I love this recipe for Puff Pastry Samosas because it fuses the American fascination with using puff pastry for quick snacks with the ultimate Indian snack, a samosa. It creates a decorative and delicious appetizer for gatherings and parties. The puff pastry arguably makes it much easier and accessible to make a homemade samosa. Now, you don’t have to learn how to make the perfectly soft buttery dough, how to fold a samosa into a triangle, and how to fry it in hot oil without it bursting at the seams. Making a traditional samosa is definitely a labor of love that takes a few trials to get it right. Rolling the puff pastry and cutting it into slices is reminiscent of rolling a cinnamon roll and slicing it. It’s either a familiar technique or a very easy one to learn.
Why you’ll love this Recipe
What is a Samosa?
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of going to a South Asian wedding, Indian restaurant, or really any event with your desi friends, you’ve most likely tried a samosa.
The readymade puff pastry removes the need to make samosa dough. Plus, there’s no need to fry them over hot oil, which also risks them splitting. But you still get to enjoy buttery, flaky dough. They’re much quicker to make rather than individually filling, wrapping, and frying each samosa. The pinwheels are impressive and cute for serving unmessy handheld appetizers at parties and gatherings.
A samosa is a deep-fried South Asian snack and appetizer that’s traditionally filled with spiced potatoes and peas (aloo and mutter). Other variations include pumpkin or meat fillings like chicken keema (spiced ground chicken). It’s typically folded into a triangular cone which is then deep-fried, giving it a crispy flaky outer shell with a savory filling. It’s served with a cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney when starting a meal along with other snacks and chaats. Nowadays, there are several variations of samosas such as these puff pastry samosas or samosa sandwiches in a panini press. They make it easier to enjoy the flavor of a samosa without needing to make a dough and frying it in hot oil.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Coriander - Ground coriander has an earthy, sweet citrus flavor. It’s made by grinding the seeds from a cilantro plant when it goes to seed. Aamchur* - Also known as mango powder. It’s made from dried mangoes and has a sour taste. Substitute with a ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice. Chaat Masala* - A blend of ground spices with a distinct tangy flavor that’s used to make chaat, fruit salads, etc. Substitute with ¼ teaspoon of aamchur, kala namak (black salt), or pomegranate seed powder. Garam Masala - A warming blend of spices, translated to “warming spices”, commonly used in Indian cooking. Cumin Seeds - Cumin is earthy and warm in flavor. The seeds are toasted in oil and mixed into the potatoes. Substitute with ground cumin. Asafoetida* - Also known as hing; it is commonly used in Indian cooking to replace garlic and onion. It smells strongly of garlic and onion and only requires the tiniest pinch. Some people say Pure Indian Foods has the best hing they’ve ever tasted. Substitute with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon of onion powder. Turmeric - Known for its striking yellow color, turmeric is earthy and has several health benefits. Kashmiri Chili Powder* - A mild Indian chili powder. Substitute with a pinch of paprika and cayenne.
How to make Puff Pastry Samosas
1. Prep the Ingredients
2. Make the Samosa Filling
3. Roll into a Log
Now that the aloo samosa filling is cool, it’s time to work with the puff pastry.
Potatoes - Use yellow potatoes, like russet, yukon, or Idaho. I use smaller sized potatoes to decrease the boiling time. Peas - Use fresh or frozen peas Ghee - This is a traditional cooking fat in lieu to oils in Indian cooking. The milk solids and impurities are removed from regular butter to make clarified butter. Substitute ghee with vegetable oil. Cilantro - This is completely optional but it adds a pop of color in addition to the peas to an otherwise very brown/yellow appetizer. Ginger - Fresh or ground ginger is always a great addition for samosa, but optional.
You may also need a trip to the Indian grocery store for a few specialty blends and spices. Once you have the spices, they’ll last you quite a while. I use pre-ground spices for all of this except for the cumin seeds. Feel free to toast your whole spices and freshly grind them. I’ve denoted the spices which may require a trip to the Indian grocer with an asterisk* and included substitutions if you can’t find them. I’ve also seen gluten-free and vegan variations of store-bought puff pastry. Boil the potatoes in salty water for about 10 minutes. Check the tenderness of the potatoes by seeing if it pierces easily with a fork. The skin may start cracking as well - which indicates the potatoes are ready. Dump out the hot water and rinse the potatoes in cold water. Peel and remove the skin. Chop the potatoes into small pieces. Defrost the frozen peas in warm water. Strain the water out and pat them dry as much as possible.
Cut into Pinwheels and Bake
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line the half sheet tray with a baking mat or parchment paper. Transfer the pinwheels to the baking sheet with 1-2 inches between each pinwheel. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. (Optional) Brush the pinwheels with egg wash for a glossy golden brown look. Do not brush the pinwheels with butter or ghee. It’ll soak up the fat and bake unevenly.
Serving Suggestions
Storage Instructions
To Store Baked Pinwheels:
More Indian Appetizer Recipes to try
Recipe
These perfect little hand-held vegetarian appetizers are great for serving at parties, one to two would be the perfect serving size per person. It’s usually served along with other snacks like chaats or namkeen, as well as a hot cup of chai. You can try it with this Peanut Chaat and a Mango Lassi. If you’ve somehow got leftovers, you can freeze them or make Samosa Chaat. Be sure to follow the packaging instructions! Don’t leave the puff pastry overnight or in the refrigerator with the intentions of making this recipe sometime during the week. Take it out of the freezer to defrost 3-4 hours before you plan on working with it. That means the peas and potato filling should be cooked already. When working with it, it should be cold yet pliable enough. If it’s too cold, it’ll crack when you’re rolling it. Cracks mean that the pinwheels will break apart while they expand in the oven. If it’s too warm, it’ll stick to every surface and rip easily. You’ll need to put it back into the freezer in intervals to be able to work with it. Using egg wash. If you have an eggless diet, no worries, you don’t need to use egg wash! But if you want to, it’ll result in a golden brown crispy top that’s a bit glossy like bread. Don’t use oil, butter, or ghee to brush on these. It’ll soak up all the fat and take forever to bake. Variations. If you’re advanced at making samosas or Indian food, feel free to vary your spices. You can also add shredded paneer, much like my Paneer Aloo Samosa filling. Chopped nuts or raisins would also be delicious. They can also be frozen after baked. Bake them at 425℉ for 10 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy. I’d love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don’t forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below! Thinking about making this recipe? Enter your email and I’ll send it straight to your inbox to save for later. Plus, get new recipe inspiration from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Masala and Chai.
