Vegan Borek Recipe (Vegetarian Borek Recipe)

Vegan soy borek is a crunchy savory pastry made with phyllo sheets, olive oil, and soy filling. Soybeans are cooked with spices such as shallots, garlic, spice powder to create a comfortable and delicious taste. When baked with phyllo pastry sheets, they are super crunchy.

Borek Recipe

During grocery shopping this week, I ended up buying soybeans in bulk. So, I have prepared a large amount of soy cutlets for next week. While stocking up in the fridge, I found some unused sheets of phyllo and with the leftover soybeans, I finally thought of making the borek recipe that was on my waiting list for recipes to try.

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The recipe is very simple to make and you can easily make this vegan borek recipe with a rich soy filling. Soybeans are cooked with olive oil, garlic, shallots, spice powder and cinnamon. The soy masala is wrapped in phyllo sheets and baked until golden crispy.

What is Borek

Borek is a flaky pastry popular in Mediterranean cuisine, particularly in Türkiye and the Balkans. It is traditionally made with sheets of phyllo or yufka dough and comes with various fillings such as spinach, cheese, potatoes, or minced meat.

The process of making borek is similar to our puff, namely it has a crunchy outer layer and a savory filling inside. However, unlike puff pastry, the borek recipe uses thin phyllo sheets so it is lighter and flakier.

Enjoy this crunchy and flavorful borek as a snack or serve it as a party appetizer with hummus, mayonnaise, or ketchup.

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General Questions

Q. Can I use different fillings for borek?

Very ! You can swap out the soya filling for other vegetarian options like paneer, potatoes, spinach, tofu, mushrooms, or non-veg minced meat like mutton, turkey, or chicken. Make sure to cook the contents until they are completely dry.

Q. Can I use puff pastry sheets instead of phyllo sheets?

Yes, you can try it with puff pastry sheets. But the end result will not be the same. Phyllo sheets tend to be crispier and flakier, while puff sheets will rise well, resulting in a thick pastry.

Q. Can I brush the top of the pastry with egg?

Since this recipe is a vegan version, I used butter to brush the top. You can also brush the top with egg to get a golden, crispy color.

Q. Can I fill it out first?

Yes, you can prepare the filling the night before and assemble it whenever you’re ready to bake it. You can also use leftover dried curry as a filling.

Ingredients

Filo pastry sheets: I have used store bought phyllo sheets. If you want to make it from scratch, check out the homemade phyllo dough recipe on my blog.

Olive oil : Olive oil is used to grease the cookie sheets, which makes them perfectly flaky and crispy when baked. You can also use a mixture of oil and butter for brushing.

Sesame seeds: I have used 2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds. Provides a delicious texture and spicy taste when chewing warm borek.

Onion : I have added 2 thinly sliced ​​onions. Cook the onions until they caramelize, so the filling will taste slightly sweet.

Garlic : Finely chopped garlic is used for its spicy taste. You can swap it for garlic powder or ginger garlic paste.

Soy chunks: cooked 4 cups Soybean chunks are also known as meal starters, and are a good source of vegetarian protein. Soak in hot water for 5 minutes until soft. Then squeeze out all the moisture so that the masalas are well coated when cooked and drained. Other vegan filling options to try are potato, tofu, paneer, or spinach.

Spice powder: I used red chili powder (2 teaspoons), cumin powder (2 teaspoons), garam masala powder (1 teaspoon), black pepper powder, cinnamon (1 teaspoon), and coriander powder (2 teaspoons) to add spice and flavor to the filling.

Tomato sauce or ketchup: I’ve added ¼ cup of tomato sauce for a light sweet-tangy taste.

Expert Tips

Thaw the sheet: Thaw the phyllo pastry sheets and store at room temperature before using. Also once you start working on the sheets, cover the rest of the sheet with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.

Golden crust: Use a pastry brush or spoon to spread a generous amount of butter or oil between each layer of phyllo sheets. This helps achieve a golden crunch on top.

Dry filling: Make sure the filling is not runny. Cook until all the water content has evaporated.

Assembly variations: Here I assemble the borek like a spiral. You can try other looks like layering phyllo sheets like lasagna or folding them into triangles like samosas.

Reheat: Do not reheat borek using the microwave. Instead, reheat using the oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the borek slices and reheat for 5 to 8 minutes or until hot and crispy.

Storage & Serving

Store leftover vegan borek pieces in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Or freeze for up to one month.

Do not use the microwave to reheat leftover borek. It will be soggy, not crunchy. To get the perfect flaky and crunchy texture, reheat the borek using the oven or air fryer.

Serve vegan borek with Mediterranean sauce such as hummus, tahini sauce, or tomato sauce.

Step by Step Images

1)Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

2) Add garlic and mix well. Cook until fragrant.

3)Now add the cooked soybean granules and mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes.

4)Now add all the spice powder, salt, pepper.

5)Add tomato sauce and water. Stir well. Cook for 2 more minutes.

6)Now add coriander leaves and mix well.

7)The soy filling is ready. Set aside to cool.

8)Now let’s assemble the borek. Preheat the oven first. 180 degrees c. Take a large plate or pan and grease it generously with oil. Set this aside.

9) grab your phyllo pastry.

10) Take 2 sheets of phyllo.

11) and grease with enough oil.

12)Now spread the filling evenly.

13) Start rolling from one side tightly like a log.

14)Now place this on a greased baking sheet and Roll into a spiral. Prepare the second log exactly like the first. Join the second dowel to the first by tucking the ends into each other. Continue forming a spiral. The sides of the logs should touch but not be squeezed tightly.

15) Once everything is rolled up. Brush the top with enough oil or melted butter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

16) Remove from the oven, let cool slightly. Slice and serve.

17) Enjoy.

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