Air Fryer Recipe
Potato Samosas
A lighter take on the classic Indian potato samosa, just right for crisping up in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiled and roughly mashed potatoes
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt to taste
- Juice of half a lemon
- Ready-made samosa pastry or filo pastry sheets
- Water/flour paste (1 tablespoon plain flour with a few tablespoons of water)
Method
- Warm the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add the green chillies and ginger, followed by the peas, and cook until softened.
- Add the mashed potatoes, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir everything together well.
- Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Leave the mixture to cool.
- Cut the pastry into strips. Spoon the filling near one corner, then fold into triangles and seal with the water/flour paste.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Set the samosas in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air frying works well here because the dry, fast convection dehydrates the pastry surface while the lightly oiled layers brown. Cooling the potato filling limits steam, so the seams stay sealed and the pastry crisps instead of blistering or going leathery.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–6 litre basket holding 6–8 medium samosas with gaps between them; in a single-drawer model, rotate edge pieces towards the centre at the flip, while in a dual-zone air fryer use the hotter/faster drawer for the first batch or swap drawers halfway for even colour.
Common pitfalls
- Pastry splitting at the corners before browning? The filling is too hot or too wet; cool it fully and cook the pea mixture until no visible moisture remains before folding.
- Pale, dry-looking filo after 15 minutes? Filo needs a very light oil spray or brush because it has little fat; add oil and cook 2–4 minutes more, watching the edges.
- Dark tips but soft flat sides? The samosas are touching or lying too tightly against the basket; leave finger-width gaps and stand thicker ones slightly angled so air reaches both faces.
- Filling leaking from the seams? The flour paste is too thin or the fold is under-tensioned; make a thicker paste, press seams firmly, and rest sealed samosas for 5 minutes before air frying.
Variations & substitutions
- Use filo pastry instead of samosa pastry for a lighter, flakier result; brush or spray each strip lightly with oil as filo dries faster in the air fryer.
- Add finely diced cooked carrot or cauliflower to the filling, but keep the pieces small and dry-fried briefly so they do not release steam into the pastry.
- Swap green chillies for mild chilli powder or omit them for a gentler filling; the cooking time is unchanged because the moisture level stays similar.
- Use sweet potato for part of the potato, but mash it less finely and cool it well as it is wetter and can soften the pastry if packed warm.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked samosas chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes until hot in the centre and crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
