Lebanese Meat Pies (Sfiha)

Name: Lebanese Meat Pies (Sfiha)
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Libanaise
Ingredients: 50 g fresh yeast (or 2¼ tsp active dry yeast); 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 cups (500 ml) warm milk; 2 tablespoons margarine or softened butter; 8 cups (1 kg) all-purpose flour; 1¾ lb (800 g) raw ground beef or lamb; Salt to taste; 1 teaspoon 7-spice blend (baharat); 1 small onion, very finely diced; Juice of 2 lemons; 1 cup (250 ml) tomato sauce

By Marie Lefebvre · Updated October 25, 2026

These golden triangular pastries stuffed with spiced ground meat are a cherished Lebanese street food that became iconic in Brazil. With a pillowy yeast dough and a juicy, citrus-bright filling, they disappear fast at any gathering — you have been warned.

Prep⏱️ 45 min

Servings👥 20 servings

Difficulty📊 Medium

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🛒 Ingredients

20 servings

50 g fresh yeast (or 2¼ tsp active dry yeast)
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (500 ml) warm milk
2 tablespoons margarine or softened butter
8 cups (1 kg) all-purpose flour
1¾ lb (800 g) raw ground beef or lamb
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon 7-spice blend (baharat)
1 small onion, very finely diced
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup (250 ml) tomato sauce

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Directions

1
Combine the crumbled yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until fully dissolved.
2
Pour in the warm milk and margarine, mixing until evenly blended.
3
Add the flour gradually in three batches, kneading between additions until a cohesive dough forms.
4
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly springy.
5
Divide into balls of about 40 g each. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm spot for 30–40 minutes.
6
Combine the ground meat, diced onion, lemon juice, tomato sauce, salt, and baharat in a bowl. Mix well.
7
Transfer the filling to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let it drain for 30 minutes — this prevents soggy pastry.
8
Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Grease and flour one or two large baking sheets.
9
Roll each dough ball into a thin disc. Place a heaped spoonful of drained filling in the center.
10
Fold three sides of the dough up to form a tight triangle, pinching the seams firmly to seal.
11
Arrange on the prepared sheets, rest 10 minutes, then bake 20–25 minutes until evenly golden.

💡 Chef's Tip

Thorough draining is non-negotiable — wet filling is the number-one cause of collapsed seams. For deeper flavor, use a 50/50 mix of beef and lamb. Baked sfiha freeze perfectly; reheat straight from frozen at 350 °F (180 °C) for 8 minutes.