Learn to Make the Best North Indian Samosa Recipe

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Samosa. Do I need to say any more about it? I know my eyes get big and my tummy rumbles every time I see a samosa or hear any mention of it!

I will give a quick summary on what are samosas anyway. Usually they are made with a vegetarian, mildly spiced potato filling and stuffed into pastry and deep fried until golden brown and flaky. There are also other variations which includes chicken and lamb - I have tried the variations, but nothing beats the original North Indian samosa recipe.

Interestingly, samosa is not a snack that has its roots in India. It came as quite a shock for me since Samosa and Jalebi is such a quintessential part of our culture. So interesting how cultures adapt overtime and over generations evolve and grow.

The introduction of samosas on the Indian subcontinent can be credited to the Mughals that came to India with an array of culinary techniques. Originally known as a “sambusaks”, they were originally stuffed with minced meat and nuts. Eventually, the Portuguese brought the humble potato to India, which they called “batata”, which eventually took over Indian breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. hence was born the well know potato samosa.

The economic times has a great article where you can learn more about the origins of samosa here.

The best samosas I have had are in the small town of Jaunpur and an even smaller town near Jaunpur called Pindra. There is something magical in how well the potato stuffing is prepared, and the pastry is perfectly crisp and not too greasy. If I close my eyes, I can still imagine waking up to the smell of freshly prepared samosa and jalebi.

Samosas can be filled with potatoes, paneer, chicken or lamb. The potato samosas, which I’ll be sharing with you in this North Indian Potato Samosa recipe, are the most popular in India, and they’re definitely my favorite!

I can’t name a special occasion where you don’t get samosas. Even any ordinary day, you’ll just want to have some samosas to snack on! They’re simply irresistible! At school, on the street, at a wedding, at a dinner party, samosas are there for you to love and enjoy!

Making the perfect samosas at home definitely is a craft, but it’s worth every amount of effort. You’ll have so much fun making your stuffing and filling them up. I love frying them and watching them become a golden brown! You’ll love to dip them in chutney and hear that crunchy crispy crust at every bite! There’s no better feeling than biting into a piping hot samosa, and they’ll be gone in no time!

Why Make This North Indian Samosa Recipe?

Trust me, making samosas at home is a lot of fun! Though it can be challenging to get the technique just right, it can be a perfect bonding opportunity for you and your family! Let’s go over why you should try out this Indian potato samosa recipe today!

• A delicious, mildly spiced potato and pea filling
• An addictive snack
• Perfectly crispy outside
• Warm filling
• Amazing to serve for guests
• Stores well in the fridge, so perfect for make ahead snacks!

Ready to experience the best Indian snack right at home? Get out some Cilantro-Mint Chutney, Tamarind Chutney, or ketchup to serve, perhaps a Mango Lassi sip on as you cool down, and let’s get to it!

Tips & Tricks to Master This Aloo Samosa Recipe

There is something special about making samosa from scratch, and just that factor itself will make your homemade samosa taste better than any store bought one. Here are some tips to nail your samosas and make them perfect every single time.

• Let the dough rest for as long as you can be patient. This is usually the hardest part for me, after all, I want to eat and who wants to wait to eat these treats. Trust me, wait at the least 15 minutes and you will be glad. This will allow the dough to rest and be easy to shape into samosas.
• Roll the dough thin and even. The thinner the dough, the quicker it will cook, however be careful not to roll it too thin - or you will run a risk of it tearing during the stuffing step.
• Fry the samosa on low heat. If you want to take anything out of this recipe, this is the most important step. Frying on a low to medium-low heat will help the samosa develop a golden brown crust which is cooked all the way through.

Tools Needed

• Nonstick pan
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Slotted spoon
• Wok
• Wire rack
• Damp cloth
• Cutting board
• Chefs knife
• Rolling pin
• Bench scraper
• Wok
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients for the Best North Indian Samosa Recipe

Let’s review the ingredients we’ll need to make the samosa dough and to make the potato stuffing. Remember, for all quantities used, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD. You can scale the ingredients for the dough and stuffing based on how many samosas you plan on making!

For the Dough

• Flour/Maida: I’m using bread flour for these samosas. For best results, this is what I recommend, as you will get different flavors by using whole wheat or any other kind of flour.
• Ajwain: They add a subtle flavor and this helps with digestion.
• Water: As needed.
• Salt: Just a pinch.
• Oil: For deep frying. I’m using canola oil here. Peanut oil also works well.

For the Potato Stuffing

• Potatoes: I’m using Yukon gold yellow potatoes. You’ll want to boil and peel them. I love using my Instant Pot to boil my potatoes!
• Olive oil/ghee
• Cumin seeds
• Ginger
• Green chilies
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander
• Turmeric
• Garam masala
• Red chili powder
• Fennel powder
• Amchur masala/mango powder
• Peas: You can use fresh or frozen peas.
• Salt: To taste!

How to Make the Best North Indian Samosa Recipe

For the Potato Stuffing

1. Heat pan on medium heat and add ghee, add cumin seeds and sauté until reddish brown.

1. Add ginger and green chilies and cook off the rawness of the ginger.

1. Add in all of the dried spices except salt. Sauté for about a minute until the spices have lightly roasted. Add in boiled potatoes and peas.

1. Break down and stir potatoes and mix well until the stuffing comes together (Note: You do not need to completely mash the potatoes, some chunks adds texture and flavor.).
2. Set it aside to cool down.

For the Dough

1. Measure flour in a bowl and add ajwain and ghee. Mix the dough well until the texture feels crumbly.

1. Then add water as required to knead a dough that is smooth but not too soft. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest at room temperature for at least 30-40 minutes.

To Make the Samosas

Divide dough into 6-8 equal parts, rolling out each dough into a thin disk

Using a knife, cut from the center of the dough until the edge, and wet the edges with some water. Pick up one edge and place it 1/4 of the way up the other edge, making a cone. Press to ensure the edges stick.

Scoop out roughly 2-3 Tbsp of potato mixture and add to the cone. Fold the edges of the samosa, making sure to overlap the fold down the center such that once sealed, the samosa can stand. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough and samosa.

Heat oil on medium heat and once hot, carefully add in your samosas, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. After, allow to cool on a wire rack to drain the excess oil.

Cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with tamarind chutney/mint chutney or ketchup and enjoy:)