- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total time
- 55 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Quick summary
“This vegan börek reinvents the classic Middle Eastern puff pastry pie with thin sheets of yufka dough filled with soft leeks, spinach, and feta-style marinated tofu. Roasted until a crispy golden hue, it's a rich and aromatic vegetable meal.”
What you need to know
- The tofu marinated with Sicilian lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil mimics exactly the acidic and salty profile of grilled feta cheese.
- Complete removal of water from sautéed spinach prevents internal steam from softening the thin layers of dough during baking.
- Brushing the yufka leaves with an emulsion of olive oil and cold water provides pliability for folding and crunchiness when baking at 180°C.
Ingredients
Main
- units Yufka sheets
- medium tubes Leek
- g Espinafre fresco
- g Tofu
- unit Limão siciliano
- tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- cloves Minced garlic
- tablespoons Salsa fresca picada
- teaspoon Smoked paprika
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- tablespoons Ice water
Instructions
Principal
- Wash the leek, cut into thin slices, and sauté in 1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper; cook for another 1 minute and turn off the heat.
- In another pan, sauté the spinach without adding oil until wilted; drain well and reserve.
- Mash the tofu with a fork, mix the lemon juice, parsley, 1 tbsp. tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper, forming the “tofu-feta”.
- Mix the sautéed leek, spinach, and tofu-feta forming a homogeneous filling.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each yufka sheet in half; brush both sides with ice water to improve adhesion.
- Distribute 2 tablespoons of filling along the bottom edge of each half and roll tightly, forming cylinders.
- Arrange the rolls on the baking sheet, brush the top with olive oil, and sprinkle slightly more paprika.
- Bake for 25‑30 minutes, until golden and crispy. Serve hot or warm.
- The professional technique is to brush the yufka with cold water; this prevents the dough from breaking when rolling.
- In simple terms: remove excess liquid from the spinach by squeezing with your hands or using a clean cloth.
- The secret to this recipe is the tofu‑feta marinated at least 10 minutes before assembling the börek.
- The most common mistake is using yufka that is too dry; let it thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Do not overload the filling, as the roll may break during baking.
- Avoid baking at too high a temperature; 200°C ensures crispiness without burning the inside.
- Fitness version: replace the tofu-feta with almond ricotta and reduce the olive oil to 1 c. soup.
- Budget version: use phyllo dough sheets instead of yufka, which are usually cheaper.
- Gourmet version: add chopped pistachios to the filling and finish with a drizzle of vegan honey.
- Serve the börek still hot with vegan yogurt sauce and mint.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.
- To freeze, separate the rolls on a tray, freeze for 2 hours, and then transfer to a zip bag; will last 2 months.
Chef's tips
- Squeeze the cooked spinach with a clean cotton cloth or coarse sieve to discard all the liquid before mixing it into the tofu.
- Keep the yufka sheets covered with a slightly dampened cloth during handling to prevent them from drying out and breaking.
- Distribute the filling without overloading the ends so that the rolls close firmly without bursting in the heat of the oven.
Variations
- Touch of sesame: sprinkle white and black sesame seeds over the surface of the brushed rolls before baking.
- Large spiral version: join the stuffed strips by rolling them into a single snail shape inside a round pie dish.
- Chopped nuts: add crushed walnuts to the leek filling to give an almond aroma and crunchy texture.
Substitutions
- The yufka sheets can be replaced by traditional phyllo dough, thinly laminated puff pastry or common pastry dough.
- Leek can be swapped for red onion chopped into thin strips combined with sliced fresh green onions.
- Fresh spinach can be replaced with finely chopped collard greens or sautéed and drained chard.
How to store
Keep the already baked börek pieces in a closed container under refrigeration for up to 3 days. To return the flaky crunch of the dough when consuming, reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C or in the air fryer for 8 minutes, avoiding the microwave.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the assembled raw rolls on a lined baking sheet for 2 hours and then transfer to plastic bags for up to 60 days. To bake, go straight from the freezer to an oven preheated to 190°C for 35 minutes until fully golden.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by a refreshing vegetable yogurt sauce with grated cucumber and chopped fresh mint. Harmonizes harmoniously with Mediterranean salad of tomatoes, black olives, olive oil, and iced black tea with lemon.
Frequently asked questions
What is yufka dough and what is the difference from filo dough?
Yufka is a thin Turkish dough based on wheat and water, slightly thicker and more pliable than the classic phyllo sheet, ideal for rolls and böreks.
How to make tofu taste and have a texture similar to feta cheese?
Mash the firm tofu with a fork and marinate in olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and grated garlic for 15 minutes to create acidity and milky salinity.
Can I make it in the shape of triangular bundles?
Yes, cut the leaves into 8 cm wide strips, place a spoonful of filling at the end, and fold successively into triangles in the style of puff pastry esfiha.
Why did the börek get soggy at the bottom of the baking pan?
This happens due to excess moisture trapped in the vegetables or baking in an oven at too low a temperature; dry the spinach well and bake at 180°C on a hot baking sheet.
