Vegan Sambusas
Crispy sambusas are easy to make at home! This version swaps the traditional meat filling for savory spiced tofu, making it completely vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) package vegan spring roll or egg roll wrappers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 ounces extra firm tofu (½ of an 8-ounce package), drained
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Crumble in the tofu and cook, breaking it up into very small pieces with a spatula, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, cardamom, salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and uniform, about 1 more minute. Turn off the heat.
- In a small bowl, stir the flour with 1 tablespoon water to make a thin paste, adding more water as necessary.
- Fold each wrapper in half, then into thirds to make a cone. Fill the cone with the tofu mixture, about 1 heaping tablespoon, then cover the flaps with the flour paste and fold closed to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling.
- Add about 1⁄2 inch of oil to a high-sided skillet and heat to 365°F. Fry the sambusas in batches until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining sambusas, adding more oil as necessary.
Notes
To store: Leftover sambusas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply pop them in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. If you have an air fryer, that works too!
To freeze: Sambusas can be frozen for up to 3 months, either before or after frying. To freeze, place the sambusas in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer.
When ready to eat, bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through if you’ve frozen fried sambusas, or fry them according to the recipe instructions if you’ve frozen uncooked sambusas, adding an extra minute or so of cooking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg