What Is a Briouat? (Moroccan Pastry Parcel)
Quick answer
Briouats (also briwat) are small Moroccan pastries — thin warqa or filo dough folded into triangles or cigars around a filling, then fried (or baked) until crisp. They come savoury (spiced meat, chicken, fish, or cheese) or sweet (almond paste, dipped in honey), and are a popular starter, snack and festive treat.
Crispy, bite-sized and moreish, briouats are one of Morocco’s most versatile little pastries — found at feasts, on starter platters and as street snacks. Here is what they are.
Savoury or sweet, they are always a treat.
What they are
A briouat is made by wrapping a filling in warqa (the paper-thin Moroccan pastry, similar to filo), folded into a neat triangle or rolled into a cigar shape, then deep-fried or baked until golden and crisp. They are small — a few bites each — and made in batches.
The wrapping is delicate and shatteringly crisp; the fillings are where the variety comes in.
Savoury and sweet versions
Savoury briouats are filled with spiced minced meat (kefta), chicken, fish/seafood, or cheese (sometimes with herbs and egg), seasoned with Moroccan spices — served as a starter or snack, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon. They resemble a Moroccan take on a samosa or spring roll.
Sweet briouats are filled with almond paste (and orange-blossom), fried, then dipped in honey and often sprinkled with sesame — a festive dessert, especially popular during Ramadan and at celebrations.
Where to try them
You will find savoury briouats on restaurant and riad starter menus and as street/market snacks, and sweet ones in patisseries and sweet shops (sold by weight) alongside chebakia and gazelle horns. During Ramadan, sweet briouats appear everywhere alongside harira at iftar.
They make a great introduction to Moroccan finger food — order a mixed plate to try both savoury and sweet, with mint tea for the sweet ones.
Key takeaways
- Briouats are crisp warqa-pastry parcels (triangles or cigars), fried/baked.
- Savoury (meat, chicken, fish, cheese) — a starter or snack like a samosa.
- Sweet (almond, honey) — a festive dessert, big at Ramadan.
- Found on starter menus, as street snacks and in patisseries by weight.
Frequently asked questions
What is a briouat filled with?
Savoury versions hold spiced meat, chicken, fish/seafood or cheese; sweet versions hold almond paste dipped in honey. All are wrapped in crisp warqa pastry and fried or baked.
Are briouats sweet or savoury?
Both — savoury briouats are a starter/snack (like a Moroccan samosa), and sweet almond-and-honey briouats are a dessert, popular at celebrations and during Ramadan.
Where can you eat briouats in Morocco?
Savoury ones on restaurant/riad starter menus and as street snacks; sweet ones in patisseries and sweet shops by weight. Both feature heavily during Ramadan.
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