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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Beef Mutabbaq with Salad

Mutabbaq is a thin crepe folded into a square around a filling of ground beef, eggs, and leeks, then pan fried until crisp. This recipe serves 4, takes 1 hour, is medium difficulty, and costs €2.60 per person. The key to success is stretching the dough until it's almost see through.

For something different, try mutabbaq, a thin crepe folded around a filling of beef, eggs, and leeks, then pan fried until crisp.

Beef Mutabbaq with Salad
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Mutabbaq plays on contrast, a thin crisp crepe wrapped around a soft filling of beef, eggs, and leeks seasoned with cumin and cinnamon. Once pan fried, it's cut into portions like a large savory turnover, golden outside and tender inside. A side salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon brings the freshness this hearty dish needs.

This is a good dish for an evening when you have a bit of extra time, or a Sunday when you want to get the kids involved in folding the squares. It's a change from the usual weeknight recipes while staying easy to pull off. Mon Chou walks you through each step so the dough stays thin without tearing.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 300 g
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Lemon juiceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Ground beef 400 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 3

Fruits and vegetables

  • Leeks 2
  • Onion 1
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Cucumber 1
  • Lettuce 1

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Knead the flour with 150 ml of water, a tablespoon of oil, and a pinch of salt, divide into four balls, and let them rest under an oiled towel. 20 min

    Oil the dough balls, they won't dry out and will stretch much more easily.

  2. Sauté the onion and sliced leeks in a skillet, add the meat, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

    Let the meat brown well until dry, otherwise it will make the dough soggy.

  3. Off the heat, stir two beaten eggs and the chopped parsley into the warm filling.

    Wait until the filling is warm, not hot, or the eggs will scramble into lumps.

  4. Stretch each ball of dough very thin, spoon the filling in the center, and fold the four sides over to form a sealed square.

    Brush the edges with a bit of beaten egg so they seal together.

  5. Brown each mutabbaq in a skillet with a little oil. 12 min

    Press down gently with a spatula so the dough sticks well to the filling.

  6. Cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and lettuce, dress with oil, lemon, and salt, and serve alongside the mutabbaq cut into portions.

    A bit of fresh mint in the salad is a nice touch.

Our tips to get it right

  • Work on a floured surface and stretch the dough with your hands rather than a rolling pin, it stretches better without tearing.
  • Drain the browned meat well before adding the eggs, too much fat will make the filling too wet.
  • Cook the mutabbaq over medium heat, high heat browns the dough before the filling is hot all the way through.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for ground lamb for a stronger flavor, common in some regional versions of this dish.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with chopped mushrooms and well drained spinach.
  • For kids or a quick weeknight version, use store bought spring roll sheets instead of homemade dough, the folding stays the same.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt or yogurt sauce
  • Mint tea
  • Olives as a starter

Storage

Mutabbaq keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well once cooked and cooled, reheat in a skillet to bring back the crispness. Skip the microwave, it softens the dough.

Questions about this dish

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, knead it the day before and keep it in the fridge under an oiled towel. Take it out a bit before rolling so it's easier to stretch.

What can I use instead of leeks?

Scallions or cooked, well drained spinach both work well. The key is keeping a texture that won't release too much water into the filling.

How do I keep the dough from tearing while stretching it?

Oil your hands and the work surface well, and stretch the dough gradually from the center outward. If a small hole appears, just pinch the edges together, it's an easy fix.

Do kids usually like mutabbaq?

Yes, the mild meat filling and crispy dough are generally a hit with kids. You can cut back on the cinnamon if you want a more neutral flavor for them.

How long does it take to make a beef mutabbaq with salad?

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

How many calories are in a beef mutabbaq with salad?

About 680 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 a beef mutabbaq with salad cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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