homemade samosasSamosas are one of those snacks that bridge the cultural divide.

Indians and non-Indians alike can attest to their flaky, mealy goodness. Typically made with maida or all-purpose flour and deep-fried, they may not be the healthiest snack, but I’ve made some substitutions for a more health-conscious option.

Those afraid of trying Indian food for fear the myths of spicy heartburn and a bloated belly might be true (they are—but that’s half the fun!) can dip a toe into Indian gastronomy by sampling a delicious and relatively safe samosa.

Chutney on the other hand…


Any time we visited our local Indian grocery, we would pick up some warm, freshly-made samosas. I loved them, until I realized that all that maida and deep frying couldn’t possibly be good for me or my family. Since my kids would always ask me for samosas (we have since stopped buying the other ones), I decided that making my own would be the best option!



  • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • water
  • a teaspoon of salt
  1. Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl and stir in the salt.
  2. Add water little by little, kneading by hand. Continue adding water until all flour is incorporated, and dough is smooth (not sticky!). Add extra flour bit by bit if needed.
  3. Cover tightly and refrigerate until it’s time to assemble samosas.


  • 2 large potatoes (the size of a large person’s fist)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup finely minced onion
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked green peas
  1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet.
  3. Add onion, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander, peas, and salt.
  4. Saute over medium heat about 8 to 10 minutes, or until onions are quite soft.
  5. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients.
  6. Mix well, keeping the peas intact.
  7. Cool for about 15 minutes before filling the samosas.


  1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
  2. Keep a small container of flour, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, one by one, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles, using a rolling pin.
  3. When the dough ball has been rolled out into a circle, use a butter knife and slice the circle into thirds (like the Mercedes-Benz symbol). Roll each third into a cone and fill with potato-pea filling. Crimp the wider edge and fold down about 1/2 inch. Seal with water using pastry brush or your finger. Continue with the rest of the dough.
  4. When samosas are filled, place them onto the cookie sheet. Brush the tops with oil.
  5. Bake 15 minutes at 425° F, then reduce heat to 375°  F and bake for 10 minutes more. For crispier samosas, turn them when reducing the temperature.
  6. Serve immediately with your favorite chutney. I like to dip mine in mint or coriander chutney. Yields approximately 16 samosas.


  • This recipe can be a bit time-consuming. If you wish, you can break up the tasks over a couple of days to speed up prep time. Prepare the potato-pea mixture a day before and heat slightly before filling the samosa shells.
  • If you find yourself with extra samosas on hand, freeze the rest. To reheat, just thaw in the microwave—an easy snack in a pinch!


Recipe adapted from here.




  1. Samosas are the best snack. Ever.

    My mom bakes them instead of frying on the rare occasion (or Ramadan) that she decides to eat healthier.

    (The fun is in them being unhealthy though).

    Have you ever tried folding samosas from long, rectangular strips of pastry instead of folding it into a cone? It creates a much cleaner, equilateral triangle shape, and it’s sealed with a simple water and flour paste.

    Cheese and corn is my favourite samosa filling. It’s unusual, but it is absolutely delicious and highly recommended (I, sadly, don’t have a recipe, but it really is worth investigating).

  2. I have got to try these! I love samosas but the deep fried treat isn’t the healthiest option for a ‘snack’ >.< Baking it should be interesting.. Though if I mention to my mom or grandma that I'm going to bake a samosa they will disown me :p That's an affront to a traditional Pakistani food, no?

    1. I’m not really sure if baking a samosa would offend a Pakistani, but as an Indian, I can tell you, it can come across as unusual. But as a mom, I am all for healthier options for favorite snacks.

      Your mom and grandma would really disown you over a samosa? 😉

  3. I love samosas but avoid them because they are deep-fried. I have been looking for a baked version for a long long time and your recipe looks perfect.

    I love how you have tried to break it down into manageable steps and especially the ‘Mercedes Benz’ analogy. (Y)

    1. Yes, I’m glad that samosas can be baked too. The first time I made these, doing all the steps (including preparing the potato curry) made the whole project quite time-consuming. After that, I made the curry one day before and it saved so much time.

      Oh, yes, I could have also said “upside-down Y” 😉

      Good luck, and I hope they turn out great!



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