Lebanese Meat Filled Pies (Braket bi Lahmeh, Fatayer bi Lahmeh)
By Zeina Haddad
Published:
Hi there 👋 I’m Zeina Haddad. I believe that food doesn't need to "look perfect", but to "taste more than perfect"! As author of “My Mama Knows Best!”, I share authentic Lebanese and global recipes. My Promise to You: 100% AI-Free recipes. Every dish is written by me, tested by me, and tasted by my family. Join me in celebrating the joy of slow, intentional cooking.
Description
Meet the Lebanese version of the popular Levantine Fatayer with meat filling — famously called in Lebanon "Fatayer bi Lahmah" or Braket bi Lahmeh".
This recipe for Fatayer bi Lahmeh is particularly special to me because it comes straight from my mother's kitchen. It's the same soft dough and spiced filling I remember watching her pinch into crescents as a child.
Fatayer are savory small pies with a light and airy dough, that can be filled with a variety of fillings, such as spinach (Fatayer bil Sabanekh), labneh (which is a tangy Lebanese yogurt cheese), egg, or spiced meat. They can be shaped into classic triangles or crescents.
The homemade dough for Fatayer in this recipe is good for all these types of fillings.
Meat-filled Fatayer are the ultimate comfort food and a star of any Lebanese Mezze platter. They feature a savory filling of ground beef or lamb, seasoned with warm Middle Eastern spices like allspice and cinnamon, often balanced with the tang of lemon juice and the crunch of sautéed pine nuts.
They also pair perfectly with Homemade Hummus or Tabbouleh Salad.
Do you know why you are guaranteed to love this recipe?
🏠 It's Mom’s Recipe: This is my mother’s cherished recipe that I grew up eating. It’s been perfected over decades in our family kitchen! 🇱🇧 It's Authentic Flavor: We use a traditional blend of spices and a touch of pomegranate molasses for that signature Lebanese tang. 🥐 Perfect Dough: A foolproof recipe for a soft and airy crumb that stays tender even after cooling. ✨ Versatile: Serve them as a classic party appetizer or a flavorful light main.
📌Note: The dough I'm using here is the exact same recipe I use for Fatayer in my book.
If you enjoy these, you can find my specific recipes for Fatayer with spinach, labneh, and egg fillings, and for Homemade Hummus, as well as Sfeeha (which is a type of Lebanese meat pizza) in my book Soups and Appetizers.
A recipe for my Mom's winner Tabbouleh, which is great next to meat Fatayer, can be found in my book Salads, Sauces, and Stews.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While both are Middle Eastern meat pastries, Fatayer are typically enclosed pies (triangular or crescent-shaped) made with a soft, bread-like dough. Sfeeha (specifically Sfeeha Baalbakieh) are often open-faced or folded into small square 'boats' and may use a slightly different dough consistency.
Absolutely! Traditional Lebanese meat pies are delicious with ground lamb, ground beef, or a 50/50 mix of both. Lamb provides a richer, more authentic flavor, while beef is a leaner, more common alternative.
Yes, but you need to activate it first. Dissolve the Active Dry Yeast in the warm water with the sugar and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy. Then, add this mixture to the flour and salt in the mixer bowl.
This is a simple way to check if you have kneaded the dough enough. Tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to let light through (like a windowpane) without tearing, your gluten is developed and the dough is ready to rise.
The secret to that professional, bakery-style finish 🤫 :
Lightly brush the tops of the pies with oil right before they go into the oven. This creates a beautiful golden-brown crust and keeps the dough from looking "ashy".
Yes. You can prepare the dough and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. Cold fermentation actually develops a deeper flavor. Just make sure to bring it to room temperature for about 30–60 minutes before rolling it out.
Fatayer bi Lahmeh are excellent for meal prep! You can freeze them after baking. Once cooled, place them in a freezer bag.
To Reheat: Avoid the microwave if you want to maintain the texture. Reheat them in a toaster oven or a regular oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 minutes to bring back that 'just baked' softness.
🤫 A Note from Zeina 🤫
This recipe is a piece of my childhood. My mom always taught me that the secret to the perfect Fatayer isn't just the spices, but the love put into the "double-pinch" to keep the juices inside. Whenever I smell these in the oven, I'm transported back to my childhood in her kitchen in Lebanon. I hope they bring as much joy to your table as they have to mine!
Lebanese Meat Filled Pies (Braket bi Lahmeh, Fatayer bi Lahmeh)
🍴 Appetizer/Light Main
🌍 Lebanese
Yields:
23 pies
Master the art of Lebanese Meat Pies (Fatayer bi Lahmeh / Braket bi Lahmeh). Learn to make soft, airy dough and a savory spiced meat filling with this authentic ZeinaCooks recipe.
Ingredients
For Dough
For Filling
For Wash
Instructions
🥣 Step 1: Knead the Dough
1.
Place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment (you can knead by hand if you prefer). Start kneading on low speed to combine.
2.
Gradually add in water as needed. Once the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, knead for about 6 minutes until the dough is smooth, and stretchy. 💡 Tip: Use the "windowpane test" to check if the gluten is fully developed.
📈 Step 2: Quick Rise
3.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes. This short rest allows the gluten to relax, making it easy to roll out the dough without it shrinking back.
🍳 Step 3: Sauté the Filling
4.
Melt butter over medium heat and sauté pine nuts until golden.
5.
Add onion and sauté until transluscent.
6.
Add the ground meat, stirring until browned.
7.
Stir in the salt, spices, and lemon juice. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat.
📐 Step 4: Shape and Fill
8.
Roll out the dough to 3 mm (1/8 in.) thickness. Cut out of it circles 10 cm (3.94 in.) in diameter (or as preferred).
9.
Place a spoonful of filling in the center.
For Triangles: Pull three sides to the center and pinch firmly.
For Crescents: Fold in half and crimp with a fork (or by twisting and pressing).
📌 Note: Make sure to seal firmly so the fatayer don't open in the oven.
🔥 Step 5: Bake to Perfection
10.
Place on a greased baking sheet and brush tops with vegetable oil.
11.
Bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for 20 minutes, or until the pies are beautifully golden brown on all sides.
Nutrition
per serving (pie):
Calories: 145 Kcal | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Carbs: 17 g | Sugar: 0.5 g | Sodium: 65 mg | Cholesterol: 8 mg
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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©2025 – 2026 Parsley Me This! by Zeina Haddad
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