Buttery, Flaky, Cheesy, and Completely Irresistible
Golden-brown puff pastry that shatters at first bite, giving way to a creamy, salty filling laced with dill, lemon zest, and just a hint of garlic—Israeli cheese bourekas are the definition of savory comfort food.
They’re easy enough for a weekday snack, yet elegant on a mezze platter alongside pickles, olives, and a bowl of freshly grated tomato or spicy homemade zhoug. One batch disappears fast, so plan accordingly!
In Israel they’re called bourekas, but the same flaky, cheese-filled pastries travel the world under aliases like borek, burek, byrek, and boureki—different names, same irresistible bite.
Cooking for a crowd? Skip the individual triangles and use my sheet-pan method for one big boureka you can cut into squares!
Bourekas are a beloved staple of Israeli street food, sold warm from bakeries and roadside kiosks across the country.
Expert Tips For Making Bourekas
- Keep it cold. Warm puff pastry gets sticky and won’t rise as high. If it softens, pop the tray into the fridge for 5 minutes before baking.
- Don’t overfill. A heaping tablespoon per square is plenty; too much causes leaks.
- Rotate the pan. Halfway through baking, spin the tray to ensure even browning.
- Seed variety. For extra flavor, you can use a 50/50 mix of white sesame and black nigella seeds—the latter adds an earthy, peppery note.
Versatile Cheese Filling
This is a great recipe for using up leftover cheese in the fridge. I’m using a trio of cheeses, but honestly it’s such a versatile recipe, so feel free to experiment: feta for briny punch, whole-milk ricotta for silkiness, and mozzarella for that gorgeous cheese pull.
To add even more flavor, the cheesy filling gets fresh dill, garlic, and lemon zest. Stir in an egg yolk for an extra luscious texture.
In the past, I’ve added chopped fresh spinach or even chopped Swiss chard, and both are fantastic!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy bourekas as part of a weekend brunch spread with hard-boiled eggs, cucumber-tomato salad, and a bowl of spicy zhoug or freshly grated tomato for dipping. These are also fantastic as a grab-and-go lunch option!
I’d even eat these dipped in a creamy Greek-style tzatziki…
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Prep ahead: Assemble the burek pastry, arrange on a parchment-lined sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a zip-top bag; bake straight from frozen, adding 3–4 extra minutes.
- Leftovers: Cool the boureki completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a 325°F oven for 8–10 minutes to revive that crisp buttery pastry. Skip the microwave—it makes them soggy.
Freezing baked bourekas: Wrap individually, freeze up to 2 months, and reheat from frozen at 350°F for 12–15 minutes.
Other Varieties Of Bourekas
Feel free to mix and match cheeses, herbs, or spices—bourekas are endlessly adaptable!
- Potato and onion
- Spinach and feta → If you love spinach-feta fillings, try these crispy spanakopita spirals that bake up in a fun, crispy coil.
- Mushroom and onion
- “Pizza” bourekas (think marinara sauce, mozzarella, and oregano)
- Roasted eggplant and feta
- Ground beef or lamb
- Za’atar and cheese
Or even sweet varieties, like a chocolate-hazelnut filling or even stuffed with homemade strawberry preserves.
If You Prefer A Cleaner Seal On The Filling
I actually prefer the look of borekas when some of the cheesy filling bursts out of the sides of the puff pastry. However, if you want it to be sealed more tightly, you can lightly crimp the edges with a fork and vent with a tiny knife knick on top. This will allow steam to escape and keep the edges sealed tightly.
Different Boureka Shapes Explained
Certain shapes can sometimes (not always) be an indicator of what the filling is. In Israel, specifically, this can be important if you’re concerned about whether the boreks contain dairy or are parve (safe to eat after meals with meat):
- Triangle → salty white cheese (feta, ricotta, Bulgarian blends, etc.)
- Square or rectangle → mashed potatoes + other fillings
- Half-moon → soft Bulgarian or feta cheese
- Stick / finger → mild cheeses, often in phyllo dough
- Spiral (snail) → “Pizza” filling, such as tomato sauce, oregano, sometimes cheese.
- Rhombus or ring → wild-card! Spinach, onion, and sometimes even dessert fillings.
Each buttery bite is better than the last! If you’re a fan of all things puff pastry (like me 🙋🏻♀️!), you are going to be absolutely obsessed with these crunchy Israeli cheese bourekas.
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Savory Israeli Cheese Bourekas with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
For the Cheese Filling
- 1 cup (250g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 7 oz (200g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 4 oz (110g) shredded whole milk Mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Pastry
- 1 package (2 sheets) of puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- Sesame seeds and/or nigella seeds
For Serving
- Freshly grated tomato
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Israeli salad or zhoug
Instructions
- Prepare the puff pastry. Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out each sheet of puff pastry to be about ⅛-inch thick. Use a knife to cut each sheet into 6 squares.
- Make the filing. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese, 7oz (200g) feta, 4oz (110g) shredded mozzarella, 2 Tbsp chopped dill, 1 large egg yolk, 1 grated clove of garlic, 1 tsp lemon zest, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix well.
- Make the egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 large egg with a teaspoon of water.
- Assemble bourekas. Divide the filling evenly between the pastry squares, placing it on the center of each. Use your finger to line the edges of each square with a little egg wash. Fold the dough, from one corner to the other, making a triangle shape, using your hands to gently press the edges together to seal. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1-inch between each. Brush the remaining egg wash on top of each, then sprinkle generously with sesame seeds (or a mix of sesame and nigella seeds).
- Bake bourekas. Bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cook time. The puff pastry should be puffed up and golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving, as the filling is very hot. Enjoy!
Notes
- To freeze: Assemble the bourekas, then place on a sheet pan in a single layer. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours, then transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the cook time as needed.
- Sealing boureka: You can seal the edges by pressing down with the tines of a fork, but I actually prefer the look of simply pressing the dough together with my hands. I’m ok with a little of the filling appearing along the sides!
Let us know your thoughts!