Punjabi Aloo Paratha Recipe - Potato-Stuffed Flatbread

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Aloo paratha is the ultimate weekend brunch meal. Every Sunday morning we religiously sit down in front of our favourite TV show as a family and enjoy this awesome brunch. Now I have to say that I’m the only person I know who enjoys this traditional Punjabi delicacy with tomato ketchup! Is that weird?

What’s Not to Love About This Punjabi Aloo Paratha Recipe?

• These parathas can be served both hot and cold.
• They make for a great breakfast, lunch or brunch! In our household, we even enjoyed them for dinner with a classic aloo tamatar sabji, a potato and tomato curry.
• They go great with any kind of pickle and yogurt, or both! I particularly enjoy a brinjal or eggplant pickle.
• They are made with love <3

To serve, the parathas are topped with fresh white butter, or makhan, or you can top with ghee (for bonus points, make your own ghee!). However, this step is completely optional. For a lighter affair, you can use olive oil or spray oil and still enjoy a great paratha.

How to Make a Well Stuffed Aloo Paratha

Make a Great Potato Stuffing

• Boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, the Instant Pot, or over the stove in a large pot. My favourite method of boiling potatoes has become in the Instant Pot, as they always turn out perfectly, and I don’t have to guess the timing. Learn How to Make the Best Boiled Potatoes in the Instant Pot! Afterward, peel your potatoes.
• Cook the masala well by toasting cumin seeds, onions, ginger, garlic and chilies with the dried spices.
• Combine masala with mashed potatoes and ensure there are no lumps. Any lumps may cause the paratha to tear while stuffing/rolling.
• Add lemon juice or amchur powder/dried mango powder to add tanginess to the masala.
• Freshen up the stuffing with fresh herbs such as cilantro.
• Let the stuffing completely cool down before using. You can chill the stuffing in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.

Knead a Smooth, Soft and Pliable Dough

• Combine the atta flour, ghee and water in a large bowl or a stand mixer and knead until smooth, soft and pliable. If the final dough is hard, the potato mixture will tear through the dough.
• Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes before stuffing. Resting helps to relax the dough so it is easier to stretch and roll out.

Add the Stuffing

There are two ways to stuff the paratha. I tend to lean towards method 1 since it helps ensure the centre of the final paratha is stuffed evenly. In my experience, sealing the dough in method 2 creates a thicker centre which pushes the stuffing out.

Let me know if you have any tips for me!

Method 1

• Divide the dough into 8-10 equal portions. Working with two portions at a time, roll dough out into 4 inch disks.
• Add a spoonful of potato stuffing in the centre of one disk and cover with the second disk.
• Press gently to seal the edges and using a rolling pin, roll out into a thin disk, careful not to break the seal.

Method 2

• Divide the dough into 4-6 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll dough out into a 4 inch disk.
• Add a spoonful of stuffing to the centre of the disk, and seal around the edges of the disk. This will resemble a dumpling.
• Gently press down, lightly dust flour onto the dough, and roll out into a thin disk.

Cook the Aloo Paratha

• Heat tawa on medium high heat until just smoking. Add stuffed paratha on tawa and cook until lightly roasted (light brown spots).
• Flip the paratha and apply ghee on top and around the sides of the paratha. Press down gently with a spatula to crisp up the paratha.
• Once the paratha has golden-brown spots and shiny, the paratha is ready to serve. Immediately serve with butter/makhan or ghee and any side condiments (pickle, yogurt).

P.S. Am I the only one I know who enjoys this traditional Punjabi delicacy with tomato ketchup? Let me know if you’ve actually tried this in the comments below!

It pairs beautifully with a bowl of rajma masala.

Frequently Asked Questions