Bourak (Assyrian Egg Rolls) Recipe

Bourak are often called Assyrian, Iraqi, or Middle Eastern egg rolls. These crispy rolls are filled with spiced ground beef, onion, and parsley. Try this bourak recipe as part of a mezze platter with other favorites like sambousek, Lebanese hummus, and kotletai.

Most families have someone with a signature dish. In my family, that person is my sister, Rosa, and bourak is her signature dish. Since she works out of the country, we don't get to see each other very often.

Luckily, we were able to plan our trips to Chicago during the same period. I decided to take advantage of this rare occurrence by planning a day of cooking with her.

Now, whenever I make bourak, I think of the fun time we had making them together.

Jump to:

• What Is Bourak?
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Make Bourak
• Make Ahead and Freezing
• What to Serve With Bourak
• FAQs
• Pro Tips
• Related Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

What Is Bourak?

Bourak are thin wrappers rolled around a savory filling and fried until crispy. You'll find a lot of spellings online, including boorak, burag, burak, bourek, borek, and burek. For this recipe, I'm referring to them as bourak, the way my family does.

A lot more cultures make them than I originally thought, including Croatians, Algerians, Turks, Greeks, Arabs, and of course, Assyrians. The dish dates back to the Ottoman Empire, where "borek" was a phyllo-layered cheese pie sweetened with honey. Today there are savory and sweet versions, filled with everything from meat to cheese and herbs.

My family is Assyrian from Iraq, and like most of our recipes, this one is an Iraqi version. We mainly make meat-filled bourak, and that's the recipe I'm sharing here. If you'd like to try a cheese-filled version, check out my cheese burek (börek).

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ground beef: 10% to 12% fat is the sweet spot. Since bourak are fried, you don't need a fattier beef. My sister, Beni, even makes them with ground turkey.
• Onion: a small yellow onion, minced fine so it blends into the filling.
• Spices: Curry powder, allspice, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Add ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon of cayenne, if you prefer spicy food.
• Italian parsley: Freshly chopped Italian parsley.
• Egg roll wrappers: One package of egg rolls, approximately 18-20 sheets.
• Oil for frying: I use avocado oil, but vegetable oil may be substituted.

How to Make Bourak

Step 1: Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking up any large clumps. Add minced onion to the pan and sauté until soft.

Step 2: Add salt, pepper, and remaining spices, and mix to combine. When the meat is browned, add chopped Italian parsley and cook for one more minute. Set aside to cool.

Step 3: When the filling has cooled, place one egg roll wrapper in front of you. Add two tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper. Lift the bottom edge over the filling, then fold the sides over the filling and roll up. Seal the corner with a dab of water and repeat.

Step 4: Heat oil in a medium frying pan to 375°F. Carefully place a few bourak in the pan and fry until golden brown on all sides. Repeat with the rest.

Step 5: Drain fried bourak on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve while hot.

Make Ahead and Freezing

You can roll bourak ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to fry them. Toss them in a little cornstarch first so they don't stick to each other or the plate.

Bourak also freeze well, either uncooked or already fried. You can fry the uncooked ones straight from the freezer or thaw them first, and they'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Fried bourak crisp right back up when you reheat them in the air fryer or toaster oven.

What to Serve With Bourak

Bourak are often served with Lebanese tabbouleh. They work as an appetizer, a side, or a main with a big salad like zalata (Assyrian salad).

My family eats them just as they are, but my husband always reaches for the hot sauce. Every. Single. Time! If you like a dipping sauce, try them with garlic tahini sauce, chermoula, or this soy tamarind sauce.

FAQs

How do you pronounce bourak?

In my family, we say "boo-rek."

How is bourak different from Chinese egg rolls?

They're rolled and fried the same way, often with the same wrappers. The difference is the filling. Chinese egg rolls usually have pork and cabbage, while Assyrian bourak are filled with ground beef seasoned with curry powder, allspice, and parsley.

Can you air fry or bake bourak?

I tested both methods using rolls brushed with avocado oil. Air frying at 375°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, produced a nice golden-brown exterior, but only the outer layer of the wrapper became crispy. The inner layers remained somewhat undercooked and hard to chew.

Baking at 375°F for 15 minutes, flipping after 8 minutes, had the same problem, only worse. Of the two methods, the air fryer performed better. However, when it comes to bourak, traditional frying is still the winner! If you'd prefer to skip the oil, the air fryer is your best alternative; just keep in mind that the texture won't be quite the same.

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