The Best Baked Samosa Recipe

Flaky and flavorful, this homemade baked samosa recipe offers dumplings that are filled with spiced potatoes and are the perfect savory, plant-based snack to enjoy on a rainy day, served with a hot cup of chai!

These typically fried fritters can be found in any Indian restaurant and many just eat them while out, as with their tasty filling and traditionally triangular shape, they may seem complicated to make, but they are not.

Samosas can be found filled with different vegetables or meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, and are perfect for party platters, together with some delicious baked kabobs.

In this post, I will share how I prepare this household staple in a very easy way, that avoids having an oily result while still maintaining a crunchy crust. With Step-by-Step instructions, this baked samosa recipe is the perfect snack and make-ahead option, suitable for parties or lazy afternoons at home. Enjoy!

Baked Samosa Recipe Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour and salt: the main ingredients for the samosa covering pastry.
• Ajwain: Known as carrom seeds in English, this is gives the typical flavor to the wrappers for samosa; should you prefer a simple pastry, you can skip this ingredient.
• Bicarbonate of Soda: This makes the pastry crunchier when baked in the oven.
• Oil and Water: The liquids to form the samosa pastry; some like to use ghee instead of oil. The oil is also used to cook the masala for the filling.
• Boiled Diced potatoes: The main ingredient for the spiced potatoes filling.
• Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds and Fennel Seeds: These will be gently roasted to create the samosa masala.
• Freshly Chopped Ginger and Thinly Sliced Green Chillies: Fresh ingredients that bring some of the heat and deep flavors of Indian cuisine.
• Hing: Known as asafoetida in English, this spice has a very strong aroma, which however once cooked really works well with the other ingredients.
• Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder: Three of the most popular Indian spices.
• Chaat Masala: This can be substituted with Mango Powder (amchur) and Black Salt.
• Freshly Chopped Coriander and Lime Juice: These ingredients bring tanginess and freshness to this baked samosa recipe.

How To Make Baked Samosa Recipe

1. Prepare the Samosa Pastry

1. In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, ajwain, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. 
2. Add the oil to the bowl and mix well, ensuring the oil is spread throughout the dry ingredients.
3. Start adding water and mix well, using your hands. Add enough water to form a soft dough that is easy to roll, but not so soft that it is sticky.
4. Knit the samosa wrapper in a ball and keep it in the bowl; cover the bowl with some cling film or a clean damp tea towel.

2. Prepare the Spicy Potato Filling

1. To start, prepare the samosa masala by lightly toasting cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds in a saucepan on low heat; do not use any oil and only toast them lightly, until their aroma is released.
2. Move the toasted seeds to a mortar and, using the pestle, crush them to form a coarse powder; set it aside.
3. Warm up some oil in the saucepan and, once warm, add the samosa masala to it; allow the masala to gently fry on low-medium heat.

4. Once the masala releases its aroma and it turns light brown, add the freshly chopped ginger and green chilies. Mix these well and allow them to fry until the smell of rawness has gone.
5. Next, add the red chili powder, hing, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and chaat masala to the pan and mix well; allow the spices to cook, which should take around one minute.
6. Add the boiled potatoes to the masala; ensure the potatoes are peeled and diced and they must not be overboiled. It is better to use cold potatoes at this stage, as they do not release much water.
7. Mix well the potatoes with the masala, then top the spiced potatoes filling with lime juice and coriander.
8. Mix well and set aside to cool down.

3. Assemble the Samosas

1. Divide the samosa pastry dough into 5 balls of equal size.
2. Roll one ball into a circle (like a chapatti) that is about 1/10inch thick (2mm).
3. Cut the circle into two semicircles; if needed, once cut in two, roll the pastry a bit further.
4. The middle part of the straight side of the semicircle will form the tip of your triangle, so fold one side halfway and wet the outer edge with a little water.
5. To finish forming the triangle top, fold the other half until it meets the wet edge, slightly overlapping the two. Pinch the two edges together, so they do not separate.

6. Hold the pastry in your hand like a cone and fill it with some spiced potatoes.
7. Pull the round part of the pastry across the bottom of the samosa and pinch it together with the other edges.
8. You now have a triangular samosa which should be standing on a flatter bottom.

9. Do so until you have 10 samosas, then place them all on a baking tray that has been covered with a sheet of parchment paper.
10. Bake the samosas for 18-20 minutes in the middle of the oven, which has been preheated to 350 F (180C Fan oven).

Why are samosas triangular?

There is no particular reason as to why samosas are mostly known for being triangular, as they can be found – although rarely – in different shapes. Triangular samosas tend to fry better as they have fewer folds while being able to hold a lot of filling when compared to semi-circular pastries.

It is very easy to maintain the triangular shape of baked samosas as they are baked and not moved.

Are samosas healthy?

Most food can be healthy when consumed in moderation. This recipe offers the option to bake samosas, which will be less fatty and calorific as not cooked in oil; baked samosas are a great way of enjoying a typically oily snack without the added fats.

Some look to swap deep fried all-purpose flor samosas for whole wheat flour samosas; this can be easily done, however you may need to amend the proportions, as wheat flour tends to absorb more water.

How to fold samosas?

Start by rolling the dough in a circle and cutting it into two semi-circles; next, fold the straight edge halfway to start creating the tip of the triangle. Fold the other half over and pinch the pastry edges together where they meet (and slightly overlap) to create a cone. Fill in the cone with the samosa filling and lastly pull the last side of the pastry over the bottom to close the samosa.

Can you make gluten-free samosas?

Yes, you can definitely use gluten-free flour to make samosas, however, you may need to alter the proportions of water, as each type of flour absorbs different amounts of water.

Related: The Best Spelt Flour Substitutes

How to store leftover samosas?

Ready-baked samosas can be stored in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container, although they taste the best when freshly baked. To reheat, lightly sprinkle a few drops of water on the samosa and reheat in the oven for 3-5 minutes.

Can you freeze samosas?

Yes, you can freeze these samosas. Once the samosas are shaped, place them on a flat tray and into the freezer for about two hours, until solid; once frozen, you can move these to a zip lock bag or an airtight container, before putting them back in the freezer. These baked samosas can be cooked frozen.

How to bake frozen samosas?

To bake frozen samosas, lay them on a baking tray that has been covered with a sheet of parchment paper and bake them in the oven for 22-25 minutes at 350F (180C Fan Oven) or until crispy and fully cooked.

What to serve with samosas?

Baked and fried samosas can be served with a variety of sauces and chutneys; the most common chutneys are mint, coriander, or tamarind ones, however may enjoy them with some ketchup, or with a side of thinly chopped onions.

What spices are used in samosa stuffing?

The main samosa masala is made of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds; the aloo samosa stuffing is also further enhanced by the use of red chili powder, thing, turmeric powder, and coriander powder, as well as coriander leaves. The other two key ingredients are mango powder (amchur powder) and black salt, which in this recipe I have swapped for chaat masala, which contains both.

The samosa dough contains ajwain (carom seeds) and baking soda, with the last ingredient giving crunchiness to this baked samosa recipe.

Tips and Tricks for the best Baked Samosa

These healthy samosas are so easy to prepare, yet there are a few tips or amendments that can be taken into account to make this baked samosa recipe your own and perfect every time:

• Potatoes: Do not overboil the potatoes when preparing them, as the filling should have a bit of bite with chunks of potatoes, not mashed potatoes. It is particularly important to keep an eye on them if you plan to cook them in the pressure cooker starting with cold water.
• Crispiness factor: To bake rather than fry samosas, it is good to add some baking soda to the dough; should you not like soda, then you will need a higher fat ratio in the dough and this can be achieved by adding an extra tablespoon of oil.
• Samosa Stuffing: You can use the same samosa dough recipe and then make any stuffing of your choice to fill samosas. Punjabi samosa recipes have a filling of potatoes and peas (and sometimes add a teaspoon of garam masala to it), South Indian samosas use cabbage, carrots, and curry leaves, Gujarati samosas make smaller versions filled with sweet peas and French beans, while in Bengal and Bangladesh, samosas are called Shingaras and have a thinner outer layer.
• Storing: Although you may store the dough (or ready prepped samosas) in the fridge for up to two or three days in the fridge, the longer you keep the pastry the less flaky it will be; for best results, it is a good idea to prepare the dough the same day you require it.
• Frying: Although this is an easy and healthy recipe version, you can follow the same instructions and fry the samosas rather than bake them. The non-fried samosas (you can also air-fry samosas) will be lighter; however, I have tried both versions using the same recipe and they are both delicious.
• Ghee: This recipe offers healthy vegan samosas, however ghee can be used instead of oil following the same ratio. In this case, the nutrition facts will slightly change.
• Samosa chaat: As chaat requires you to break the samosas into a simple curry, there is no point in frying them, as you will just be adding oil and fats to the recipe, without any real final benefit in flavor or consistency.
• Mini Cocktail Samosas for Parties: Yes, you can make these samosas smaller (prepare 20 instead of 10) and they become the perfect finger food for any party!
• Make-Ahead and Freeze: Once the samosas are ready (but not baked), place them on a flat plate covered with a sheet of parchment paper and freeze them in the freezer for a couple of hours, until they become solid; once frozen, you can move them into an airtight container or a zip lock bag and store in the freezer until you need them next time.
• Amchur Powder (Mango Powder) and Black Salt: Feel free to use these instead of chaat masala.
• Air Fryer: If you prefer air frying rather than baking samosas, you can do so by preheating the air frier to 380 F and baking them for 14-16 minutes, turning them halfway through.

The is hardly anything nicer to enjoy than these little dumplings stuffed with spiced potatoes! Baked samosas are easy to make, fast to bake, and taste absolutely tasty… you won’t believe you are enjoying non-fried healthy samosas!

Serve them with a little tamarind chutney, green chutney, ketchup, or a little yogurt sauce… make it your own and treat yourself (and your family and friends if you are in the mood for sharing) to these delicious baked samosas!

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