Chebureki

Fact: In Crimea, the world’s largest chebureki, weighing over 100 kilograms, cooked in just two minutes, but heating the frying oil took a day and a half.

Chebureki: Basic Information

Pronunciation

/cheh-boo-REH-kee/

Alternative Name(s)

Çibörek, çiğ börek

Dish Type

Cakes and pastries

Course

Appetizer

Mealtime

Anytime

Popular Variations

No

Chebureki: Origin and Region

Origin

Crimean Peninsula

Continent’s Region

Eastern Europe

Country’s Region

Unspecified

Associated Region

Unspecified

Chebureki: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Lamb or beef, all-purpose flour

Main Cooking Method

Deep-frying

Preparation Process

Dough is rolled and spreaded with a filling, folded, and then deep-fried

Chebureki: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

The national dish of Crimean Tatar cuisine

Taste

Savory

Texture

Crispy

Aroma

Meaty

Color

Golden

Serving Style

On plates or hand-held

Serving Temperature

Hot

Accompaniment

Ketchup, tzatziki sauce, sriracha, smetana sour cream

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Non diet-specific

Calories

260 calories, according to data of MyFitnessPal for 1 meat chebureki

Popularity

Caucasus, Russia, Uzbekistan, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan.

Popular Similar Dishes

1. Samosa
2. Empanada
3. Pierogi

Popular Dining Area

Street vendors, cafes, restaurants in the Crimean Tatar communities

Chebureki is a type of deep-fried turnover with filling created by the Crimean Tatars people with a crispy texture. In Russia, this turnover is known as a meat pie, while the Crimean Tatar cuisine sees chebureki as a national specialty.

Typically, the traditional fried turnover features a crescent shape made by folding a round piece of dough over the filling. Furthermore, chebureki makes for a popular snack or street food item wherever it’s present, with Turkey having Çibörek, another name for the dish in Eskişehir.

Plus, the dough consists of dough, water, oil, and salt that is not sticky. The filling for chebureki often prioritizes ground lamb or beef thinly applied to the inner of the dough to ensure it will fully cook once the dough turns golden.

With all the features of chebureki in the palm of your hand, here are more things to know about the ways to make this meat pie and its pros and cons. Additionally, you should look deeper at how chebureki compares with piroshki, pierogi, and empanada.

Plus, there are more interesting inquiries about chebureki for you to find out, as well as dishes that are like this meat pie.

Chebureki Images

How Is Chebureki Enjoyed Different Places in the World?

Chebureki makes its way to many regions around the world, thus explaining why many countries adopt this pastry as a part of the population’s diet:

Country/Region	Chebureki Characteristics
Caucasus	Popular, especially in Turkic or Muslim areas, typically filled with spiced meat.
Russia	Well-known snack, available in street food settings with various fillings, including traditional spiced meat.
Greece	Found in areas with Eastern European or Middle Eastern immigrant populations.
Lithuania	A popular street snack in the country
Latvia	Enjoyed by locals as a snack and street food option
Estonia	Influenced by the Russian availability of chebureki
Romania	Available in areas with Russian or Ukrainian influence.
Turkey	Known as “çibörek,” especially popular in regions with Crimean Tatar heritage.
Ukraine	Popular street food, often filled with minced meat and onions, deep-fried to a crispy finish.
Uzbekistan	Locals adopt chebureki as a street food with various fillings,
Azerbaijan	Enjoyed in regions with Turkic influences, often featuring spiced lamb or beef.
Tajikistan	Found influenced by Russian and Central Asian cuisines.

After learning about the versions of chebureki in many countries, let me guide you through the basic process to materialize this favorite treat.

How Chebureki Is Made?

Chebureki is easily recreated at home using easy-to-find ingredients like ground meat, onion, salt, oil, water, flour, and black pepper. Without further ado, let me run you through steps to materialize your own meat pie.

• Step 1: Mix the flour, oil, salt, and water to form the dough. Keep kneading until you get a soft and not sticky mixture.
• Step 2: Prepare the filling by mixing ground meat (beef or lamb) with ground onion, salt, and pepper.
• Step 3: Divide the dough into small balls and flatten them into a thin circle.

• Step 4: Spread the meat filling on one-half of the flattened piece of dough and fold it.

• Step 5: Seal the dough by pressing the edges of the dough and shaping it into a half-moon.
• Step 6: Fry until the outer dough becomes golden brown on both sides, drain excess oil, and serve chebureki hot with your choice of sauce.

When your chebureki is ready for consumption, I have a few ups and downs of consuming this meat pie to keep your curiosity going while digging through your creation.

Pros And Cons of Eating Chebureki

Don’t miss these features relating to chebureki consumption if you’re health-conscious and always want to be aware of the food you eat:

While Chebureki offers a unique culinary experience with its own set of advantages and drawbacks, another dish that often sparks comparison with chebureki is piroshki from Eastern Europe.

What Are The Differences Between Chebureki and Piroshki?

When it comes to chebureki and piroshki, both are quite similar because of their golden appearances. However, there are many features for people to distinguish these two pastry creations:

Aside from piroshki, pierogi is another contender that people often compare with chebureki, especially in the European area.

How to Distinguish Between Chebureki and Pierogi?

Chebureki and pierogi are surprisingly easy to distinguish, with 6 features to notice:

With some of the food representatives of Europe out of the way, there’s still one more specialty from North America which is empanada for you to distinguish from chebureki.

How Does Chebureki Compare to Empanada?

Let me show you how chebureki is easily recognizable when placed on the same table as empanada through a few noticeable features:

Once you go through the differences between chebureki and empanada, I have more frequent inquiries for you to uncover.

Chebureki FAQs