Air Fryer Samosas

Low angle shot of samosas on a white platter.

5 from 19 votes

Air fryer samosas are a favorite snack or appetizer in my house. With a crispy pastry crust that's plump with a filling of spicy potatoes and peas, they are always a hit! They're easy to grab and so satisfying!

Course Air Fryer Recipes

Cuisine Indian

Keyword indian appetizer, indian food, onion samosas, samosas

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 45

Rising time 13

Servings Makes samosas

Calories 220kcal

Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

For the dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ajwain seeds optional
¾ cup oil
½ cup warm water

For the filling

2 medium potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
3 tablespoons oil divided
½ onion diced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 to 2 green chiles such as jalapeno or serrano, diced (remove the seeds and ribs for less heat)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen peas
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

First, make the dough by combining the flour, oil, warmwater, and salt. You’ll mix the ingredients until they come together into a nice, smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, put it on a plate, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Be sure to put the dough on a plate because the oil may seep out a bit.
Heat a pot of water with ½ teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until they are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens, then stir in the ginger, chiles, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and the remaining teaspoon of salt.
Add the potatoes to the skillet and cook, mashing with a spatula, until the potatoes begin to turn golden in parts. Stir in the peas and remove from the heat.
Let the mixture cool for a few minutes and then stir in the lemon juice and cilantro.
Divide the dough into golf ball size balls and roll or pat them out into thin rounds, about 4 inches across (you can use a tortilla press for this part! Put the dough balls between the two sides of a cut-open resealable plastic bag an press to flatten).
Put about a tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough round and fold two sides up until they meet. Press those sides together into a seam. Bring up the third side and press together to make two more seams. You’ll have sort of a triangular pyramid shaped samosa.
Line the air fryer basket with a parchment paper liner or a silicone liner and arrange several samosas in the basket in a single layer. You’ll be able to cook 6 to 8 samosas per batch, depending on the size and design of your air fryer.
Spritz or brush generously with oil and then air fry samosas for about 18 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Serve hot or warm.

Notes

If you don't want to make homemade samosa pastry, you can substitute frozen puff pastry or even make filo pastry samosas.
You can use a tortilla press to flatten the dough balls. Put the dough balls between the two sides of a cut-open resealable plastic bag (cut the bag down both side seams, leaving the bottom intact) and press to flatten.
You can store leftover samosas at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat samosas, pop them back in the air fryer and heat them at 380°F for 6 to 8 minutes.
You can freeze samosas, too, after cooking them. Frozen samosas will keep for up to 3 months. Cook frozen samosas in air fryer by cooking on at 380°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

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