Air Fryer Vegan Samosas

Who doesn’t love the stellar combination of a perfectly crunchy pastry and the perfection of creamy potatoes? Then top that off with an amazing sauce — yum!

Ever since that first taste, I’ve been hooked. While I simply LOVE to explore all the wonders of Indian food, making from-scratch samosas (or really any pastry) can be too time-consuming to make as often as I want to eat them.

Luckily, I’ve found a delightful shortcut so I can get all the flavor of my beloved Indian samosas without all the fuss.

This impossibly easy samosa recipe:

• It is naturally vegan and soy-free, and can easily be made oil-free, meaning it’s perfect for all types of dietary restrictions.
• It uses store-bought vegan spring roll wrappers, so you don’t have to take the time to make a homemade crust. Note: check the ingredients of the wrappers if they are not clearly labeled vegan.
• Requires just 11 easy-to-find ingredients, half of which you probably already have in your pantry right now.
• Swaps the deep fryer for the air fryer. You know how much I love my air-fryer for getting shatteringly crisp results without oil, right? (By the way, you simply have to try these Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes — they’re the bee’s knees!) Turns out, it’s also an excellent option for making perfectly crisp and golden vegetarian samosas.

Want more vegan air-fryer recipes? Here are a bunch of whole-food plant-based air fryer goodies you need to try!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make these crave-worthy vegetable samosas. Here’s what to grab:

• Optional Oil* – Any cooking oil you prefer will work here. But it’s easy to make them oil-free by toasting the spices in a dry pan, then using some water as needed to saute the veggies.
• Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Garam Masala, Ground Cardamom, & Chili Powder – Indian food requires the generous use of spices. While whole coriander seeds and cumin seeds are preferred, you can swap in ground spices in a pinch.
• Cooked Potatoes – I suggest reaching for a starchy variety like Russets or a middle-of-the-road variety like Yukon Golds. But you can use whatever potato you have on hand in a pinch.
• Green Peas – You know that peas aren’t my favs, but in this recipe they work perfectly and meld into the perfect filling.
• Salt – For seasoning, to taste. If you don’t use salt, just sub your favorite salt substitute or add a sprinkle of garlic and onion powder to give it the bite it usually gets from salt.
• Water – If possible, use filtered water for the best flavor.
• Brown Sugar – Either light or dark brown sugar will work. Avoiding refined sugar? You can use coconut sugar or date past instead.
• Tamarind Concentrate – You can also use tamarind paste depending on what is available near you. If it’s unavailable at your regular grocery store, I suggest looking at your local Indian market. Don’t have one near you? Amazon will definitely carry my fav brand, Indira’s tamarind concentrate.
• Vegan Spring Roll Wrappers – These are usually located in the refrigerated section of my normal grocery store near the tofu. Look for vegan on the label! You can use plant-based wonton wrappers in a pinch.

Equipment

To make these air fryer samosas, you’ll need:

• An air fryer (or an oven and a sheet pan)
• A skillet & a saucepan
• A silicone spatula

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Step 4: Assemble Samosas. Cut the spring roll wrappers in half lengthwise. Take one strip and place a rounded tablespoon of the filling in the bottom left corner.

Dip your finger in the water and wet the edges of the spring roll wrapper.

Fold the wrapper by taking the filled corner and bringing it to the top to form a rectangle. Keep wrapping until you are left with a triangle. Repeat until all the samosas are formed.

Step 5: Air Fry. Place a single layer of samosas into your air fryer basket. Cook at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more or until crunchy.

Step 6: Serve with dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Optional Variations

While I love these semi-homemade samosas just the way they are, I’m all about encouraging my readers to tweak recipes to fit their needs. Here are a few variations to consider:

• Oil-Free – Bloom your spices in a hot dry pan instead of using oil.
• Gluten-Free Samosas – I’ve never found store-bought gluten-free wrappers, but you can take soft gluten-free tortillas like BFree or Mission brand (not harder ones like the Food for Life Brown Rice ones). Cut into a rectangle, then fold the same way. Just secure it with a toothpick or two while air frying.
• No Air Fryer? No Problem! If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook these on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees. Cook for about 15 minutes, then turn and cook for 5 minutes more.