• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Easy Indian Cookbook
  • Recipes
  • Basics
  • Collections
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Basics
  • Collections
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Basics
    • Collections
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Easy and Delicious Snacks

    Authentic Samosa Recipe / How to make perfect samosa

    Published: Aug 23, 2022 · Modified: May 6, 2023 by Shilpa · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 171 votes
    Your search for a delicious homemade samosa recipe ends here! This recipe boasts a mouth-watering spicy potato filling that is guaranteed to satisfy your cravings. What's more, I'm providing all the essential tips, tricks, and troubleshooting techniques to help you achieve perfectly crispy and flaky samosas right in your own kitchen. So don't wait any longer and treat yourself to this classic Indian snack in the comfort of your home.
    samosa.

    Samosa is a well-loved snack and street food in India, consisting of a flaky pastry that is filled with a savory, spicy potato mixture and then deep-fried. This indulgent snack is widely popular not only within India, but also outside of it, and can be found in sweet shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. The most traditional and popular filling for samosas is a mixture of spiced potatoes and peas that is generously stuffed into the pastry shell.

    In addition to their incredible flavor, samosas are highly versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. They make for a tasty snack, appetizer, or even a satisfying meal when paired with chickpea curry. Furthermore, they are an excellent make-ahead option that can be frozen for up to three months, ensuring you always have a quick and delicious snack on hand. Make these yummy crowd-pleasing authentic samosas for your next party, gathering, or picnic, and serve them with mint chutney and sweet chutney.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this samosa recipe?
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Variations of this classic samosa recipe
    • Air fryer samosa recipe
    • Useful tips
    • More snacks with potatoes
    • FAQs
    • Recipe card
    • Comments
    perfectly golden and crispy.

    Why you will love this samosa recipe?

    • This samosa recipe is sure to impress with its perfect balance of spices, yielding a flavor that is simply unbeatable.
    • These homemade samosas boast a crispy, flaky texture that is truly irresistible.
    • What's more, the recipe can be easily adjusted to suit your particular tastes and preferences, enabling you to put your own spin on this beloved Indian snack and create a unique version that is truly your own.

    perfect and best samosa.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make samosa.

    Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make the samosas.

    Potatoes: I used 4 large potatoes (approximately 1 lb).

    Ghee and oil: I use ghee to make the dough and sunflower oil for deep frying. For a vegan version, use oil instead of ghee in the dough.

    Spices: Whole spices I use are cumin seeds and fennel seeds. The powdered spices I use are ground coriander, red chili powder (or cayenne), garam masala, and amchur (dry mango powder). You can replace amchur with lemon juice. These can be adjusted according to your preference.

    Optional ingredients: You may use ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds) while making the dough. You can also add 1 teaspoon coriander seeds to the filling.

    samosa.

    Step-by-step instructions

    knead the dough.

    Step 1: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add ghee or oil and mix well.

    Step 2: Rub the ghee and flour together well for 3-5 minutes.

    Step 3: To check if it is done, take some dough and press it in your fist. It should hold together without falling apart.

    Step 4: Slowly add water and begin to knead.

    let it rest.

    Step 5: Slowly add water and knead into a stiff dough.

    Step 6: Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

    make the filling.

    Step 7: Boil the potatoes until they are just done. Peel the skin and mash them lightly. Set aside.

    Step 8: Heat oil in a pan or kadhai. Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Once they splutter, add ginger and green chili, and saute for a few seconds.

    Step 9: Add potato, green peas, ground coriander, red chili powder, garam masala, amchur, and salt.

    Step 10: Mix well and add chopped cilantro.

    make cones with the dough.

    Step 11: Divide the samosa dough into six parts.

    Step 12: Lightly grease the rolling surface with some oil and roll the dough into a slightly thick disc, approximately 8 inches.

    Step 13: Cut it into two parts making a semi-circle.

    Step 14: Take one part and apply water at the straight edge. Bring the two corners together to form a cone.

    fill and repeat.

    Step 15: Add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of filling to the cone. Press it lightly.

    Step 16: Apply water to the edges.

    Step 17: Seal the edges making sure there is no gap.

    Step 18: Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

    deep fry.

    Step 19: Heat oil and check if it is ready (see the tips section).

    Step 20: Deep fry in batches on low heat.

    Step 21: Do not flip them for the first 5-6 minutes.

    Step 22: Once they begin to firm up, increase the heat to medium and carefully flip them.

    Variations of this classic samosa recipe

    This is a classic Punjabi samosa recipe that is made with spicy potatoes and peas. However, here are some variations you can try to give this classic snack a delicious twist.

    Singhara: Singhara is the Bengali version of this snack. The outer crust is the same as classic ones but the filling is very different. This popular cousin of samosa has a filling made with potatoes, cauliflower, and peanuts. Singharas are smaller in size when compared to Punjabi ones and are often made very spicy. Singhara has other variations too like mangshor singhara (made with minced goat meat) or macher singhara (made with fish).

    Chole samosa: This is a common street food where the aloo samosa is served with chickpea curry. It is popularly called samosa chaat.

    Keema samosa: The stuffing is made with keema (minced meat) and spices. The most common meat stuffing includes chicken and goat meat.

    Other filling options: There are a plethora of combinations when it comes to filling. Paneer, cauliflower, mushroom, onions - there are so many ingredients and seasoning combinations that are commonly served as street food in food carts across India.

    Fusion: Chinese samosa (noodle stuffing or sometimes even Maggi stuffing), cheese samosa, chocolate (or jam) samosa - just to name a few fusion variations.

    Other ways they are served: Bun samosa or samosa pav (a samosa stuffed between a pav bun or dinner roll and seasoned like vada pav), samosa wrap, samosa chaat (broken into bits and combined with green chutney and sweet chutney).

    samosa.

    Air fryer samosa recipe

    Samosas are traditionally deep-fried; however, they can be baked or air-fried too. To air fry them, follow this recipe until shaping. To air fry, preheat the air fryer to 400 F (200 C) for 2 minutes. Brush the samosa with oil making sure all the sides are coated well. Air fry for 12-15 minutes flipping at around 7 minutes.

    Air frying the samosa is a great option if you are avoiding deep frying. Air frying them gives a flaky and crispy crust very similar to the deep-fried ones.

    air fryer samosa.
    Brush the samosa with oil and air fry it as mentioned above

    air fryer samosa.
    Crispy and flaky air fryer samosa

    Related: Aloo buns.

    Useful tips

    A perfect authentic samosa should have a flaky and crisp outer crust that is free from any blisters with a spicy and flavourful filling. Read on for the tips and follow my recipe to make perfect and delicious samosas at home.

    Tips for making the dough for samosa

    For 2 cups of flour, I use around ¼ cup of ghee and just under ½ cup of water. These measurements are perfect to get crispy and flaky samosa. For this dough, 500 grams of potato is sufficient to make the filling. This recipe makes 12 samosas.

    Do not cut down on the ghee or oil in the dough. With less fat, you will get dry and hard samosas. At the same time, do not add too much fat or you will end up with a lot of cracks in the crust. The measurement I have given makes a perfectly flaky crust that does not have any cracks (the dough can have roughly up to 10-12% fat so measure accordingly).

    I add ghee to the dough which gives the best results. You may replace it with oil for a vegan version.

    Rub the flour and fat together well. This is an important step that is often overlooked. Do not skip it. Rub them well for at least 4-5 minutes. To see if the fat is fully incorporated, take a small portion of the flour and press it in your fist. It should come together without falling apart (see step-by-step picture). Start adding water only after that.

    Roll the dough into a slightly thick disc. If you roll it too thin, it may tear while frying and if it is too thick, it may not cook completely.

    The dough must be stiff. Make sure you add water gradually and in small batches.

    When shaping, keep the dough under a damp tissue to make sure they do not become dry. Also, when sealing the dough use minimal water and apply water towards the inside of the fold, keeping the outer layer of the dough moisture-free.

    Do not knead the dough too much. Bring it together and gently knead for just 1-2 minutes.

    Tips for deep frying the samosa

    The temperature of the oil is as important as getting the dough right. The oil should not be sizzling hot for samosas. To check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of dough in it. If it comes to the top slowly (and not too quickly), the oil is ready. Add the samosa at this stage and do not flip them for the first 5-6 minutes. They will slowly come to the top. Flip them carefully. At this stage, increase the heat to medium. Each batch should take 8-10 minutes for frying.

    Once you flip them, increase the heat to medium. Be patient and do not keep flipping it.

    Once a batch of samosa is fried, let the oil cool down slightly before adding the next batch.

    For the filling, do not mash the potatoes completely. Keep a few small chunks while mashing.

    Pro-tip: Adjust the spices as per your preference to suit your taste buds.

    Serve it with a cup of masala chai. Click here for more snack recipes.

    samosa.

    More snacks with potatoes

    • bombay potatoes.
      Bombay Potatoes
    • masala smashed potatoes.
      Spiced Smashed Potatoes Recipe (Oven, Air Fryer)
    • aloo tikki.
      Aloo Tikki (Indian Potato Patties)
    • ragda patties.
      Ragda Patties / Aloo Tikki Chaat

    Click here for more snack recipes.

    FAQs

    Why is my samosa not crispy?

    If the dough is soft, it will affect the crispiness of the crust. Also, the temperature of the oil is important. If the oil is not hot enough or too hot, it will make the samosas soggy.

    Why are my samosas oily?

    Soft dough results in oily samosas. Add water in small batches when making the dough and make a stiff dough. See the measurements above.

    Why is the crust hard?

    Not adding enough ghee or oil to the dough will make the crust hard. Also, if you knead the dough too much, it will make the crust hard.

    Why does my samosa have blisters and bubbles on the top?

    Frying them in very hot oil gives them bubbles on the crust.

    Can we freeze samosas?

    Yes. You shape them and freeze them before frying them. You can also fry them and then freeze them. To reheat them, microwave them for one minute and then place them in the oven or air fryer.

    Can I use atta to make the crust of samosa?

    While atta can be used, it may not make the crust dense and less flaky. All-purpose flour (maida) gives a flaky and crispy crust. If you want to replace it with atta (whole wheat flour), use 1:1 atta and maida.

    samosa.

    If you liked this recipe, please don't forget to give a 5-star rating and leave a comment below.

    Recipe card

    samosa.

    BEST Homemade Samosa

    Your search for a delicious homemade samosa recipe ends here! This recipe boasts a mouth-watering spicy potato filling that is guaranteed to satisfy your cravings. What's more, I'm providing all the essential tips, tricks, and troubleshooting techniques to help you achieve perfectly crispy and flaky samosas right in your own kitchen. So don't wait any longer and treat yourself to this classic Indian snack in the comfort of your home.
    5 from 171 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: Shilpa
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 12 samosas
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    For the dough:

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup ghee or oil
    • ¼-½ cup water

    For the filling:

    • 4 large potatoes (1 lb)
    • ½ cup peas
    • 2 tablespoon oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
    • 1-2 green chili (or serrano pepper) finely chopped, adjust as per taste
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • ¾ teaspoon chili powder (or cayenne)
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1 teaspoon amchur dry mango powder
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro

    Oil for deep frying

      Instructions

      Knead the dough:

      • Take flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.
      • Add ghee or oil and mix well. Rub the ghee and flour together well for 3-5 minutes.
      • Incorporate the ghee and flour very well. To check if it is done, take some dough and press it in your fist. It should hold together without falling apart.
      • Slowly add water and knead into a stiff dough. Do not overmix the dough.
      • Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

      Make the filling:

      • Boil the potatoes until they are just done. Peel the skin and mash them lightly. Set them aside.
      • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan or kadhai. Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
      • Once it splutters, add ginger and green chili. Saute for a few seconds.
      • Add the mashed potatoes and peas.
      • Add the ground coriander, chili powder, garam masala, amchur, and salt. Mix well.
      • Turn off the heat and add cilantro. Mix well and let the mixture cool down.

      Shape the samosa:

      • Once the dough is rested, gently knead it again.
      • Divide it into six parts.
      • Lightly grease the rolling surface with some oil and roll the dough into a slightly thick disc (approximately 8 inches).
      • Cut it into two parts making a semi-circle.
      • Take one part and apply water at the straight edge. Bring the two corners together to form a cone (see step-by-step pictures).
      • Add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of filling to the cone. Press it lightly.
      • Apply water to the edges and seal them.
      • Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Keep the samosa under a damp kitchen towel to make sure they do not dry out.

      Fry the samosa:

      • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan for deep frying.
      • The oil should be medium hot. To check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of dough in the oil. If it slowly rises up, the oil is ready (see tips above).
      • Deep fry the samosa in batches on low heat. Do not flip them for the first 5-6 minutes. Once they begin to firm, increase the heat to medium and carefully flip the samosa (see tips above).
      • Fry until the samosa is golden brown (it will take approximately 8-10 minutes).
      • Take the samosa out and drain it on a paper towel.
      • Serve hot.

      Notes

      See the tips section above for useful tips to make perfect samosas at home.
      Nutrition Facts
      BEST Homemade Samosa
      Amount per Serving
      Calories
      235
      % Daily Value*
      Fat
       
      7
      g
      11
      %
      Saturated Fat
       
      3
      g
      19
      %
      Trans Fat
       
      0.01
      g
      Polyunsaturated Fat
       
      1
      g
      Monounsaturated Fat
       
      3
      g
      Cholesterol
       
      10
      mg
      3
      %
      Sodium
       
      120
      mg
      5
      %
      Potassium
       
      567
      mg
      16
      %
      Carbohydrates
       
      39
      g
      13
      %
      Fiber
       
      4
      g
      17
      %
      Sugar
       
      2
      g
      2
      %
      Protein
       
      5
      g
      10
      %
      Vitamin A
       
      92
      IU
      2
      %
      Vitamin C
       
      27
      mg
      33
      %
      Calcium
       
      24
      mg
      2
      %
      Iron
       
      2
      mg
      11
      %
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      More Easy and Delicious Snacks

      • Singhara atta mathri.
        Singhara Atta Mathri (Air Fryer)
      • Aloo buns.
        Bakery-Style Potato Buns
      • Mixed millet laddu.
        Millet Laddu (Mixed millets Ladoo)
      • Pav bhaji.
        BEST Pav Bhaji Recipe (Mumbai Street-Style)

      Reader Interactions

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      Namaste and welcome to Easy Indian Cookbook, where you'll find simple and delicious recipes with an Indian flair! I'm Shilpa, and I'm passionate about bringing the flavors of my culture to your kitchen. Discover the convenience of wholesome and nourishing Indian cuisine with my recipes, crafted to be quick and hassle-free. So join me on this culinary journey, and let's create delicious, homemade meals that celebrate the vibrant and diverse flavors of India! Read More…

      Mango Magic

      • Eggless mango cake.
        BEST Eggless Mango Cake with Mango Glaze
      • mango kulfi.
        BEST Mango Kulfi Recipe (No-cook)
      • indian mango milkshake.
        Mango Mastani Recipe (Indian Mango Milkshake)
      • mango juice.
        Mango Juice Recipe (Homemade Mango Nectar)
      • green mango dal.
        Mango Dal / South Indian Raw Green Mango Dal
      • mango lassi.
        BEST Mango Lassi Recipe
      • mango rice.
        Mango Rice (Mavinakayi Chitranna)
      • Mango rasayana.
        Mango Rasayana (Sweet Mango Pulp)

      Refreshing Beverages

      • Sweet lassi.
        Sweet Lassi Recipe (4 ingredients, 5 minutes)
      • nimbu paani.
        Nimbu Pani / Shikanji (Indian Lemonade)
      • iced chai tea latte.
        Iced Chai Tea Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
      • Salt lassi.
        Salted Lassi Recipe (Namkeen Lassi)
      • South Indian buttermilk.
        South Indian Buttermilk (Majjige / Neer Mor)
      • blackberry lassi.
        Blackberry Lassi

      Sourdough Baking

      • Turmeric sourdough bread.
        Turmeric Sourdough Bread with Caramelized Onions
      • Cheese sourdough bread.
        Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread
      • Olive sourdough bread.
        Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Sourdough Bread
      • Sourdough sandwich bread.
        BEST Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
      • Sourdough dinner rolls.
        Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe (Super Soft and Fluffy)
      • Chocolate sourdough bread.
        Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe (Most Delicious and BEST)

      Popular Recipes

      • perfectly cooked naan bread.
        Homemade Naan Recipe (Easy No-Knead Recipe + Video)
      • Chicken korma.
        BEST and Authentic Chicken Korma Recipe (+ Video)
      • aloo gobi.
        Aloo Gobi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)
      • lamb palak.
        Lamb Palak / Saag Gosht (Lamb and Spinach Curry)
      • Chicken masala served with rice and roti.
        Easy and BEST Chicken Masala Recipe
      • bombay potatoes.
        Bombay Potatoes
      • Instant Pot saffron rice.
        Instant Pot Saffron Rice
      • butter chicken.
        Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani)

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • About Me

      Privacy Policy

      • Privacy Policy
      • Disclaimer

      Contact

      • Subscribe to newsletter
      • Contact

      COPYRIGHT © 2023 EASYINDIANCOOKBOOK.COM