Lebanese Meat Pies (Sfeeha)
Soft dough rounds topped with spiced minced lamb, onion, tomato and pine nuts, sharpened with pomegranate molasses and lemon, then baked until the edges are golden and the meat juices bubble. The classic Levantine snack, best eaten warm from the tray.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the olive oil and warm water (it should feel just warm to the touch, about 37°C (98°F) — hot water kills the yeast). Mix, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and springs back when poked.
- 500 g flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1½ tsp salt (for the dough)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (for the dough)
- 300 ml warm water
✅ Done when: dough is smooth, elastic and springs back when pressed
Let it rise
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.
✅ Done when: dough has roughly doubled and looks puffy
Mix the filling
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Shape the pies
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Bake until golden
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Serve warm
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Make the dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the olive oil and warm water (it should feel just warm to the touch, about 37°C (98°F) — hot water kills the yeast). Mix, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and springs back when poked.
- 500 g flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1½ tsp salt (for the dough)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (for the dough)
- 300 ml warm water
✅ Done when: dough is smooth, elastic and springs back when pressed
Let it rise
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.
✅ Done when: dough has roughly doubled and looks puffy
Mix the filling
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Shape the pies
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Bake until golden
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Serve warm
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The Story Behind the Dish
Sfeeha belongs to a family of open-face meat pies found across the Levant, where flatbreads topped with minced meat have long been a practical way to feed a household or a crowd quickly from a village oven. In Lebanon, the version made with lamb, tomato, pine nuts and the tangy pull of pomegranate molasses became a signature, distinct from the heavier, cheese-topped pies found elsewhere in the region.
For a long time, sfeeha has been tied to communal baking: dough shaped at home, filling spread on top, and the trays carried to a neighborhood oven or bakery to bake quickly at high heat. That rhythm of home preparation and shared ovens is part of why the dish still feels like a neighborhood staple rather than a restaurant specialty.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Sfeeha is famous for packing so much flavor into a small, handheld bite: juicy spiced lamb, sweet-tart pomegranate molasses and a soft chewy base, all finished in minutes under high heat.
💡 Fun Fact
Bakeries in Lebanon often sell sfeeha warm straight from the tray in the morning, alongside other savory baked goods like manaeesh, making it a popular on-the-go breakfast or snack.
Lebanon, part of the wider Levant
33.89°N, 35.50°E
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