Honey-Glazed Ethiopian Lentil Sambusas

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

Crispy fried pastries filled with spiced lentils, drizzled with honey for a delightful Ethiopian-inspired snack. This Ethiopian-inspired recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 50 minutes, turns red lentils, water, yellow onion into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 cups water
• 1 small, finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon berbere spice mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• for frying, about 2 cups vegetable oil
• 12 sheets spring roll wrappers
• 1/4 cup honey

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup red lentils under cold water until clear. In a saucepan, combine the lentils with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until soft and water is mostly absorbed.
2. Step 2: In a skillet over medium heat, sauté 1 small finely chopped yellow onion and 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add the cooked lentils to the skillet along with 1 teaspoon berbere spice mix, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until well combined and thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Step 4: Lay out 12 spring roll wrappers and cut each in half diagonally to form triangles. Place 2 tablespoons of the lentil filling near the base of each triangle.
5. Step 5: Fold the edges over the filling tightly to form a triangular sambusa shape, sealing edges with a little water.
6. Step 6: Heat about 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry sambusas in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
7. Step 7: Drain on paper towels and while still warm, drizzle each sambusa with honey (about 2 teaspoons per piece). Serve immediately.