These crisp Traditional Potato Samosas are packed with fluffy spiced potatoes, chillies and fresh ginger in a golden pastry crust. So much flavor in one of my favorite authentic Indian recipes.
Why You’re Going To Love These Potato Samosas
- They are crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft in the center.
- My Indian husband agrees that this recipe is the ultimate in comfort food. Serve as a starter before my favorite Butter Paneer, the best Butter Chicken, Vindaloo Lamb or Pork Curry, or this incredible Shrimp Korma recipe. (Along with a batch of this Instagram-viral Butter Naan recipe!)
- Taste explosion, the combination of potato, spices, and fresh peas, is absolutely delicious.
- A convenient snack or appetizer to keep in your freezer and whip out when needed.
If you love Indian snacks, you must also try my Veggie Pakora Recipe.
Potato Samosa Ingredients
- Potatoes. Pick russet potatoes for their lovely waxy texture. Yukon gold potato is a great option, too, and baby potatoes will also work. You’ll want to remove the peels and cut them in 1/2 inch cubes.
- Oil. Use an oil with a high smoke point and neutral-tasting flavor to carry the spices in.
- Butter. You can use ghee or plant-based butter if you prefer.
- Onion. Choose a juicy white onion that is full of sweetness.
- Cumin. Toasty cumin seeds always put their best food forward.
- Jalapeno. These give the perfect amount of heat and they won’t overpower the whole recipe. You may substitute others like green chillies or Thai red chillies but the samosas will be spicier.
- Ginger. Use minced of grated fresh, juicy ginger.
- Garam masala. Key to the curry flavor and fragrance in these potato samosas.
- Turmeric. Earthy, glowy turmeric is a must in this filling.
- Cayenne. I love the little kick from cayenne or chilli powder.
- Peas. Frozen or fresh green peas will work fine. These add a pop of fresh flavor to the dish.
- Cilantro. Fresh coriander really lightens the rich filling of this samosa recipe up.
- Flour. You can use all-purpose flour in the recipe for samosa dough.
How To Make These Life-Changing Samosas
Start by making the potato masala – like a thick potato curry – in a frying pan.
If you love samosa filling as much as I do, you must check out my aloo masala recipe – perfect to serve with roti or basmati rice.
- Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water until tender but not falling apart. Drain thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Next, add jalapeno and ginger; cook until softened, about a minute more, then add the salt and remaining spices.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the drained potatoes and peas and toss gently but thoroughly to coat. Cook, frequently stirring, until hot. Taste and add more salt if needed. Stir in cilantro.
- To make the samosa dough, combine flour and salt in large mixing bowl, then stir in oil. Add water, little by little, to form a workable dough. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in a damp kitchen towel to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- To shape the samosas, divide the dough into 6 equal portions, then roll each into a smooth ball on a well-floured surface. Roll each ball into a thin, oblong shape, then use a knife to slice in half lengthwise to make a half-moon. Take one half in your hand, brush some water on the edges, and fold into an open cone shape, pressing edges to seal. Hold the cone and fill with about 2 tbsp potato filling. Pinch to seal Allow it to sit on a cutting board to form a flat bottom. Finish shaping remaining samosas.
- To fry the samosas, pour the oil into a deep saucepan or dutch oven to a depth of 3″ over medium heat. Fry the samosas in batches once the oil reaches about 200ºF. Fry for 15 minutes until golden, then increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes at a hotter temperature until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
Make Ahead Instructions
You could make your filling ahead of time; a day or two is fine. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can wrap the samosa filling in its dough casing and then store them in the fridge until you’re ready to fry them.
You can also deep fry the samosas, allow them to cool, and reheat them in the oven a day or two later.
Storage Instructions
If you have any leftover samosas, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Place the samosas in an airtight container and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Variations of Potato Samosas
- Cheese and potato samosas: Adding grated cheddar cheese to the potato filling can make for a creamy and delicious alternative. Serve these with a tamarind chutney.
- Sweet potato samosas: Sweet potatoes can be added instead of regular potatoes for a bit of fun.
- Mixed veggie samosas: A mixture of vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, and corn, can be added to the potato filling for a healthy and colorful twist.
FAQs
Samosas are deep-fried which brings into question whether they are healthy. Eating them in moderation and in line with a healthy balanced diet overall, is perfectly healthy.
Yes, samosas are part of Indian cuisine.
Crispy, crunchy, golden delicious on the exterior. Filled with spicy, savory goodness in the center.
Commonly, aloo samosa is made with potatoes, herbs, and spices.
Other Recipes You Won’t Want To Miss
If you adore comfy Indian food as much as I do, you need these beloved Indian recipes in your life! This Shrimp Korma and fan-favorite Butter Paneer or Butter Chicken recipes are great places to start. Or for vegetarians, this recipe for Creamy Madras Lentils is so easy and so, so delicious. My Authentic Indian Chai is a perfect accompaniment to these crispy samosas.
And here are a few other favs not to miss:
Variation: To Make Samosa Potatoes
I first published this recipe as “Samosa Potatoes”, and the entire recipe was just the filling. Then my recipe started ranking in google for “Potato Samosas” so I re-wrote the article to give the people what they wanted.
If you came back for Samosa Potatoes, just make the filling!
It makes a savory, delicious mashed potato dish like the inside of a potato samosa (because, well, it IS!).
Other Favorite Samosa Recipes
- Beef Samosas
- Potato Samosas
- Chicken Samosas
- Easy 3-Ingredient Samosa Dough Recipe
- Easy Samosa Filling Recipe
- Samosa Pie
- Shortcut Samosas with Puff Pastry
Potato Samosas
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¾ cup water plus 1 tbsp
For Potato Samosa filling:
- 1 lb potato peeled and chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 finely chopped medium onion
- 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno
- 2 tsp finely grated ginger packed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
To make the dough
- Combine flour and salt in large mixing bowl, then stir in oil. Add water, little by little, to form a workable dough. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in a damp kitchen towel to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
To make the potato filling
- Cover the potato with 1″ of water in a medium saucepan. Cook until tender, then drain in a colander and coarsely mash it with a fork. Set aside.
- Return saucepan to medium heat and melt the butter. Add onion plus ½ tsp salt and cook about 6 minutes, until translucent and just starting to brown.
- Add jalapeño and ginger, cook a minute more, then stir in the spices. After about 30 seconds (when spices smell aromatic) add mashed potato, remaining salt, frozen peas and cilantro; stir until well combined, then transfer to the fridge to cool.
To shape the samosas
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, then roll each into a ball. Roll each ball into a thin circle, then use a knife to slice in half lengthwise to make two half-circles. Take one half in your hand, brush some water on the edges, and fold into an open cone shape, pressing edges to seal. Hold the cone and fill with about 2 tbsp potato filling. Pinch to seal Allow it to sit on a cutting board to form a flat bottom. Finish shaping remaining samosas. You’ll have 12.
To fry the samosas
- Pour the oil into a deep saucepan or dutch oven to a depth of 3" over medium heat. Fry the samosas in batches once the oil reaches about 200ºF. Fry for 15 minutes until golden, then increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes at a hotter temperature until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
Video
Notes
- 1 lb potato is about 1 large russet or two medium yellow potatoes.
- Fry the samosas in small batches, so the oil doesn’t cool.
- Use a damp towel while it’s resting the dough, so it doesn’t stick or dry out.
- Taste seasoning before “finalizing” the filling. You don’t want it to be bland.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting how many jalapenos you add to the mix.
- Optional Asafetida: Add 1/8 tsp Asafetida to the other spices if you have it on hand. It adds a nice savory flavor, but isn’t necessary if you don’t own it already.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What do a great recipe! Economical and easy!
In the picture of ingredients, you show asafoetida, but where is it supposed to be used?
Heya! I left it out of the final recipe so that it would be more accessible without harder-to-find ingredients, but Add 1/8 tsp Asafetida to the other spices if you have it on hand. It adds a really nice savory flavor, but isn’t necessary if you don’t own it already.
Could you cook in the air fryer instead?
Yes, you can cook traditional samosas in an air fryer instead of deep frying. The samosas will be crispy and tasty, though the texture might be slightly different. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F, brush the samosas with oil, and cook for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through. Come back and let me know how it works out for you!
I’ve made this both as a samosa and as just the filling with rice. It’s always so good. Some advice if you are wanting the filling on its own I would add 2/3c of veggie stock so bring it together
We love samosas and were looking for a recipe to make them at home. This is perfect. Love a crispy surface and a soft, tasty potato filling.
The flakiness of the crust paired with the flavors and seasonings of the potatoes sound really tasty. Looking forward to trying these.
Never imagined how easy it was to make samosa dough. This recipe was really easy to follow and absolutely delicious!