Vegetarian samosas
Crisp triangular samosas filled with spiced potato and peas — perfect for parties, lunchboxes or a cheeky teatime treat.
These vegetarian samosas are the sort of thing friends will call you for at teatime and then mysteriously never leave with. Crisp pastry wrapped around a warmly spiced potato and pea filling — utterly moreish and surprisingly achievable at home.
They’re brilliant for batch-cooking: make the filling a day ahead and shape just before frying, or shape and freeze uncooked for up to a month. Serve warm with chutney or a squeeze of lemon and watch them disappear.
Ingredients
- 320 g plain flour — for pastry
- 10 ml salt — plus extra to taste
- 1 l vegetable oil — roughly 1 litre for frying; small amount used in dough and for cooking
- 600 g potatoes — peeled and diced into 2cm pieces
- 150 g frozen peas
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 25 g fresh ginger — grated
- 1 green chilli — finely chopped, deseeded if you prefer less heat
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 5 ml mustard seeds
- 5 ml ground turmeric
- 5 ml garam masala
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml chilli powder — optional or adjust to taste
- 1 lemon — for juice
- 30 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
Equipment
- rolling pin
- deep-fat thermometer
- slotted spoon
- baking tray
Instructions
Make the pastry: tip the plain flour and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl. Pour in 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil and rub through with your fingertips until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add about 140–160 ml cold water, mixing until a smooth, slightly firm dough forms. Knead briefly — do not overwork.
Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Cook the potatoes: put the diced potatoes into a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until just tender when pierced with a knife, 12 minutes. Drain and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile make the spice base: heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds; when they start to pop, add the brown onion. Sauté for 4–6 minutes until softened and turning golden.
Add the garlic, fresh ginger, green chilli, ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and chilli powder. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2–3 minutes until thawed and warmed through.
Transfer the cooked veg to a large bowl. Add the cooled potatoes and gently mash with a fork to combine — leave some small chunks for texture. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir through the fresh coriander and season with the remaining ½ tsp salt. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Divide the rested dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten and roll into an oval about 15 cm long and 2 mm thick. Cut each oval in half lengthways to make two semi‑circles.
Form each semi-circle into a cone by folding the straight edge together and sealing with a little paste made from 1 tsp plain flour mixed with 1 tbsp water. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of filling into each cone, then fold the open edge over to form a neat triangle and press the edges to seal. Repeat to make 12 samosas.
Place the formed samosas on a tray and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up before frying.
Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep pan to 180°C (use a deep-fat thermometer). Fry the samosas in batches, turning occasionally, until evenly golden and crisp — about 3–4 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Remove samosas with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for 2–3 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with extra fresh coriander and lemon wedges if you like.
Tips
- Resting the dough is vital — it relaxes the gluten and makes rolling thin pastry far easier.
- If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil with a small scrap of dough: it should sizzle steadily and colour in ~30 seconds. Adjust the heat to keep it steady.
- To make ahead: prepare the filling and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Shape the samosas and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag; fry from frozen adding a minute or two to the cooking time.
- For a lighter result, brush with oil and bake at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 20–25 minutes, turning once (colour will be paler and texture different).
- Don’t overfill the cones — a common cause of splits. Aim for 1 level tablespoon of filling per samosa.
Substitutions
potatoes → sweet potato or butternut squash, same weight (600 g)
Noticeably differentplain flour → readymade filo pastry (use 6–8 sheets, brush each with oil and fold to form triangles)
Stays closefrozen peas → cooked green beans or finely chopped spinach, 150 g
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 590
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 90 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes — brush with a little oil and bake at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway. The texture will be lighter and less indulgent than deep-fried.
How long can I freeze shaped samosas?
Freeze them on a tray until firm, then transfer to a resealable bag for up to one month. Fry from frozen, adding a minute or two to frying time.
My pastry splits when folding — what went wrong?
Either the pastry is too dry or you’ve overfilled. Keep the pastry well rested, roll thinly and seal with the flour-and-water paste; don’t stretch the edges when shaping.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Absolutely — the filling keeps well in the fridge for 48 hours and its flavours often improve overnight.
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