Cheese Borekas with Everything Bagel Seasoning

Enjoy all the flavor of an everything bagel with a twist! This delicious puff pastry recipe combines Israeli cheese borekas and everyone's favorite seasoning to create something truly special.

Who says everything bagel seasoning is just for bagels? Sprinkle it on this Israeli recipe that is simple to make and absolutely delicious with every bite. Cheese Borekas are always the first to disappear at parties and picnics.

Little pockets of flaky puff pastry dough encased around a combination of feta and mozzarella cheese, brushed with a simple egg wash and sprinkled with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, and dried onion.

Take this recipe to any gathering for a show-stopping appetizer!

The boreka dough is traditionally made from scratch, but puff pastry is a convenient substitute that simplifies the process. And who doesn't like simple recipes? For a lower-carb version, use fillo pastry.

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

For the borekas, you will need simple ingredients. You can make your own Everything Bagel Seasoning or buy pre-made seasoning.

Puff Pastry: Of course, you can make your own puff pastry, but using store-bought is much easier and faster, and trust me, it's just as good too!

Feta and Mozzarella Cheese: The combination of these two kinds of cheese gives the filling a nice texture and flavor. Feta is salty and briny, while mozzarella is stretchy and mild. Ricotta is a good substitute for feta.

Eggs: Using an egg in the filling helps to bind the ingredients together. You'll also need an additional egg yolk and some milk to create an egg wash to brush over the pastry pockets. This helps to give the pastries a beautiful sheen and acts as a glue for the seasoning.

Everything Bagel Seasoning: Using sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic flakes, and onion flakes, you can whip together your own seasoning in minutes.

🔪 How To Make Cheese Borekas

Step 1 - Make the filling

1. In a mixing bowl, combine feta, mozzarella, egg, and salt until well blended. Make sure to break up any large crumbles of feta with the fork.
2. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and milk; set aside.

Step 2 - Prep the pastry

1. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastry sheets. With a rolling pin, roll out each sheet to a 12x12-inch square.
2. Cut it into thirds lengthwise and crosswise to get nine 4-inch squares for a total of 18 squares.

Step 3 - Fill the pastry

1. Place one heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the center of each square, lightly brush the edges of each square with water, and fold the dough over the filling in half diagonally to form triangular pastries.
2. Firmly pinch the edges together to seal. With the tines of a fork, crimp the edges well.

Step 4 - Top the pastry

1. Brush the tops of the borekas with egg wash and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
2. Place pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the pastries are puffed and deeply golden.

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips for Perfect Cheese Borekas

• Substitute mozzarella with kashkaval or provolone cheese.
• You can use phyllo dough instead of puff pastry for fewer carbs. If you choose to use phyllo dough, you will need to cut the long phyllo dough into three sections. Then use two sheets to fold the borekas into triangles.
• Substitute homemade everything bagel seasoning with store-bought.
• Be sure to use the egg wash on the top. Without the egg wash, everything bagel seasoning will fall off.
• You can use a fork to help pinch the puff pastry together.
• Serve with your other favorite Israeli foods.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve this appetizer at your next party or gathering. Pair it with other Israeli and Mediterranean appetizers such as hummus, stuffed grape leaves, kalamata olives, tabouli, or fatoush salad.

🗄️ Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This appetizer is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. However, if you have leftovers, allow them to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat: When ready to reheat, warm in the oven or the toaster oven at 350 F for 2-3 minutes to crisp up and get melty inside.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

📝 Recipe Note:

This recipe is adapted from the An Oddysey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel book. Shaya makes the dough from scratch and shares a great sentiment about baking these with his grandma.

I made a few changes to simplify it, but the taste is still deliciously the same.

Food is the ingredient that binds us together. Borekas are easy to make with your kids or grandkids. Try new foods and build delicious memories. For inspiration, check out this Taste the Globe interactive map.

Other Delicious Pastry Recipes to Try!

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in April 2018 and updated in February 2023 with new photos and recipe tips.