Baklava
This vegetarian builds phyllo dough and walnuts into a comforting meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 170 C (340 F) and brush a baking dish lightly with melted butter.
- Pulse the walnuts to a coarse crumb, then mix them with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the ground cinnamon to make the nut filling.
- Lay a sheet of phyllo in the dish, brush it generously with melted butter, and repeat to build a base of about 8 buttered layers, keeping the unused phyllo covered with a damp towel so it does not dry out.
- Scatter a portion of the nut mixture over the base, then continue layering buttered phyllo and nuts, finishing with a top stack of about 8 buttered sheets, then use a sharp knife to cut all the way through into diamond or square pieces.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the baklava is deep golden and crisp throughout.
- Meanwhile, make the syrup by simmering the remaining sugar, the water, the honey and the lemon juice for about 10 minutes until lightly thickened.
- As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, ladle the hot syrup evenly over the hot pastry, then leave it uncovered for several hours so it fully absorbs the syrup and the layers set before serving.
You'll use: Oven · Saucepan · Baking dish
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Honey
- maple syrup · agave
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Baklava take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Baklava vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
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Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Baklava is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Baklava - Turkish special, 80-ply.JPEG (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.