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Air Fryer Samosas (from scratch!)
5 from 246 votes

Air Fryer Samosas (from scratch!)

Air Fryer Samosas are homemade pastries filled primarily with a seasoned potato and pea mixture. The dough is prepared from scratch using all-purpose flour, baking soda, and oil, providing a tender yet sturdy casing essential for air frying. The filling combines boiled, mashed Yukon Gold potatoes with spices like turmeric, red chili powder, and garam masala, accented by optional seeds and chilies for added depth. Cooking in an air fryer offers a crispy, less oily alternative to traditional frying, with a balance of spice and texture that makes for a satisfying snack or appetizer.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 16 samosas
Calories: 147 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For Samosa Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil can be substituted with ghee, generic cooking oil
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
For Samosa Filling
  • 2 potato 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 ginger minced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 Bird's Eye Chili Pepper optional, chopped; substitute with jalapeño, thai
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon amchur powder optional (dried mango powder)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 cup peas frozen
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro optional, chopped

Instructions

Boil potatoes
    Cup of Yum
  1. 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 
  1. Add flour, salt, and one tablespoon of oil to a mixing bowl and mix using a fork. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  1. Once the potatoes have boiled, drain the water, remove the peels and then mash the potatoes with a spatula or masher.
  2. 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!)
  3. 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.
  4. 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  
  1. 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) 
  2. 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)
  3. 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) 
  4. 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).
  5. 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.
  6. 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) 
  7. Coat with enough oil to cover all the sides and place aside. Repeat for the rest of the samosas.
Air Fry Samosas!
  1. 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 
  2. 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!
  3. Remove and serve with ketchup, a nice aioli or a chutney!

Notes

  • Plan the workflow by starting with boiling potatoes while preparing the dough to optimize preparation time.
  • Resting the dough for at least 15-20 minutes helps improve its texture for shaping samosas.
  • You may substitute phyllo pastry sheets for the dough if you prefer a ready-made option.
  • Adding a pinch of baking soda to the dough can enhance the crispiness of the samosas when air-fried.
  • Adjust the amount of filling according to the size of samosa cones you create.

Nutrition Information

Calories 147kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Sodium 187mg (8%) Potassium 157mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 106IU (2%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 8mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 samosas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 147

% Daily Value*

Calories 147kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 187mg 8%
Potassium 157mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 106IU 2%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.