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Kenyan Beef Samosas
4.9 from 138 votes

Kenyan Beef Samosas

Kenyan Beef Samosas are pastry pockets filled with a seasoned mix of ground beef, onions, garlic, jalapeño, and spices, accented with peas, scallions, and fresh cilantro. The dough is kneaded and rested before being rolled and cut for shaping. These samosas are fried until golden and crisp, offering a flavorful and textured snack or appetizer.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: African, Asian

Ingredients

Filling:
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 ½ tbsps vegetable oil
  • 1 red onion diced, medium
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeño minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 4 scallions diced
  • 1 cup peas defrosted, frozen
  • 2 tbsps cilantro chopped, fresh
Pastry:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tsps vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons more
  • 1 tbsp flour mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
  • 3 cups canola oil
  • lime for serving, wedges

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To make the meat filling, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat then add the ground beef. Use a spatula to break the meat apart and cook for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the onion and cook until the beef is brown and the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic, jalapeño, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas and cilantro, then cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Remove the meat filling from the heat and let cool.
For the pastry:
  1. Combine the flour, salt, olive oil, and water in a bowl. Use your hand or a spatula to mix together. Once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and soft.
  2. Shape the dough into a ball and brush with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm damp tea towel. Let rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea towel and plastic wrap and roll the dough out into a 10-inch (25-cm) long log.
  4. Cut into 10 even sections. Take one section and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a thin circle about 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.
  5. Repeat with the remaining dough. Stack the dough circles as you roll them out, sprinkling a bit of flour between each one and keeping them covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
  6. Place one of the circles of dough in a large greased pan over high heat and cook for 10 seconds on each side. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  7. Cut one of the par-cooked dough circles into four quarters. Take one quarter and, with the round side closest to you, fold from the right taking the right-hand tip of the triangle to about a third of the way down the left-hand edge. Repeat with the left-hand tip, taking it over the previous fold, to create a cone-like pocket. Seal the edges with a flour and water paste.
  8. Fill the pocket with the meat filling, then fold the top tip of the dough down like an envelope, and seal with flour paste. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  9. Heat the canola oil to 350° F (180° C) in a large, deep pan. Once the oil is at the correct temperature, carefully put in 4-6 samosas.
  10. Fry for about 5 minutes, flipping once, until light, golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
  11. Serve with a wedge of lime.

Notes