations and family gatherings because it is so easy to share. As the star of the table, this dish is a guaranteed hit-your guests will definitely ask for seconds!
You should also try our Smashed Kefta Tacos, Turkish Bulgur Pilav, Pide - Turkish Flat Bread / Pizza or baked meatballs with Hasselback potatoes for a delicious lunch or dinner.
Amy Liu Dong says
"Oh my, this is such a great-looking pastry! Looks incredibly delicious and very appealing too! Totally loved it!"
💗Why This Recipe Works
✅ Crispy & buttery layers of phyllo dough
✅ Juicy, well-seasoned ground meat filling
✅ Creamy cheese for richness
✅ Easy to customise (vegetarian options included!)
✅ Freezer-friendly for make-ahead meals. Just like my hearty one-pan beef stew.
🥘 Ingredients
- Ground meat: Choose any type you like, such as beef, lamb, or turkey. Cook it until browned. For a deeply flavoured all-beef dish, try my authentic beef goulash - same rich seasoned meat, just a different format.
- Onions: Dice them finely for sweetness in the meat filling.
- Garlic: Grate or dice your fresh garlic, it is much stronger than garlic powder.
- Potatoes: Peel and grate; they bind the filling together. Any type of potato is as good.
- Crushed tomatoes: You can use fresh or a can of finely diced tomatoes.
- Eggs: Beat them with milk and yogurt for a creamy, rich texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Grate it for a salty taste in the filling.
- Phyllo pastry: I used one pack of this pastry.
- Butter: Brush it between layers of phyllo pastry for crispiness.
- Olive oil: Use for sautéing onions, garlic, and ground meat.
- Spices: Garlic powder, Smoked paprika, Cumin, red pepper flakes, Baharat spice, Salt and Pepper.
♻️ Substitutions
- Ground meat: You can substitute with chicken, turkey, or even plant-based alternatives like lentils or mushrooms for a vegetarian option.
- Onions: Shallots or leeks can be used.
- Potatoes: Sweet potatoes or cauliflower can be used.
- Crushed tomatoes: Tomato sauce or diced tomatoes.
- Milk: Plant-based milk such as almond, soy, or oat milk.
- Plain yogurt: Dairy-free yogurt or sour cream.
- Parmesan cheese: Nutritional yeast or a combination of grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- Butter: Use olive oil to brush between the layers of the pastry.
📖 Variations
- Vegetarian: Replace the ground meat with a mixture of sautéed vegetables lsuch as spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers for a flavorful vegetarian option.
- Cheese: Add extra cheese such as feta or mozzarella to the filling for a cheesy twist.
- Spicy: Increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add diced jalapeños for a spicy finish.
- Herbs: Incorporate fresh herbs: parsley, dill, or mint into the filling.
- Sweet: Create a sweet version by filling the borek with a mixture of sweetened ricotta cheese, cinnamon, and diced nuts, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
👩🍳 How to Make Turkish Borek
If you're craving something tasty, you'll love this Turkish tray borek with cheese and meat! I'll walk you through the filling and layering, and your kitchen will smell amazing as it bakes. Love layered dishes? You have to try my easy Moussaka with mashed potatoes next time.
Step 1: Add all the filling ingredients, except the crushed tomatoes, into a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
Step 2: Let them cook together for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
Step 3: Then, add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes.
Step 4: While that cooks, layer half the phyllo sheets in the greased dish, brushing each with melted butter.
Step 5: Spread the meat mixture evenly over the layers of pastry sheets.
Step 6: In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, plain yogurt, and grated parmesan until combined.
Step 7: Lay the remaining phyllo sheets over the meat filling, brushing each with melted butter, then pour the egg mixture on top.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Let it cool slightly, then slice and serve.
A full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
💭 Pro Tips for the Best Borek
✔ Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.
✔ Brush each layer generously with butter for extra crispiness.
✔ Let it cool 5 mins before serving.
✔ Freeze unbaked borek and bake straight from frozen (+5 mins).
Side Dishes to Serve with Turkish Borek
- Yogurt Sauce: A side of tangy yogurt sauce, seasoned with garlic and herbs.
- Potato Salad: Italian Potato & Cucumber Salad (No Mayo!) - Ready in 30 Min
- Bulgur: Turkish Bulgur Pilav
- Fresh Salad: Greek Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Feta (15-Min Recipe!)
- Roasted Vegetables: Şakşuka (Turkish fried vegetables)
- Rice Pilaf: Lebanese Rice and Broken Vermicelli
❓Easy Turkish Borek FAQS
Borek is a classic Turkish pastry made with super-thin dough, usually filo or yufka. It's filled with ingredients like ground meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes, then baked until crispy and golden. You'll find it rolled, layered, or shaped into triangles or spirals-great as a snack, appetiser, or even a full meal.
They're actually the same type of dish! Borek (or burek) refers to a group of pastries made with thin, flaky dough such as phyllo or yufka, usually filled with cheese, meat, or veggies. The name changes slightly depending on the region.
I like making burek in the air fryer when I want something fast and still crispy. You can pop it in and get those golden, flaky layers in less time than it takes to bake-great for when you're short on time but still want something homemade.
I keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, I use the oven or air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes to get it crispy again. You can also freeze it-wrap it well, and it'll keep for 2-3 months.
I like pairing borek with traditional drinks like ayran, a refreshing Turkish yogurt drink, or strong Turkish tea-they really balance the richness. Turkish coffee is also a great choice if you want something bold.
Other good options include sparkling water, fresh fruit juices such as orange or pomegranate, and crisp white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. Herbal teas such as mint or chamomile and yogurt-based drinks like lassi or kefir also work well to round out the flavour.
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📖 Recipe
Turkish Borek Recipe (Sigara Böreği) - Flaky Cheese & Meat Pastry
Video
Equipment
- baking pan a 9x13-inch (22x33 cm) rectangular baking dish.
- Brush for brushing melted butter or oil between layers of phyllo
Ingredients
Ingredients for the filling
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 g ground meat any type you like
- 2 medium onions diced
- 4 garlic cloves grated or cubed
- 2 large potatoes peeled and grated
- 350 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Baharat spice
- 2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the egg mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup parmesan grated
Extra
- 1 packet Phyllo pastry
- 50 g melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a baking dish. In a large pan, add all ingredients for the filling, except for the crushed tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.3 tbsp olive oil, 500 g ground meat, 2 medium onions, 4 garlic cloves, 2 large potatoes, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp Baharat spice, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
- After that time, add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes.350 g crushed tomatoes
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, plain yogurt, and grated parmesan to make the egg mix.3 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 cup parmesan
- Layer half of the Phyllo pastry sheets in the greased baking dish, brushing each sheet with melted butter.1 packet Phyllo pastry
- Spread the ground meat mixture evenly over the pastry sheets.
- Layer the remaining Phyllo pastry sheets on top, brushing each sheet with melted butter.50 g melted butter
- Pour the egg mix over the top layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the burek is golden and crispy.
- Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve this delicious burek as a tasty and satisfying meal! Enjoy!
Janice says
This was so great! Reminded me a lot of moussaka!
Mary says
The flakiness between the layers of meat and cheese is just perfect.