Samosas are savory pastries served as a snack or as appetizers. They are stuffed with lightly spiced potato and deep-fried until crispy and golden. Today, I give you two methods - authentic pastry or spring roll sheets.
Table of Content
Growing up in an Indian home, homemade samosas were a labor of love. Making the dough, the filling, and then, of course, the job of filling and folding the samosas. A big project. And mom made it with so much love we just took it all for granted.
Until, of course, you have to do it yourself. Then, you end up looking around for shortcuts to cut corners. I love making authentic samosa, but I also love my quick and easy method of using ready-to-use filo pastry. So, that's what I share with you today.
Why make this recipe
- This is a very simple-to-make samosa recipe.
- There are great for afternoon snacks or to serve as appetizers before a meal. I usually make larger ones for snacks and mini samosas for appetizers
- These crispy snacks are filled with a potato mixture. But, you can also use other savory fillings such as paneer, ground meat, etc.
- Today I give you two methods to make samosa.
- The authentic Punjabi samosa recipe is made from scratch
- Or he semi-homemade using spring roll sheets.
- Pastry- I have given you two options for the pastry
- The authentic samosa pastry recipe if you want to make it from scratch. It does not need many ingredients just flour, salt, and water.
- Instead of making the authentic samosa pastry, we are using spring roll wrappers. If you've tasted spring rolls or egg rolls, then you know that when they are deep-fried, they become golden and crispy, which is what we want with our samosas.
- Filling/Stuffing - You can use leftover mashed potatoes or you can boil some potatoes and give them a quick mash. The filling is very simple and easy with most of the ingredients already in your pantry.
- Serving - My kids love to have these with ketchup and mayo but authentic samosa is served with coconut chutney, mint chutney, and or sweet tamarind chutney
Process and timeline
- Make the dough - 10 minutes + rest 15 mins
- Make the filling - 10 minutes (can be made 2 days ahead)
- Stuff/Make the samosa - 20 minutes (can be made 2 days ahead)
- Deep fry the samosa - 20 minutes
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - to make the authentic pastry you will need plain all-purpose flour (maida or plain flour). Do not use any self-raising or cake flour.
- Spring roll sheets - I find these work better for deep frying. You can also use phyllo pastry. Personally, I find filo crumbles too easily, which can be messy. But, filo on the other hand is perfect if you want to bake these.
- Potatoes - For the first stuffing, you can use any potatoes (boiled or baked) as long as you can mash them. Alternatively, you can also chop the vegetables finely and saute them as we did in the second filling. Whichever you use, make sure they are small, so you can fold them easily into the samosa.
- Onions - Preferably cooked so you take the rawness out of the onions. And yet, you can also use finely chopped raw onions. I like using red Spanish onions because they add a nice sweetness.
- Herbs - Use fresh cilantro or parsley, whichever works for you.
- Spices - Below, I have given you two stuffing recipes one lightly spiced and the other with more spices. Most of the spices used are classic Indian spices like red chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Alternatively, you can also add a sprinkle of curry powder.
- Optional ingredients - You can also use fennel seeds along with cumin seeds. Dry mango powder is frequently used along with a few cashews, almonds, and raisins for a little sweetness.
How to make samosa
Mashed potato filling - option 1
- Boil potatoes - Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes into equal size pieces about 1 ½ inch. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander (or use a slotted spoon) and put them back into the same pot on low heat for another two minutes. Cool completely.
Pro tip - It is easier to work with cold mashed potatoes as it does not soften the spring roll sheets. Alternatively, you can use leftover mashed potatoes. - Combine - In a mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes with sauteed onions, salt, pepper, turmeric, and chopped parsley or cilantro. Combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Pro tip - sauteeing the onions in a teaspoon of oil will take the raw bite out of the onions but you can certainly use raw.
Vegetable filling - Option 2
- Crackle - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and crackle the mustard seeds followed by the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
- Saute - Turn to medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and saute for another 30 seconds. Add spices and saute with a few tablespoons of water for 30 seconds.
Pro tip - a few tablespoons of water will prevent the spices from burning. - Simmer - Add the chopped vegetables, lemon juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender.
- Mash - Once the potatoes are tender, gently mash the veggies with a fork or vegetable masher. You don't want everything mashed, keep them coarse.
Pro tip - mashing the veggies will make it easier to stuff the pastry but keep it coarse otherwise the juices will make the filling soggy.
Traditional samosa pastry dough (option 1)
- Combine - In a bowl, add the flour, salt, and caraway seeds. Then add the melted ghee and rub it well in the flour.
Pro tip - you want to spend some time rubbing the flour and ghee. This is the first secret to making a pastry-like dough. - Knead - Next, add water and combine well. Make sure to use less rather than too much water. You want a flaky yet pliable dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Then, knead a few times more to make it smooth. You can also leave this dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Pro tip- the second secret to making a good pastry dough is not to over-knead it. Kneading too much will activate the gluten in the dough making it soft. We want a crispy flaky dough similar to shortbread. - Rest - Once the dough is rested. Knead briefly to make it smooth. Then divide the dough in half and each half into 6 portions. (total 12 samosas)
- Roll - Gently roll each portion into a smooth ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. Then, roll each ball of dough into a circle approximately 6 to 7 inches (16 to 18 cm) in diameter. Each circle makes 2 samosas
Pro tip - resting the dough between steps will relax the gluten and prevent it from shrinking.
- Fill - Cut each circle in half. Working with one semi-circle at a time fold it into a cone over the palm of your hand as shown in the video. Then fill the cone with your choice of filling and brush the top open edges of the cone with water. Seal the top ends close.
Pro tip - a filled samosa should be stored sealed side down with the point facing up. This way they hold their shape better and you can accommodate more samosas on one baking tray. - Air dry - Place the samosas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them seam-side down. Leave them open for no more than 15 minutes. This helps dry excess moisture and makes them crispy.
Pro tip - these samosas can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze them on a tray for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Make sure to deep fry them just before serving.
Spring roll pastry samosa - (Option 2)
- Divide each spring roll sheet into three, as shown in the video. Work with one piece at a time.
Pro tip - Keep the remaining sheets wrapped under a clean kitchen cloth while you do the rest to prevent them from drying out. - Place a generous amount of filling on one-third of the sheet. Fold the sheet into a triangle, as shown in the video. Brush the bottom 2-inch pastry with water to keep the seams closed.
Pro tip - You can fill and fold these, then, keep them in the fridge until ready to serve.
Deep fry
- In a large pot, pour the oil and heat it on medium-high heat. The oil must be hot but not too hot about 325°F to 350°F. No more.
Pro tip - as a guide for oil temperature - If you drop a samosa in there it should come up in 30 seconds. If it comes up before that meaning it's too hot, and of course, longer than it's not hot enough. - Deep fry in batches until golden brown. The traditional pastry dough samosas (dough option 1)will take about 4 to 6 minutes each and the samosas with spring roll wrappers for about 2 to 3 minutes each.
- Remove on paper hand towels to absorb excess oil. Serve along with some sauce and chutney. I serve with my green chutney, tomato ketchup, and tamarind chutney.
Variations for samosa filling
- Beef samosa - use a ground beef filling we used in our meat puffs and use it to stuff instead of potatoes and peas. You can also use ground poke with shredded cabbage for a twist.
- Sweet coconut samosa - made with a sweet coconut filling instead of savory and often served as a dessert or snack.
- Potato spring rolls - if you prefer you can roll these just as we do the Vietnamese spring rolls. They make the perfect potato summer rolls.
- Mushrooms samosa - use the mushroom mixture we made for our mushroom quiche and use it to stuff in the samosa.
- Cheese filling - Use the cheese filling we made in our recipe for cheese-stuffed pita and use it to stuff in the samosa.
Tips for Success
- To make the pastry do not skip on the ghee/clarified butter. You can also use vegetable shortening but it is an important ingredient to get a nice crisp flaky pastry.
- I have given you two options for filling but the authentic pastry dough makes enough for only 12 samosas. If you choose to make more than one filling you may want to make more pasty dough too.
- The dough must not be too soft, we want a stiff dough so avoid adding too much liquid and do not over-knead.
- The filling is easy to make and can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Or can be frozen in the fridge for up to a month.
- Once you fill the samosas, place them in the fridge, then deep fry them when you are ready to serve. Samosas are best served hot and take no more than 10 minutes to fry.
- When deep-frying the samosas remember the filling is already cooked. You only need to cook the pastry. Overcooking them could result in hard samosas.
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to a month.
- Use cold mashed potatoes it is easier to work with.
- Keep the spring roll sheets under a kitchen cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Use water to stick the edges of the sheet. You can also use beaten egg or flour paste.
- If you find it difficult to shape the triangle you can also roll the sheet, like a cigar.
- Baking Samosa - if you prefer baked samosa it is better to use filo pastry dough because spring roll sheets do not crisp or brown in the oven.
How long will these samosas keep?
Samosas are best eaten fresh, which is why I suggest you fry them closer to serving time. The pastry gets softer as it cools. Having said that, the cooled ones are still delicious and will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
How long will spring roll wrapper samosas kee?
Similar to spring rolls, samosas made with these wrappers become soft over time when left out. Therefore, I highly recommend you fill, fold, and keep them in the fridge until ready to serve, so they are nice and crisp when you are ready to enjoy. They take about 10 minutes to deep fry
Can I reheat samosas?
You can deep fry them in oil for the second time to make them crisper, but they will also be darker in color.
What else can I use instead of potatoes?
You can use sautéed mushrooms filling, cheese filling or meat filling as well. Follow the same process as above just with a different filling.
What else can I use instead of spring roll sheets?
You can also use filo pastry or make your own samosa dough. Though homemade dough will not be as thin as spring roll or filo.
Can I use filo dough instead of spring roll wrappers?
You can also use phyllo pastry. Personally, I find filo crumbles too easily, which can be messy. But, filo on the other hand is perfect if you want to bake these.
Printable Recipe
Easy Samosa (2 Ways)
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 21kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 18 samosas
Description
Authentic samosas are a labor of love. These are semi-homemade: using ready to use spring rolls sheets stuffed with lightly spiced potato and deep-fried until crispy and golden.
Video
Ingredients
Samosa pastry (dough) - option 1
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon Ghee or Oil (or clarified butter)
- ½ teaspoon Caraway seeds ((lightly toasted in a frying pan) )
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Water
Samosa pastry - option 2
- 6 Spring roll sheets
- ¼ cup Water (for brushing the pastry)
Mashed potato filling - Option 1
- 2 cups Mashed potatoes (boiled and mashed)
- ½ cup Onions (chopped and sauteed)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- ¼ cup Cilantro (or parsley chopped)
Vegetable filling - option 2
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 5 med Curry leaves
- 1 medium Onion (finely chopped )
- 1 large Garlic cloves
- 1 inch Fresh ginger (grated (optional) )
- 1 large Potato
- ½ cup Green peas
- ½ cup Carrots
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne or paprika (up to 1 teaspoon to make it spicy)
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ⅕ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (or lime juice )
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
Mashed potato filling - option 1
- Boil potatoes - Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes into equal size pieces about 1 ½ inch. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander (or use a slotted spoon) and put them back into the same pot on low heat for another two minutes. Cool completely. Pro tip - It is easier to work with cold mashed potato as it does not soften the spring roll sheets. Alternatively, you can use leftover mashed potatoes.2 cups Mashed potatoes, ½ cup Onions, ½ teaspoon Black pepper, 1 teaspoon Turmeric, ¼ cup Cilantro, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Combine - In a mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes with sauteed onions, salt, pepper, turmeric, and chopped parsley or cilantro. Combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning.Pro tip - sauteeing the onions in a teaspoon of oil will take the raw bite out of the onions but you can certainly use raw.
Vegetable filling - Option 2
- Crackle - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and crackle the mustard seeds followed by the cumin seeds and curry leaves.1 tablespoon Vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, 5 med Curry leaves
- Saute - Turn to medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, and ginger. and saute for another 30 seconds. Add spices and saute with a few tablespoons of water for 30 seconds. Pro tip - a few tablespoons of water will prevent the spices from burning.1 medium Onion, 1 large Garlic cloves, 1 inch Fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon Cayenne or paprika, ½ teaspoon Coriander powder, ⅕ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- Simmer - Add the chopped vegetables, lemon juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender.¼ cup Cilantro, 1 large Potato, ½ cup Green peas, ½ cup Carrots, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Mash - Once the potatoes are tender, gently mash the veggies with a fork or vegetable masher. You don't want everything mashed, keep them coarse. Pro tip - mashing the veggies will make it easier to stuff the pastry but keep it coarse otherwise the juices will make the filling soggy.
Samosa pastry dough- Option 1
- Combine - In a bowl, add the flour, salt, and caraway seeds. Then add the melted ghee and rub it well in the flour.Pro tip - you want to spend some time rubbing the flour and ghee. This is the first secret to making a pastry-like dough.2 cups All-purpose flour, 4 tablespoon Ghee or Oil, ½ teaspoon Caraway seeds, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Knead - Next, add water and combine well. Make sure to use less rather than too much water. You want a flaky yet pliable dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Then, knead a few times more to make it smooth. You can also leave this dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours.Pro tip- the second secret to making a good pastry dough is not to over-knead it. Kneading too much will activate the gluten in the dough making it soft. We want a crispy flaky dough similar to shortbread.½ cup Water
- Rest - Once the dough is rested. Knead briefly to make it smooth. Then divide the dough in half and each half into 6 portions. (total 12 samosas)
- Roll - Gently roll each portion into a smooth ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. Then, each ball of dough into a circle approximately 6 to 7 inches (16 to 18 cm) in diameter. Each circle makes 2 samosasPro tip - resting the dough between steps will relax the gluten and prevent it from shrinking.
- Fill - Cut each circle in half. Working with one semi-circle at a time fold it into a cone over the palm of your hand as shown in the video. Then fill the cone with your choice of filling and brush the top open edges of the cone with water. Seal the top ends close. Pro tip - a filled samosa should be stored sealed side down with the point facing up. This way they hold their shape better and you can accommodate more samosas on one baking tray.
- Air dry - Place the samosas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them seam-side down. Leave them open for no more than 15 minutes. This helps dry excess moisture and makes them crispy. Pro tip - these samosas can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze them on a tray for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Make sure to deep fry them just before serving.
Spring roll pastry - Option 2
- Divide each spring roll sheet into three, as shown in the video. Work with one piece at a time.Pro tip - Keep the remaining sheets wrapped under a clean kitchen cloth while you do the rest to prevent them from drying out.6 Spring roll sheets
- Place a generous amount of filling on one-third of the sheet. Fold the sheet into a triangle, as shown in the video. Brush the bottom 2-inch pastry with water to keep the seams closed.Pro tip - You can fill and fold these, then, keep them in the fridge until ready to serve.¼ cup Water
Deep fry
- In a large pot, pour the oil and heat it on medium-high heat. The oil must be hot but not too hot about 325°F to 350°F. No more. Pro tip - as a guide for oil temperature - If you drop a samosa in there it should come up in 30 seconds. If it comes up before that meaning it's too hot, and of course, longer than it's not hot enough.
- Deep fry the authentic pastry samosas for 4 to 6 minutes each and the spring roll samosas for about 2 to 3 minutes each.
- Remove on paper hand towels to absorb excess oil. Serve along with some sauce and chutney. I serve with my green chutney, tomato ketchup, and tamarind chutney.
Recipe Notes
- To make the pastry do not skip on the ghee/clarified butter. You can also use vegetable shortening but it is an important ingredient to get a nice crisp flaky pastry.
- I have given you two options for filling but the authentic pastry dough makes enough for only 12 samosas. If you choose to make more than one filling you may want to make more pasty dough too.
- The dough must not be too soft, we want a stiff dough so avoid adding too much liquid and do not over-knead.
- The filling is easy to make and can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Or can be frozen in the fridge for up to a month.
- Once you fill the samosas, place them in the fridge, then deep fry them when you are ready to serve. Samosas are best served hot and take no more than 10 minutes to fry.
- When deep-frying the samosas remember the filling is already cooked. You only need to cook the pastry. Overcooking them could result in hard samosas.
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to a month.
- Use cold mashed potatoes it is easier to work with.
- Keep the spring roll sheets under a kitchen cloth to prevent them from drying out.
- Use water to stick the edges of the sheet. You can also use beaten egg or flour paste.
- If you find it difficult to shape the triangle you can also roll the sheet, like a cigar.
- Baking Samosa - if you prefer baked samosa it is better to use filo pastry dough because spring roll sheets do not crisp or brown in the oven.
- you can freeze the filling for up to a month and then assemble the spring rolls and fry them before serving.
- Alternatively, you can also assemble the samosa and freeze them. I suggest freezing them in a baking tray first until firm. Then place them in freezer storage bags. Thaw them in the fridge overnight then deep fry from thawed. Do not deep fry frozen raw samosas they do not cook inside and the oil becomes a splattering mess.
- You can also freeze fried samosas but they do then to get soft over time.
Cilantro coconut chutney for samosa
- 1 cup cilantro (you can add a few mint leaves too)
- ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
- ½ teaspoon chopped ginger
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup coconut cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Tamarind chutney for Samosa
- 3 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 4 tablespoon Brown sugar or honey
- ½ teaspoon chilly powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon mango powder (amchur) optional
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
Nutrition Information
Calories: 21- kcalCarbohydrates: 4- gProtein: 1- gFat: 1- gSaturated Fat: 1- gCholesterol: 1- mgSodium: 101- mgPotassium: 14- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 1- gVitamin A: 18- IUVitamin C: 1- mgCalcium: 5- mgIron: 1- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Beatrice
Good I wanto make 300 Samoas and 300 springrolls, after I've made .the. sheet, let's say I will be making the samosa and spring rolls tomorrow and I make my sheets today and I don't have . fridge or freezer,how can I store it till tomorrow?
Veena Azmanov
Beatrice, it depends on the filling you use. Perishable fillings will need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Century Foods
Samosa preparation was explained in very simple and easy manner; making one to go for preparation straight away.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Bongiwe Nkosi
Thank you sooo much ....samosa done