Sigara Boregi (Crispy Turkish Feta Cheese Rolls) -

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Sigara Boregi (or cigarette borek) are crispy Turkish cheese rolls made from thin phyllo dough and a herby cheese filling. These savory Turkish boreks can be made ahead of time and served as an appetizer or snack. They are delicious when served warm and can be easily frozen for later use. To make them even more flavorful, you can serve them with simple yogurt sauce or garlic-yogurt dip.

Crunchy Finger Food

Turkish cheese rolls stuffed with a combination of feta cheese,, mozzarella cheese, and fresh herbs

What Is Sigara Boregi?

Sigara Böreği or sigara börek is a Turkish pastry from Turkish cuisine with a savory filling wrapped in filo dough and fried until browned and crispy.

These thin, cylindrical shape pastries get their name from the word “sigara,” which means cigarette.

My Turkish Filo Cigar Rolls have a crispy and crunchy exterior and a soft interior. The inside is filled with a creamy mixture of crumbled feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, fresh mint, and parsley.

Sigara Boregi is easy to make ahead, freezes well, and does not require thawing before cooking! It’s the perfect finger for any party, and I love serving it as an appetizer alongside a bowl of fresh salad and meze dishes.

Great for Dipping

fried sigara boregi stuffed with cheese and fresh herbs.

Why You’ll Love Sigara Boregi Recipe Recipe

Sigara Boregi is ideal for parties and gatherings. You can serve it as finger food, as part of a mezze platter, as a Turkish breakfast item, as a midday snack, or as a vegetarian appetizer.

This borek recipe is simple to make.

Turkish Cheese Rolls freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Sigara Boregi is also ideal for making ahead of time. Make the cheese rolls for up to 3 days and fry them as needed.

It’s a delicious treat that everyone will love.

Sigara Boregi Ingredients

feta cheese, mozarella cheese, fresh mint, fresh parsley, and spring rolls to make sigara borek

Turkish Cheese Rolls Recipe Ingredients

You’ll only need simple ingredients to make these Turkish cigarette böreks.

Cheese: I use a combination of shredded mozzarella cheese and Feta cheese.

Herbs: I use finely chopped fresh parsley and fresh mint.

Egg roll wrappers: For siagara borek, I use egg roll wrappers. However, you can use phyllo sheets or traditional Turkish pastry (yufka dough).

Oil: You can use any type of vegetable oil you prefer to fry these Turkish Feta rolls.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Very Easy to Wrap

one spring roll topped with the cheese filling on a wooden board

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine shredded mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parsley, and mint. Mix with a spoon to combine.

Lay one egg roll wrapper on a flat surface. Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture in the center of the small square-shaped sheets and roll tightly. Seal it with water.

Fill a pot about 2/3 full with neutral oil. Heat on medium-high heat until temperature reaches 325 F.

Carefully place egg rolls into the oil, and fry them for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Substitutions

Phyllo Pastry: This is most likely the most popular option. Phyllo pastry is the thinnest and most widely available pastry option. It usually comes in sheets and must be cut into strips or triangles.

Filling: You can try different Turkish cheeses and various fillings such as seasoned ground beef, Turkish pastrami, and spicy beef sausage.

Variations

Spicy: Add some chili flakes to the cheese filling to make your crispy phyllo rolls spicy.

Herbs: I used fresh mint and parsley in this recipe, but you could experiment with other herbs like dill, basil, and chives.

Irresistible Feta Rolls

10 Turkish cheese rolls stuffed with cheese and herbs and wrapped like a cigarette

Equipment

You will only need a pot to fry these Turkish Boreks.

Storage

Making Ahead: You can assemble the Sigara Borek rolls ahead of time and refrigerate them for a day or two before cooking. Simply fill and roll the sigara boregi, then place them (uncooked) on a sheet pan in a single layer, cover with cling film, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Freezing: You can make a big batch of Sigara Boregi and freeze some for later. Portion them out into a freezer bag or small freezer-safe containers and cook them from frozen.

Delicious Turkish Cheese Rolls

crispy and crunchy feta cheese rolls ready to be served

Top Tips

You can change the filling to make different variations, but the cheese and herb filling is the most popular.
Make sure the spring rolls or yufka dough is sitting at room temperature before you start working with it.
When frying Sigara Boreks, ensure the oil is heated to 325° F. If your oil is too hot, the pastries will become soggy, and the cheese will begin to melt before the pastries crisp up.
Make sure the filling is well secured to prevent the cheese from oozing when frying.
If you overfill the rolls, the cheese filling will easily ooze out.
Don’t overcrowd the pan because the oil temperature will drop, and your rolls will not fry properly.
You can make these delectable boreks in big batches and freeze them for later use. There is no need to defrost them before frying; simply remove them from the freezer and fry them in hot oil.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can I bake my cheese rolls in the oven?

If you don’t want to deep fry your sigara, you can bake them in the oven. Preheat your oven to ( 350 degrees F -180 degrees Celsius) and place your pastries on a baking sheet or oven tray. Lightly brush with vegetable oil and bake at the top of the oven for around 10 minutes on each side until they are crisp and golden.

What pastry dough do you use for Sigara Boreji?

The traditional version is made with Yufka pastry dough, which is slightly thicker than phyllo pastry dough. These round-shaped thin dough parcels are widely available online or in Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery stores. My version is made with egg roll wrappers.

What is an egg roll wrapper made of?

Egg rolls are made with thick, doughy wrappers made from wheat flour and eggs. When deep-fried, they blister and become pocketed with delightful, oil-filled bubbles, making them crunchy and chewy at the same time.

Crispy and Cheesy

6 fried feta cheese rolls ready to be served

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