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Vegan Lentil Sambusa Pie – the popular Ethiopian Street Food “Sambusa” turned into a savory vegan pie that your friends and family will love! No need to make your own crust – this recipe uses vegan puff pastry! Nutfree Soyfree , Glutenfree option
If you love samosas, this Ethiopian Vegan Lentil Pie – aka Sambusa Pie – will be your new favorite thing to eat!
Sambusa is common street food and a very popular snack in Ethiopia where it would be served fresh off the fryer. While they can have many different fillings, this vegetarian version with lentils is my favorite. It’s savory and flavorful and wonderfully satisfying!
You read pie and your mind immediately jumps to “time-consuming” and “finicky”? Oh, you will love this part: the pie crust is made from store-bought vegan puff pastry!
Yes, we take the shortcut here, and trust me, you will not regret it! The filling has so much flavor and makes for an amazing snack or side!
Is Puff Pastry Vegan?
Puff Pastry — flaky, buttery goodness and obviously not always vegan. In fact, puff pastry is traditionally made with butter and usually brushed with egg before baking.
However, many store-bought puff pastries are made without dairy or egg because it makes them more shelf-stable so check your grocery stores for those accidentally vegan puff pastry.
To make Sambusas, use spring roll wrappers dough. Shape into cones, fill, Fold and seal using a mix of flour and water and bake at 400 deg F until golden.
More Ethiopian Recipes:
- Ethiopian Inspired Mushroom Tibs Stir-Fry
- Ethiopian Berbere Chickpea Pizza with Tahini Garlic Dressing
- Atakilt Wat Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots
- Kik Alicha – Split Pea stew
Lentil Sambusa Pie
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can of lentils, drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger minced
- 1 hot green chili minced, I usually add 3 or 4 but it can get really hot really quickly , or use 3 mild green chilis
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1.5 teaspoon or more berbere spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup packed chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon or more lemon juice
For the pie
- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry, 9 by 9 inch or similar , see notes for Glutenfree options
Instructions
- Prep your lentils by washing and draining if you're using canned lentils or making your lentils from dried if you haven't made yet.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Then add onion and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion starts to get golden.
- Then add in the green onion, garlic, green chili and another pinch of salt and cook until the garlic is cooked through. 3-4 mins.
- Then add in all of the spices and mix in and continue to cook for another minute.
- Add in the lentils, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4 cup of water and mix well and then continue to cook to simmer the lentils for 3 or 4 minutes.
- Then taste and adjust flavor. Add a dash of the lemon juice. Mix in and set aside.
- Prep your rolling station with a little bit of flour and roll out the partially thawed puff pastry sheet until it is almost double in size. Then slice it into half lengthwise.
- Put the lentils which should be cool by now. Use cool lentils on one of the pastry sheets. Spread it out and put the other pastry sheet on it. Keep about 1/2 inch on the edges of the pastry sheet so you can seal them. Brush water on the edges.
- Using a fork, seal the pastry sheets. Also using the fork, create some holes on the top of the pie or use a scissor to cut up a little bit of holes on top of the pie.
- Then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 c) for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden brown and puffy all over.
- Then remove from the oven. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then slice as you like and serve. Serve as is or with sauces of choice or some tahini lemon dressing or other creamy sauces
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- lentils, drained or cooked lentils
- a mix of sauteed red and onion adds lots of umami
- garlic, ginger and green chili are added for spiciness and oomph
- ground spices: we use a punchy blend of ground coriander, cumin, berbere, cardamom, black pepper
- fresh chopped cilantro adds freshness along with lemon juice, which brightens up the flavor profile of the lentils and takes out any muffy notes
- the pastry case is made using 1 sheet of vegan puff pastry
Tips
- To make this gluten-free, use a gluten-free pie crust of choice and either make hand pies or a larger pie as you wish
- Play around with the amount of green chili – I usually add 3 or 4 but it can get really hot really quickly , or use 3 mild green chilis
- If the lentils are too moist, You can add in 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs to reduce the moisture. or if it’s too fry, add in some broth
- The filling needs to be cool when added to the pastry. You can make it ahead of time, if you want to.
How to make Ethiopian Lentil Sambusa Pie:
Prep your lentils by washing and draining if you’re using canned lentils or making your lentils from dried if you haven’t made them yet.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Then add onion and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion starts to get golden.
Then add in the green onion, garlic, green chili and another pinch of salt and cook until the garlic is cooked through. 3-4 mins
Then add in all of the spices and mix in and continue to cook for another minute.
Add in the lentils, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4 cup of water and mix well and then continue to cook to simmer the lentils for 3 or 4 minutes.
Then taste and adjust flavor. Add a dash of the lemon juice. Mix in and set aside.
Prep your rolling station with a little bit of flour and roll out the partially thawed puff pastry sheet until it is almost double in size. Then slice it into half lengthwise.
Add the lentils which should be cool by now. Use cool lentils on one of the pastry sheets. Spread it out and put the other pastry sheet on it. Keep about 1/2 inch on the edges of the pastry sheet so you can seal them. Brush water on the edges.
Using a fork, seal the pastry sheets. Also using the fork, create some holes on the top of the pie or use a scissor to cut up a little bit of holes on top of the pie.
Then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden brown and puffy all over.
Then remove from the oven. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then slice as you like and serve.
How to store this lentil pie
Refrigerate for upto 4 days, reheat in the toaster or oven. Freeze for upto a month.
This recipe is absolutely delicious . Easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser ❤️
Awesome!