Vegetable Samosas Recipe
Crunchy Punjabi-style shortcrust pastry, pea and potato filling warmly spiced with cinnamon. Tamarind chutney for dipping.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Pastry (shortcrust)
Filling (pea & potato, Punjabi-style)
Assembly & frying
Tamarind chutney (for dipping)
Method
Pastry (shortcrust)
- 1
Make pastry dough
Combine flour and salt (and carom/cumin seeds if using) in a large bowl. Add cold cubed butter and rub with fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Stir in cold oil (if using) for extra flakiness. Gradually add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and gently bring dough together until it forms a soft but not sticky ball. Do not overwork. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Divide dough
After chilling, divide dough into 8 equal portions (for 8 large samosas) or 12 for smaller ones. Keep portions covered so they don't dry out while you prepare the filling.
Filling (pea & potato, Punjabi-style)
- 3
- 4
Cook spices and peas
Heat 2 tbs oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds (if using) and let them sizzle 20–30 seconds. Add crushed cardamom and broken cinnamon stick and sauté briefly to release aroma. Add chopped green chili and grated ginger, sauté 30 seconds. Add turmeric, ground coriander, red chili powder and stir for 15 seconds to bloom the spices.
- 5
Combine filling
Add thawed peas to the pan and cook 2–3 minutes until heated through. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, garam masala and amchur (or lemon juice). Mix thoroughly, breaking up any large lumps and ensuring spices coat potatoes evenly. Cook together 2–3 minutes to let flavors meld and moisture evaporate. Stir in chopped cilantro, adjust seasoning to taste, then remove whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom pods) if desired. Cool filling to room temperature before assembling (important to prevent soggy pastry).
Assembly & frying
- 6
Prepare sealing slurry
Whisk the 2 tbs flour with 3 tbs water to a smooth paste; set aside. This will act as glue to seal samosas.
- 7
Shape samosa cones
Working with one dough portion at a time, roll into a ball and then flatten into an oval about 6–7 inches long and 4–5 inches wide. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the oval in half lengthwise to make two semicircles. Take one semicircle with the curved edge facing you; fold the straight edge over to form a cone, overlapping edges about 0.5 inch, and seal along the vertical seam using the flour slurry. Press the bottom of the cone to close it.
- 8
Fill and close
Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons (for large samosas) of cooled filling into the cone, leaving some room at top. Brush the top edge with flour slurry and fold/press to seal the samosa into a triangle/parcel. Ensure edges are well sealed; use a fork to crimp if needed. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- 9
Heat oil
In a heavy saucepan or deep-fryer, heat oil to 175–180°C (350–360°F) for deep frying. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small scrap of dough—it should sizzle and rise slowly to the surface without burning immediately.
- 10
Fry samosas
Fry samosas in batches (do not overcrowd) for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Maintain oil temperature between 170–180°C so they cook through without browning too quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let rest 2–3 minutes — they will crisp further as they cool slightly.
Tamarind chutney (for dipping)
- 11
Make chutney
Whisk tamarind paste with warm water until smooth. Add jaggery (or brown sugar), ground cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir over low heat for 2–3 minutes until jaggery dissolves and mixture slightly thickens. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt. Cool to room temperature — it will thicken a bit more as it cools. Serve alongside hot samosas.
