Egyptian Beef Goulash: Crispy Phyllo Meat Pie Worth Every Layer

⏱ Prep: 30 min 🔥Bake: 40–45 min 👤Serves: 8–10 🌍Origin: Egypt

Egyptian beef goulash has nothing to do with Hungarian goulash, the name is a coincidence of history, and the dish itself is something else entirely. Spiced ground beef, cooked with onion, garlic and baharat until dry and fragrant, layered between sheets of crispy buttery phyllo pastry, then soaked in an egg and milk custard that finds its way into every cut and crevice before baking. It comes out of the oven shatteringly golden on the outside, tender and savory within, and it looks far more impressive than the effort it actually asks for.

Ingredients

For the meat filling

• 1 lb lean ground beef, lean beef means less grease soaking into the bottom layers
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons baharat (seven spice), or a mix of ½ teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice and cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For assembly

• 1 packet (about 20 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed, thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.
• ½ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup olive oil, combined with the butter for brushing

For the egg custard

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk, warm, not cold, cold milk can firm up the butter mid-pour
• Pinch of salt

Step by step

1. Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, the filling should look dry, not wet. Stir in the tomato paste, baharat, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, and let cool.Cook the filling until completely dry before layering, wet filling soaks into the phyllo and makes the bottom layers soggy instead of crispy.
2. Prepare the phyllo. Mix the melted butter and olive oil together. Lay the phyllo sheets on a clean surface and cover with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel. Keep them covered the entire time you’re working, exposed phyllo dries out and cracks within minutes.
3. Layer the base. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with some of the butter mixture. Lay 2–3 sheets of phyllo in the pan, then brush the top generously with the butter mixture. Repeat until you’ve used half the phyllo sheets, brushing between every 2–3 sheets.
4. Add the filling and top layers. Spread the cooled meat filling evenly across the phyllo base. Layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing generously between every 2–3 sheets as before. Brush the final top layer well.
5. Cut before baking. Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled goulash all the way through to the bottom of the pan into squares or diamonds. This step is not optional, it allows the custard to soak through and makes serving clean later.A dull knife drags and tears the phyllo. Use the sharpest knife you have and cut confidently in one motion rather than sawing back and forth.
6. Pour the custard. Whisk together the eggs, warm milk and salt. Pour evenly over the entire surface of the goulash. Tilt the pan in all directions so the custard runs into all the cuts and down the sides. Let it sit 5 minutes before it goes in the oven.
7. Bake and rest. Bake for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and crispy across the entire surface. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving, cutting into it too early causes the layers to slide apart.

What the custard is doing

The egg and milk poured over the assembled, already-cut goulash might look like you’re undoing all the crispiness you just built. You’re not. The custard seeps into the cuts and between the layers during baking, giving the center a slight richness and cohesion while the top and bottom layers stay shatteringly crispy.

It’s the same logic as a French tart, the pastry crisps from direct heat, while the filling sets from the custard within.

Make it your own

Claire’s note

Peas or finely diced carrots stirred into the filling are a common addition and add a little color when you cut into it. For a slightly richer result, brush with ghee instead of butter, it handles the heat slightly better and adds a toasted, nutty flavor. Egyptian beef goulash reheats well in the oven at a low temperature covered loosely with foil, skip the microwave, which makes the phyllo rubbery. It keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Serve with

Egyptian beef goulash is traditionally served at large gatherings alongside other Egyptian favorites, or on its own as a main with a fresh tomato and cucumber salad and yogurt on the side. For more from the Middle Eastern collection the complete African recipes guide has it all.

Add Egyptian beef goulash to your weekly meal planner as a make-ahead dish that feeds a crowd, assemble the night before and bake just before serving. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.

Egyptian Beef Goulash

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• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 75 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
• Diet: None

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Description

A savory and crispy layered dish of spiced ground beef and buttery phyllo pastry, soaked in a rich egg and milk custard before baking.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons baharat (seven spice)
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 packet (about 20 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed
• ½ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup olive oil, combined with the butter for brushing
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk, warm
• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste, baharat, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, and let cool.
2. Prepare the phyllo. Mix the melted butter and olive oil together. Lay the phyllo sheets on a clean surface and cover with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel.
3. Layer the base. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Lay 2–3 sheets of phyllo in the pan, then brush the top generously with the butter mixture.
4. Add the filling. Spread the cooled meat filling evenly across the phyllo base. Layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing generously between every 2–3 sheets as before.
5. Cut before baking. Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled goulash all the way through to the bottom of the pan into squares or diamonds.
6. Pour the custard. Whisk together the eggs, warm milk, and salt. Pour evenly over the entire surface of the goulash.
7. Bake and rest. Bake for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Peas or finely diced carrots can be added to the filling for color. For a richer outcome, brush with ghee instead of butter. This dish is best reheated in the oven, not the microwave.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Egyptian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 25g
• Cholesterol: 90mg