Nothing beats these quick and easy air fryer samosas! Filled with a savory potato and spice mixture in a golden, crisp pastry shell, this classic Indian snack is going to be an instant hit. Using little to no oil, you can enjoy a healthier version of vegetable samosas any time of the week!
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💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- A healthier option. Unlike traditional deep-fried samosas, air fryer samosas require little to no oil to cook, making them a healthier alternative to regular samosas. You can also make these baked samosas, or use them up in this samosa chaat if you have leftovers.
- Vegan and can be made gluten-free. These air fryer samosas are vegan as written, and can be made gluten-free by either using a 1:1 gluten-free flour, or by using rice paper wrappers instead of the dough for the shell.
- Quick and convenient. No need for deep frying! Air fryers can cook food faster than conventional ovens while being less hassle than cooking on a stovetop, and this is true for homemade samosas too. You can make crispy and delicious samosas in less time and with minimal effort.
- Make your own version. Air fryer samosas can be made with a variety of fillings, from classic potato and peas to more creative options like paneer, corn, green peas, and different types of veggies.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make the samosa dough, you'll need all-purpose flour, oil or ghee, water, salt, and baking soda.
To make the samosa filling, you'll need potatoes, vegetable oil, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, garam masala, and frozen peas. It's optional but you can also add black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Thai bird's eye chili pepper or jalapeño, amchur powder, and cilantro. My baked samosa recipe has a simple filling (just 3 ingredients) if you want to use that instead.
Notes and variations
- All-purpose flour. For this delicious recipe, I used all-purpose flour. However, feel free to use any preferred gluten-free flour alternative instead!
- Oil. If you're feeling adventurous, why not experiment with different types of oil? You can try sunflower seed oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, olive oil — heck, just about any other kind of cooking oil you'd like!
- Aromatics. Spicing up the cuisine with green chiles, ginger, or onion not only adds flavor but also a fiery kick of heat that will revolutionize your taste buds.
📖 How to make air fryer samosas
Boil the potatoes for the filling
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on a high heat. In the meantime, quarter the potatoes. Then, turn down to medium heat, add potatoes, and cover with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes until fork tender (i.e., it comes out clean).
Prepare samosa dough
While potatoes are boiling, add flour, salt, and one tablespoon of oil to a mixing bowl and mix using a fork. You can add baking soda to the mix to make it more crispy and delicious.
Slowly add water and knead slowly into a ball. Add ¼ cup at a time, until the dough falls into a neat ball. If you have a stand mixer, you can dump all the ingredients in the mixing bowl and use the paddle attachment to get it to the right consistency.
Dab the rolled dough with a little bit of oil, and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes so the dough can rest while the potatoes are boiling.
Prepare the samosa filling
Once the potatoes have boiled, drain the water, remove the peels, and then mash the potatoes with a spatula or masher.
In a medium skillet, add cooking oil and turn the stove to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. When they splutter, add ginger and garlic and finely chopped Indian green chili peppers (or jalapeños!)
Add the mashed potatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric, and red chili powder. Stir the spices to evenly coat the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, tasting and adjusting along the way for your preference.
Add amchur powder (dried mango powder, which is optional but adds a great kick), garam masala, and peas and stir them into the mix for about 30-45 seconds. Turn off the heat, and add a few sprigs of cilantro (if you choose to include them). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Fold the samosas
Take the kneaded dough and roll it out into a long cylinder, roughly as long as your two hands side-to-side (~7-8 inches long).
Using a knife or sharp edge, portion this cylinder into 8-9 smaller pieces. Take one of the pieces and roll it into a smooth ball (while you set the others aside)
Now, dust this ball with a bit of flour, and then using a rolling pin, roll it into a circular shape, roughly 6-7 inches in diameter (for reference, the rolled-out dough should be slightly larger than the size of your hand).
Slice this dough diagonally so you get two (roughly) semi-circular pieces. Pick up one of these pieces and lay it on your left hand so the straight edge lines up against the left side of your hand (it should look like the letter D on your hand).
Wet the straight edge with some water and form a cone so that the top is wider and also open for you to stuff the filling.
Add ~2 heaped teaspoons of filling per samosa and push it in so it evenly fills out (but only till about ¾ of the cone). You might end up adding a bit more depending on how big you rolled the dough out.
Add a bit of water to the edge of the cone and seal it shut (either by pressing together or folding one edge over the other).
Use a cooking spray to coat with enough oil to cover all the sides and place aside. Repeat for the rest of the samosas.
Air Fry Samosas!
Pre-heat to 425°F (if it allows that option). Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to make a couple of batches – take care not to overcrowd the samosas since that will prevent the dough from cooking properly.
Place the samosas carefully in the air fryer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, and then flip the sides and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Depending on your air fryer, you might need to add a few extra minutes.
When it's done, the cooked samosas should have a crispy texture on the outside and a nice golden brown color on both sides.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best air fryer samosa
Crafting the best samosas requires more than just following a recipe. For best results remember these essential tips:
- Preheat the air fryer. Before placing the samosas in the air fryer, preheat to the recommended temperature if possible. Preheating ensures that the samosas cook evenly, resulting in crispy and golden samosas.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer. To ensure even cooking, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket and place samosas in a single layer. Leave space between each samosa so hot air can circulate freely.
- Use oil sparingly. Air fryers require very little oil. You could spray a light coating of oil over the samosas before placing them in the basket.
- Monitor the time. Depending on the thickness and size of the samosas, the cooking time may vary. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.
- Let them cool. After removing the samosas from the air fryer, let them cool for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the samosas to crisp up and reach their full potential.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Preheat the air fryer to 425°F, then place the samosas in the basket and cook for 10-12 minutes, flip, and then cook for another 5-7 minutes. Make sure you spray the samosas lightly with oil before putting them in the air fryer for extra crispiness! You can also season the samosas with some spices or herbs to make them even more delicious.
Well, there are a few possible reasons. It could be because you didn't cook it long enough — samosas should be cooked until they reach a golden-brown color. It could also be because the samosa was made with stale ingredients — old potatoes and flour can lead to a soggy samosa. Make sure you cook it longer, use enough oil, and make sure the ingredients are fresh. Then you'll be sure to get that perfect crispy samosa you're after.
Samosas are usually made from whole wheat flour, which contains gluten, so they would normally not be considered gluten-free. However, you can make gluten-free samosas by substituting them with 1:1 gluten-free baking mix or rice paper wrapper.
🍴 How to serve and store air fryer samosas
Air fryer samosas make for a great appetizer, an easy snack, and delicious side dish. The best way to serve them is to pair them with dipping sauce or tamarind chutney (like this samosa chaat) or with some yogurt sauce (Indian raita)
To store, let them cool completely. Transfer the leftover samosas into an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
I suggest freezing samosas before baking. To freeze, place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and flash-freeze them first. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store up to three months!
To reheat, you can either use the microwave, or place them in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes to get golden-brown crispness every time.
🍴 More Indian snacks
Like samosa? Try some of these other Indian snacks.
Did you make this recipe?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Samosas (from scratch!)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Samosa Dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons oil, can be substituted with ghee
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For Samosa Filling
- 2 potatoes, medium to large size, prefer Yukon Gold
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, optional
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Thai bird's eye chili pepper , optional, chopped; substitute with jalapeño
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder, optional (dried mango powder)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro, optional
Instructions
Boil potatoes
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on a high heat. In the meantime, quarter the potatoes. Once the water has boiled, turn down to medium heat, add potatoes and cover with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes until fork inserted goes in smoothly and comes out clean.
While potatoes are boiling, prepare samosa dough
- Add flour, salt, and one tablespoon of oil to a mixing bowl and mix using a fork.
- Slowly add water and knead slowly into a ball. Add ¼ cup at a time, until the dough falls into a neat ball. If you have a stand mixer, you can dump all the ingredients in the mixing bowl and use the paddle attachment to get it to the right consistency.
- Dab the rolled dough with a little bit of oil, and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes so the dough can rest while the potatoes are boiling.
Prepare the samosa filling
- Once the potatoes have boiled, drain the water, remove the peels and then mash the potatoes with a spatula or masher.
- In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and turn the stove to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. When they splutter, add ginger and garlic and finely chopped Indian green chili peppers (or jalapeños!)
- Add the mashed potatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric, and red chili powder. Stir the spices to evenly coat the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, tasting and adjusting along the way for your preference.
- Add amchur powder, garam masala, and peas and stir them into the mix for about 30-45 seconds. Turn off the heat, and add a few sprigs of cilantro (if you choose to include them). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Folding the Samosa
- Take the kneaded dough and roll it out into a long cylinder, roughly as long as your two hands side-to-side (~7-8 inches long)
- Using a knife or sharp edge, portion this cylinder into 8-9 smaller pieces. Take one of the pieces and roll into a smooth ball (while you set the others aside)
- Now, dust this ball with a bit of flour, and then using a rolling pin, roll it into a circular shape, roughly 6-7 inches in diameter (for reference, the rolled out dough should be slightly larger than the size of your hand)
- Slice this dough diagonally so you get two (roughly) semi-circular pieces. Pick up one of these pieces and lay it on your left hand so the straight edge lines up against the left side of your hand (it should look like the letter D on your hand).
- Wet the straight edge with some water and form a cone so that the top is wider and also open for you to stuff the filling. Add ~2 heaped teaspoons of filling per samosa and push it in so it evenly fills out (but only till about ¾ of the cone). You might end up adding a bit more depending on how big you rolled the dough out.
- Add a bit of water to the edge of the cone and seal it shut (either by pressing together or folding one edge over the other)
- Coat with enough oil to cover all the sides and place aside. Repeat for the rest of the samosas.
Air Fry Samosas!
- Pre-heat to 425°F. Depending on the size of your air-fryer, you might need to make a couple of batches – take care not to overcrowd the samosas since that will prevent the dough from cooking properly
- Place the samosas carefully in the air fryer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, and then flip the sides and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Depending on your air fryer, you might need to add a few extra minutes. When it's done, the samosas should be crisp on the outside and a nice golden brown color on both sides.Note: Air fryers are quite different, so the temperatures might vary. Mine takes 18 minutes total to cook. But yours might take longer or shorter depending on the size, power, etc. I suggest checking after 10 minutes to see if one side is done, and then checking again after the 5-7 minutes. You might need to add 5-10 more minutes depending on the fryer!
- Remove and serve with ketchup, a nice aioli or a chutney!
Video
Notes
- Timing is everything for this recipe. Make sure to start by boiling the potatoes; once they’re in the pot, knead the dough and set aside. Once the potatoes are out, make the filling; and by the time the filling is done, the dough is ready to be shaped. The whole process should take roughly an hour for about 15-16 samosas. Please check the post for more details and step-by-step instructions / pictures for folding samosas (I promise you, you won't regret it!)
- You can use phyllo pastry sheets instead of the dough as the base if you don’t want to make the dough from scratch. Also, if you want your samosas to be extra crispy, you can add a pinch of baking soda to the dough.
- Depending on the size of your cone, you might need more than just 2 teaspoons of filling. Go with the flow!
These samosas are perfect! The crispiness of the shell is a melt in your mouth taste.
This was my first time ever making these and wow, what a wonderful combination of flavors! The edges were perfectly crisp and I love that I didn't have to use my big oven to make them.
I'd never attempted making my own samosas before because I didn't want to fry them. This AF recipe was the perfect solution. They were still perfectly crispy just like the real thing without all the oil and mess!
The best samosas ever! Cooking them in an air fryer makes them even easier to prepare!
I had no idea how easy it would be to make samosas from scratch and make them in the air fryer! I loved that it wasn't greasy and not to spicy either. I mad 3 samosas using phyllo dough and they tasted so good.
The air fryer method was a surprise. They turned our perfectly, crispy without excessive oil. Very delicious!
this was my first time making samosas and they were a huge hit with my family. loved the crispiness of these and the flavors were so good. i did use the cumin and black mustard seeds and thought they added a ton of flavor. thanks for introducing me to this recipe! will make again!