Beef Samosas

5 from 4 votes

This is an unbelievably delicious recipe for beef samosas. The crispy, golden exterior breaks into shards, giving way to the tastiest warmly spiced minced beef filling.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Beef Samosas

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp water

For the filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated garlic
1 tsp salt divided
8 oz minced beef
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
¼ cup frozen green peas
2 green chillies chopped (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Dough

Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, then stir in vegetable oil.
Gradually add water to form a workable dough.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap in a damp kitchen towel, and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Filling

Heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onion, ginger, garlic, and ½ tsp salt; cook for 2 minutes until the onion softens.
Add minced beef, remaining ½ tsp salt, cumin, coriander, and chili powder; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle with garam masala and add frozen peas; stir and cook for 5 more minutes.
Taste and adjust salt if needed; add chopped chillies if using.

Shape the Samosas

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball on a well-floured surface.
Roll each ball into a thin, oblong shape, then slice in half lengthwise to create half-moon shapes.
Take one half, brush edges with water, and fold into an open cone shape, pressing edges to seal.
Fill the cone with about 2 tbsp of beef filling, then pinch to seal and form a flat bottom.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Fry the Samosas:

Pour oil into a deep saucepan or Dutch oven to a depth of 3 inches; heat over medium heat.
Fry the samosas in batches once the oil reaches about 200ºF.
Fry for 15 minutes until golden, then increase heat to high and cook for 5 more minutes until deep golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Notes

Make sure the beef filling is not too wet, as excess moisture can make the samosas soggy. Cook the filling until the liquid evaporates and the mixture is fairly dry. This helps maintain the crispiness of the samosa pastry.

Allow the beef filling to cool completely before filling the samosa dough. Hot filling can cause the dough to become soft and difficult to handle, and it may lead to steam forming inside the samosas, which can cause them to burst open during frying.

Roll out the dough to an even thickness of about 1/8 inch. This ensures that the samosas cook evenly and achieve a perfect crispy texture. Too thick and the dough will be chewy; too thin and it may tear or become too brittle.

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