Save My neighbor Nina brought a golden spiral of burek to my kitchen one autumn afternoon, and the moment I bit through that shattering phyllo into the savory meat and spinach inside, I understood why she'd been cryptic about her family recipe for years. She finally relented and shared it, laughing as she watched me struggle with the first sheet of phyllo—too dry, cracking at the edges. Now, whenever I make this Bosnian classic, I think of her patient hands guiding mine, showing me how the butter and oil are the secret to that impossible crispness.
I made this for my book club once, nervous that serving "ethnic food" might feel presumptuous, but someone asked for thirds and another member demanded the recipe before dessert was even served. That's when I realized burek isn't precious or complicated—it's the kind of honest, satisfying food that reminds people why they love eating in the first place.
Ingredients
- Ground beef (400g, 80/20 ratio): The fat ratio matters here because it keeps the filling from drying out during baking; lean meat alone will taste stringy and sad, so don't skimp or over-lean it.
- Fresh spinach (200g, washed and chopped): You want roughly chopped, not pulverized, so the texture stays pleasant and you can actually see the green in each bite.
- Onion and garlic (1 medium onion finely chopped, 2 cloves minced): These dissolve into the filling and become the backbone of flavor, so don't rush the chopping or you'll regret the texture.
- Salt, black pepper, and paprika (1 tsp, ½ tsp, ½ tsp optional): The paprika adds a whisper of warmth and color, but it's genuinely optional if you don't have it on hand.
- Phyllo pastry sheets (500g, roughly 12–14 sheets): Buy the thawed kind if you can find it, and keep it under a barely damp towel while you work because even five minutes of air exposure makes it brittle and unusable.
- Unsalted butter and vegetable oil (120g butter melted, 3 tbsp oil): The blend of butter and oil is crucial—butter alone burns, oil alone doesn't crisp the same way, so trust the combination.
- Plain yogurt and water for brushing (3 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp water optional): This mixture creates an almost glass-like finish that crackles when you cut into it, so it's worth doing even though it feels like an extra step.
Instructions
- Warm your oven and prep your workspace:
- Set the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line your baking tray with parchment paper. A cold oven means soggy bottoms, so patience with preheating is worth it.
- Mix the filling until it feels alive:
- Combine the ground beef, chopped spinach, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika in a large bowl, using your hands to mix it thoroughly. You'll know it's ready when the spinach is evenly distributed and the meat has a slightly lighter color from the garlic and onion breaking down.
- Prepare your butter-oil elixir:
- Melt the butter gently and whisk it together with the vegetable oil in a small bowl. This mixture is your insurance policy against burnt and crispy instead of burnt and bitter.
- Layer and brush the phyllo with intention:
- Place one phyllo sheet on your work surface and brush it lightly with the butter-oil mixture, then lay another sheet on top and brush again. Build a stack of 2–3 sheets, brushing between each layer so every surface gets that protective coating.
- Fill with a steady hand:
- Spread a thin, even line of the meat-spinach filling along one long edge of your phyllo stack, leaving a small border so nothing squeezes out during rolling. Think of it as a thin stripe, not a thick mound.
- Roll toward something beautiful:
- Starting from the filled edge, roll the phyllo tightly around the filling, keeping tension so the pastry doesn't wrinkle or tear. This takes a gentle confidence—not rough, not tentative, just steady.
- Coil into a spiral like nature intended:
- Take that rolled log and gently coil it into a spiral shape, like a snail shell lying flat, and place it on your prepared baking tray. You can make one large spiral or several smaller ones depending on your mood and pan space.
- Brush generously with gold:
- Use all your remaining butter-oil mixture to brush the tops of your spirals, making sure every visible surface glistens. This is what gives you that shattering, golden exterior.
- Add the yogurt gloss (if you dare):
- Mix the plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon of water and brush this mixture over the pastry for an even crispier, almost lacquered finish. It's optional, but it's the difference between good and unforgettable.
- Bake until golden and aromatic:
- Slide the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and you can smell the butter and phyllo crisping. The kitchen should smell like something from your dreams.
- Rest before cutting:
- Let the burek sit for 10 minutes after coming out of the oven—this lets the filling set slightly so it doesn't fall apart when you slice it. I know it's hard to wait.
- Slice and serve with warmth:
- Cut generous slices and serve warm, ideally with plain yogurt on the side and maybe a simple cucumber salad to cut through the richness.
Save There's a moment about halfway through baking when the phyllo starts to brown and the smell of beef, spinach, and butter fills your entire house—that moment is when you know you've done something right. My kids stopped whatever they were doing and just sat at the kitchen counter, waiting for it to finish baking.
Making Burek Ahead (Or Not)
You can assemble the entire burek the night before, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. This is genuinely useful when you're hosting and don't want to be fussing with phyllo while your guests are arriving. The only difference is that cold burek might take an extra 5–10 minutes to bake through, so just keep an eye on the color.
Variations Worth Trying
Swap the ground beef for ground lamb if you want something richer and more fragrant, or do a beef-lamb mix for the best of both. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat entirely and mix crumbled feta cheese with the spinach, onion, and garlic—it's a completely different dish, but equally good. Some people add a pinch of nutmeg to the filling, which sounds weird until you taste it and understand why it works.
Serving and Storage
Burek is best served warm on the day you make it, sliced into generous wedges and paired with cool, plain yogurt on the side. If you have leftovers (rare), reheat them gently in a low oven so the phyllo doesn't shatter into a million pieces, and they'll stay crispy instead of soggy. Serve with something bright and simple—a cucumber salad, a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs if you have them—because all that richness needs a quiet, clean flavor nearby.
- Keep the phyllo covered the entire time you're assembling, or it becomes impossible to work with.
- The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, which cuts your actual assembly time nearly in half.
- If your phyllo tears during layering, just overlap another piece slightly and brush with butter—nobody will know when it's baked.
Save This burek has become the kind of dish I make when I want to impress people without pretending it's harder than it actually is. It's honest food, made with care and maybe a little butter, and that's enough.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → What type of meat is best for the filling?
Ground beef with an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio is preferred to keep the filling juicy and flavorful, though lamb or a beef-lamb mix can also be used.
- → Can I make this without meat?
Yes, omit the meat and add crumbled feta cheese for a vegetarian-friendly filling that maintains savory notes.
- → How do I keep the phyllo pastry from drying out during assembly?
Keep the phyllo sheets covered with a damp towel while assembling to prevent them from drying and cracking.
- → What’s the best way to ensure the pastry is crispy?
Brush the phyllo generously with melted butter and vegetable oil mixture, and optionally add a yogurt-water glaze before baking for extra crispness.
- → How long should the pastry rest after baking?
Let the Burek rest for about 10 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set and make slicing easier.
- → What sides complement this dish well?
Plain yogurt or a simple cucumber salad are excellent accompaniments to balance the rich and savory flavors.