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Home » Vegan Lebanese Recipes

Purslane Pockets (Lebanese Bakleh)

Published: May 29, 2023 by Janelle Hama

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This purslane recipe uses puff pastry that has been turned into pockets filled with a delectably sour purslane and onion filling. Great for lunch, dinner or on the run.

Purslane Bakleh Puff Pastry Pockets

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Jump to:
  • What is Purslane?
  • What is Purslane In Arabic?
  • How to clean purslane?
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients You'll Need
  • Steps to Make Bakleh Pastries
  • Purslane Alternative?
  • Serving Suggestions
  • FAQ
  • Other Lebanese Pastry Recipes
  • Purslane Pockets (Lebanese Bakleh)

What is Purslane?

Purslane is a type of succulent which is edible and delightfully tangy/sour. It's widely used in Lebanese cooking, and found in pastry, stir-fries, sautees and salad recipes, such as in this fattoush salad.

The stems, seeds, leaves and flowers can be eaten both raw and cooked. 

Purslane is loaded with health benefits and vitamins such as Omega 3 fatty acids and so much more.

Here's a quick list of vegan purslane recipes to try.

What is Purslane In Arabic?

Bakleh means Purslane in Arabic, it is often written as "ba2leh" or "bakleh". It is pronounced as bah·leh.

It is widely used in Arabic cooking. This recipe is based on my Lebanese fatayer recipe (hand pies).

How to clean purslane?

Cleaning purslane is fairly simple. Here are the steps;

  1. Sort by discarding any unwanted pieces
  2. Wash thoroughly with cold water by placing it in a bowl and giving it a swirl several times, you may need to change the water a couple of times
  3. Then dry using a lettuce spinner.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • A seriously great way for vegans to get omega-3s into their diet.
  • These are like hand pies, can easily be consumed on the go.
  • Cooking purslane is relatively easy.
  • The flavor is tasty, the combination of pomegranate molasses with the purslane and onion encassed in flaky puff pastries is ah-mah-zing!
  • Dietary friendly - vegan, soy-free and corn-free

Ingredients You'll Need

Notes on some of the ingredients, the full list of ingredients and their measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Vegan puff pastry following the instructions to thaw out the sheets. If they become too soft to handle, place them in the freezer for 10 minutes to help them firm up again.

Fresh Purslane can be found growing nearly everywhere! Or try your local Asian or Middle Eastern small grocer.

Onion will be diced to go into the filling.

Pomegranate molasses a key ingredient to get the flavor that is sour yet sweet. This can be found at your local supermarket in the international section or at a local Middle Eastern small grocer or buy pomegranate molasses online, this is the brand I like (affiliate link).

Sumac is perfect with pomegranate molasses as it enhances the sourness. This is a red herb from the sumac berry, which is widely used in my vegan Lebanese cooking. Sumac can also be purchase online (affiliate link) or found in the spice section of your grocer, some supermarkets may stock it also.

Steps to Make Bakleh Pastries

Step one: Roughly chop purslane

Purslane recipe - Roughly chopped purslane/bakleh freshly picked from the garden

Step two: Roughly chop white onion

Roughly chopped onion placed on top of purslane

Step three: In a bowl mix purslane, onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon sumac (optional) and seasoning to taste

Purslane recipe - Purslane/bakleh mixture for purslane pocket recipe

Step four: Cut puff pastry sheet in half and place purslane filling on one side

Purslane/bakleh filling placed on one edge of puff pastry sheet

Step five: fold pastry in half and press edges together using fingers or fork. Brush olive oil onto tops of pastry and sprinkle with black sesame. Place the unbaked pockets on a lined baking sheet.

Purslane pockets smeared with olive oil and sprinkles of black sesame on baking tray ready for baking

Step six: bake for approx 25-30min on 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) or until golden brown. Allow purslane pockets to cool down for 5 minutes. Enjoy warm with a side salad.

Baked purslane pockets straight out of the oven

Purslane Alternative?

If you can't get your hands on purslane, you can easily replace this with spinach or silverbeet. Follow the same steps within this recipe.

Check out my Fatayer bi sabanekh which is my family's Lebanese spinach pie recipe similar to this one.

Vegan Egg-Wash Alternatives

If you prefer to use an alternative to oil as an egg wash, here are some suggestions for egg wash substitute.

Inside of a cooked purslane/bakleh pocket

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned above, these pastries are great to eat with a salad; a simple garden salad will do, or you can make a side of quinoa tabouli which perfectly balances the tangy flavour of the purslane pockets.

FAQ

How to clean purslane?

Cleaning purslane is fairly simple. 
Discard any unwanted pieces, trim any hard stems and wash thoroughly with cold water.
Then dry using a lettuce spinner.

What Does Purslane Taste Like?

Purslane, is an edible succulent green vegetable with a taste that is unique, bright, and delightful. It is a refreshing and slightly tangy flavor that is sometimes described as a combination of subtle sweetness, citrus-sour, and earthy and leafy greens. 

Its taste is vibrant and fresh, with a pleasant crispness that adds a lovely texture to any dish. It can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.

Where can I find Purslane?

Purslane is generally found on the sidewalk, in parks, on lawns etcetera.
If you are picking purslane in fields or parks, be sure to check your local council's pesticide schedule. Otherwise, if it is fairly easy to grow, it proliferates easily.
You can pick up a bunch of purslane from a local fruit market / small grocer (Arabic or Asian) rather than a supermarket. Though this may be hard and seasonal (warmer weather).

Purslane/bakleh recipe pockets stacked in four

Other Lebanese Pastry Recipes

Check out my Fatayer bi sabanekh which is my family's Lebanese spinach pie recipe.

For another pastry recipe check out my vegan sausage rolls or my perfect vegan party food - zaatar pinwheels.

If you feel like some more carbs, try my vegan pizza dough which requires only 3 minutes of kneading.

  • a stack of trays with zaatar pinwheels
    Zaatar Puff Pastry Pinwheels (Easy 3 Ingredients)
  • fatayer bi sabanekh stack
    Fatayer bi Sabanekh (Lebanese Spinach Pie - فطائر)
  • Batlawa Recipe
    Baklawa (Lebanese Baklava)

Did you enjoy making this recipe? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a ★★★★★ rating. If you love sharing your vegan food pics, join the PBF community group

a stack of puff pastry pockets with purslane around them

Purslane Pockets (Lebanese Bakleh)

This purslane recipe uses puff pastry that has been turned into pockets filled with a delectably sour purslane and onion filling. Great for lunch, dinner or on the run.
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Lebanese
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 pieces
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

  • 4 sheets puff pastry vegan
  • 1 teaspoon Black sesame seeds

Purslane Filling

  • 100 gram purslane approximately two extra large handfuls. Roughly chopped
  • 1 medium white onion roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon sumac optional
  • 1 pinch Salt to taste
  • 1 pinch Cracked black pepper to taste
Metric - US Customary
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit)

Purslane Filling

  • Combine purslane and onion in a mixing bowl. Add in olive oil, pomegranate molasses, seasoning and spices and combine well.
    100 gram purslane, 1 medium white onion, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon sumac, 1 pinch Salt, 1 pinch Cracked black pepper

Pastry Pockets

  • Cut each puff pastry sheet in half, each half will create one pocket. Place purslane filling onto one side of the puff pastry.
    4 sheets puff pastry
  • Fold puff pastry, keep filling in the middle. Using your index finger or fork, press edges together until a pocket/pie is formed and there are no gaps in the edge.
  • Place each purslane pocket onto a lined baking tray. Lightly brush on a coat of olive oil onto each pocket. Sprinkle black sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for approx 25-30 minutes or until golden brown Serve warm.
    1 teaspoon Black sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon olive oil

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days - however, allow them to completely cool down before storing.
 
 
 
 
 
This post was originally released in 2020, and has been updated with further detail.

Equipment

Flat Baking Tray

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 3mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.


Tried this recipe?Mention @Plantbasedfolk or tag #plantbasedfolk

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Dennis

    August 01, 2021 at 8:18 pm

    When weeding the grass from my garden the purslane comes out also. Oh well i guess i will have to eat it.

    Reply
    • Janelle

      August 02, 2021 at 10:02 am

      Haha, not such a bad thing. I can't wait for the next batch to grow in my yard

      Reply
  2. Megan

    July 12, 2021 at 12:06 am

    Thanks for sharing! Wondering about the pastry. In my experience, “puff pastry” is a thicker very buttery pastry and “phyllo” is a thinner drier pastry. In these photos it’s looks more like phyllo to me. Does your dough have a high fat content? (I’m not worried about fats, just want to get the right dough - I’ll be buying it frozen.)

    Reply
    • Janelle

      July 12, 2021 at 8:54 am

      Hi Megan,

      I definitely used puff pastry for this recipe. When purslane is back in season here, I will make a video of this recipe to make it easier to see.
      You can see the difference in pastry here https://plantbasedfolk.com/baklawa/ where I have used filo pastry.

      Hope this helps.

      J

      Reply
  3. Minou

    May 26, 2021 at 7:41 am

    I'd love to make these with purslane but I can't get my hands on any. Purslane was grown here in Sweden a long time ago but now it is impossible to find it for sale. I know that people grow it for their own use. I'm going to make these with spinach but to be honest it sounds a little bit boring. I'd love to be able to pick purslane like you do or at least to buy it.

    Reply
  4. Samson

    February 20, 2021 at 2:13 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious. I picked it today at a friends house who was weeding her garden and throwing it in the bin! Absolutely delicious and nutritious. Thanks so much for this post. Love your site btw!

    Reply
    • plantbasedfolk

      February 22, 2021 at 8:34 am

      Thank you for kind words.
      It's amazing how something so simple as cooking purslane is foreign to many. Glad you taught her 🙂

      Reply
  5. veenaazmanov

    August 11, 2020 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    Very interesting. Never tried one ever Have to check this out. Looks so crunchy and best for a tea time snack too.

    Reply
  6. Shashi at SavorySpin

    August 11, 2020 at 7:32 pm

    This is my first time hearing of Purslane - such an intriguing succulent. And, speaking of firsts - bakleh is new to me too - I learned two new things today after visiting your blog and thank you for that!

    Reply
  7. Anjali

    August 11, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    I had actually never heard of purslane before I came across your recipe but it was absolutely delicious! The spices you added to it really took it to another level too!

    Reply
  8. Alexandra

    August 11, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    5 stars
    How delicious! This was my first time cooking with purslane, but what a delightful way to enjoy it - love the addition of the sumac, and the wonderful flaky pastry!

    Reply
  9. Jere Cassidy

    August 11, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    So interesting to find this post, last week at farmer's market a vendor was selling purslane. It is interesting that it is used in cooking.

    Reply
  10. Boushra

    August 03, 2020 at 10:46 am

    5 stars
    Thank you Janelle for bringing bakleh some spotlight. I've always had to explain to most what it is and how it's edible. Everyone assumes it's just a weed. My family have been eating in home made pastry, when I don't have time I will use puff pastry as you have done in this recipe. Alf thankyou.

    Reply

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Hello, I'm Janelle, a culinary enthusiast with over two decades of cooking experience and a keen interest in creating delicious vegan Lebanese recipes.

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