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Meat, Africa and overseas

Agoulou with beef and fries

Agoulou with beef and fries is a Guadeloupean sandwich made from puffed fried bread, filled with a beef patty, fresh vegetables and sauce, served with homemade fries. It serves 4, takes about 1 hour, rates as medium difficulty, and costs around €3 per person. Success depends on the bread dough, which needs to rise properly and then puff up like a balloon when fried.

Tonight, Guadeloupe brings the big guns with an agoulou, a puffed fried bread stuffed with beef, fresh veggies and sauce, served with fries.

Agoulou with beef and fries
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
770 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Agoulou starts with the bread. A yeasted dough, fried at just the right moment, turns into a golden ball that's crisp outside and soft, almost hollow, inside. Once split open, this bread becomes the base for a generous sandwich, packed with beef, crisp vegetables and a mayo ketchup sauce that ties everything together. Homemade fries, cooked in two oil baths, bring the extra crunch a festive meal always needs.

This is a dish for when you have a bit of time on your hands, a Sunday or a weeknight when you want something different from the usual dinner. Kids love building their own sandwich, choosing how much sauce to add, biting into bread that's still warm from the fryer. It's also a great recipe to cook together, since the dough rises while the fries cook alongside.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 600 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 400 g
  • Active dry yeastoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Ketchupoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 75 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Milk 15 cl
  • Mayonnaise 4 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Lettuce 1
  • Red onion 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, yeast, a pinch of salt and the warm milk with a little water, knead and let rise. 45 min

    The dough should be soft and sticky, not stiff.

  2. Shape four balls, flatten them into thick disks and let them puff up a little. 15 min

    Flour your work surface well so they don't stick.

  3. Cook the fries in two oil baths, a first one at 150 °C then a second at 180 °C. 15 min

    This double frying makes the fries crispy without being greasy.

  4. Fry the dough disks in hot oil so they puff up and turn golden, 2 minutes per side, then drain them. 8 min

    Ladle hot oil over the top so they puff up nicely.

  5. Shape the ground beef into patties, pan fry them, then split the breads open and fill with beef, lettuce, tomato, onion and sauce, and serve with the fries. 10 min

    Season the patties with salt after cooking so they stay juicy.

Our tips to get it right

  • Let the bread dough rise somewhere warm and away from drafts, so it rises evenly without forcing it.
  • Keep your frying oil clean and hot enough, since oil that's too cool will make the bread greasy instead of puffy.
  • Prep the filling while the fried breads cool slightly, so you can assemble the sandwiches right away.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for shredded chicken for a different filling with the same toppings.
  • For a vegetarian version, fill the fried bread with hard boiled eggs, fresh vegetables and sauce instead of meat.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the plain fried bread with just the beef patty and ketchup, skipping the onion and vegetables.

What to serve it with

  • A fresh fruit juice
  • A chilled cucumber salad
  • A local fruit syrup drink

Storage

Raw bread dough doesn't keep, it needs to be fried the same day. Cooked beef patties keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheat well in a pan. Fries and fried bread are best eaten right away, since they lose their crunch as they cool.

Questions about this dish

Why doesn't my bread puff up when fried?

Either the dough hasn't risen enough before frying, or the oil isn't hot enough. Check that the dough has doubled in size and that the oil is shimmering before you add the disks.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You can make the dough a few hours ahead and let it rise in the fridge. Take it out just before shaping the disks, so it comes back to room temperature.

What oil should I use for frying?

A neutral oil that handles heat well, like sunflower or peanut oil, works best. Avoid olive oil, since its flavor would be too strong.

Can I cook the patties another way besides pan frying?

Yes, you can grill them or cook them on a barbecue if you have one. The key is to sear them well so they stay juicy inside, and to salt them only after cooking.

How long does it take to make an agoulou with beef and fries?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an agoulou with beef and fries?

About 770 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an agoulou with beef and fries cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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