This is definitely the best Indian punjabi samosa you’ll every make at home! I’m arming you with step by step directions and a recipe video for you to follow. So you can learn how to make the samosa dough, the aloo stuffing and how to easily wrap them.
I don’t make tall claims easily but I think I’ve been looking for the best Indian punjabi samosa recipe all my life. Because I’m a samosa lover. More like an obsessive samosa lover with an irresistible need to have samosas every week because I think they are the most epic Indian snack ever invented!
I mean who can resist flaky samosa pastry, stuffed with a spicy, mouthwatering aloo (potato) filling thats deep fried till golden? Not this girl!
And I think these homemade punjabi samosas can give any store bought samosa a run for its money. In fact, some store bought samosas get it so wrong that it’s unbelievable – the stuffing is not appetizing enough, or the pastry is not fried properly. Because making good samosas is an art and needs time and patience, so I don’t have any shortcuts today. Because the best Indian punjabi samosas don’t deserve them. They deserve to be made with love and care and patience so that when you take that first bite you are transported back to your favorite childhood mithai shop.
If you’ve never attempted samosas at home before, I think it’s time we all start. And if I can do it, so can you. Because I’m the least arty person I’ve ever met. Origami was never my thing and wrapping samosas is a bit like that. It takes a few tries, but once you get it, you’ll be wrapping them like a boss. I have a step by step video recipe if you scroll down, that’s going to make things even easier.
Because I want this to become the definitive guide to making homemade punjabi samosas, let’s just answer some questions that you may have.
Which flour can you use to make samosa?
Samosa is traditionally made with all purpose flour or maida. But you can swap in some of the maida for whole wheat flour (atta). All purpose flour provides flakier results, and whole wheat flour samosas will result in a denser samosa pastry, but they still be very tasty!
Can the samosa filling be made without onion and garlic?
The samosa filling recipe that I have does not have any onions, but I do love adding garlic. However, if you don’t like garlic or don’t eat it, feel free to skip it and replace it with a pinch of asafoetida right in the beginning after you heat the oil.
Can the samosa dough be made in advance?
Yes, and it should be. You will always get better results when you make the samosa dough in advance and keep it covered for 30-40 minutes. This helps form the gluten in the dough and the resting time gives you better control while rolling the dough.
Are these samosas vegetarian or even vegan?
These are the best Indian punjabi samosas and they are vegetarian. Infact these samosas are also naturally vegan like a lot of Indian cooking, so if you are looking for vegan festive options, these will please you!
Can samosas be baked?
Yes, samosas can be baked in general. Though I believe deep frying provides the best results, and when you are enjoying something like samosas, you should stop worrying about it being healthy and just indulge. To bake these, the amount of oil in the dough will need to be increased to give the same flaky results, without making them overtly oily. I’m testing a baked samosa recipe and if I’m happy, I will put it up soon!
Can samosas be made in the air fryer?
Absolutely! My mother has tested these samosas in the air fryer with great results. They will need to be brushed with a light coating of oil before being air-fried but the result is pretty yummy. They may not have the perfect, even golden brown crust but the pastry is cooked through and its quite crispy too, just like a good samosa should be.
Can the best Indian punjabi samosa be made in advance?
Yes, you can easily make these samosas in advance and refrigerate them for about 6-8 hours. Or you can individually freeze them and store them in a ziplock or a freezer friendly container and fry them at a later date. If freezing these, make sure to thaw them at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before frying.
How long do samosas keep?
I have never been able to keep samosas for more than two days because they always get over before that. In fact I love cold samosa and make them into a samosa sandwich or samosa chaat. You won’t believe how good samosas can taste between two slices of bread slathered with ketchup and coriander chutney.
Whoa! I know that’s a lot of questions but those are all the questions I had when I started making samosas. If you have any others, feel free to leave them in a comment and I’ll be happy to keep adding them as we go!
My favorite way to serve samosas is definitely with ketchup, but you can always serve these with coriander chutney or tamarind chutney, or turn them into a samosa chaat with all your favorite toppings.
Big thumbs up from Denver every time I make these which means they are approved by my biggest critic!
How to make Punjabi Samosa
More Indian Snacks:
- Aloo Paneer Tikkis
- Paneer Pakoras
- Easy Pani Puri (Golgappa/ Puchka)
- Aloo Chaat
- Vegetable Pakoras
- 14 Diwali Snack Recipes that will light up your Diwali Party
The Best Indian Punjabi Samosa Recipe Video (Step by Step)
The Best Indian Punjabi Samosa
Ingredients
Samosa Dough
- 2 cups Maida
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Water + a few tablespoons extra
Samosa Filling
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Saunf fennel seeds
- A pinch of Methi Seeds fenugreek seeds
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste freshly ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste freshly ground garlic
- 1 teaspoon Green Chillies or Jalapeno (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
- 2 tablespoons Coriander Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 tablespoon Raw Mango Powder Amchoor
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 2 Potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed (large )
- 6-7 Curry Leaves
- Salt to taste
Oil for Frying
Instructions
- To start making the samosa dough or pastry, mix together flour and salt and add oil. Rub the oil with the flour till it resembles bread crumbs. Start by adding 1/2 cup water and knead it into a firm dough. You may need a few extra teaspoons of water but add as you go. The consistency of the dough should be firm and smooth. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside while you make the filling.
- Heat oil in a pan. While the oil is heating, crush the coriander seeds, saunf (fennel seeds) and methi (fenugreek seeds) roughly and add it to the pan. Fry the spices till aromatic but be careful not to burn them. Add ginger, garlic and green chilies and stir fry for a minute or two. Add the remaining spices, mashed boiled potatoes and salt. I like to use a potato masher to just mash everything together and then mix it. Add the curry leaves right at the end, give it one more good mix and then set the mixture aside to cool.
Wrapping the samosas:
- Take a lime sized bowl of dough, roll it between your palms till smooth and dust it with flour. Roll it out into a circle which is less than 1 mm thickness and about 6 inches in diameter. Cut the rolled dough in half. Pick up one half and brush it with a little water along the straight edge of the pastry.
- Now take one edge of the straight side, and place it on the other edge of the straight side in such a way that the dough forms into a cone (watch the video for more clarity). Pinch the corner of the cone so that its sealed. Place a tablespoon and a half of the filling in the cone, making sure to fill it only 3/4th of the way. Brush the inside of the unfilled dough with a little water and seal it by pinching the edge together. Repeat till all the dough is used up. Place the samosas on a greased tray making sure they don’t touch each either and cover them with a damp cloth.
- Heat about 2-3 inches oil in a pan. To test if the oil is hot enough, add a tiny piece of dough to the oil and if it bubbles and floats on the surface, your oil is ready for frying. Add the samosas to the oil making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and reduce the flame to a simmer. Fry the samosas on a low flame till golden brown on either side. Its important to fry them on a low flame, or the pastry would be raw from the inside and golden brown on the outside. Take them out on a plate lined with paper to absorb any extra oil and serve them immediately with ketchup, coriander chutney or tamarind chutney.
Josie Poolook says
I made this tonight and it’s delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe with the world!
Richa says
So glad you liked it Josie