Marianne Martinez
Samosas are a delicious snack, but frying them can be messy and unhealthy. Air fryers offer a convenient, healthier alternative to deep frying, producing crispy results without the need for large amounts of oil. You can cook samosas from fresh or frozen, and they will turn out golden brown and delicious in just minutes. The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your samosas, as well as the temperature of your air fryer, but generally, they will take around 8-20 minutes at 350-400°F (180-200°C). You can fill your samosas with various mixtures of meats or vegetables, and the traditional Indian chutneys like mint, coriander, and tamarind chutney go well with them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preheat air fryer | Yes |
| Defrost samosas | No |
| Temperature | 180°C-200°C/350°F-375°F/360°F |
| Cooking time | 6-20 minutes |
| Flip samosas | Halfway through |
| Oil coating | Brush both sides or coat generously |
| Filling | Vegetables, meat, potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, onions, etc. |
| Dough | Wheat flour, water, salt, oil |
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What You'll Learn
Recommended temperature settings
The ideal temperature setting for cooking samosas in an air fryer depends on the type of samosa and the desired level of crispiness. For frozen samosas, a temperature of 360°F/180°C is recommended for 6 minutes to achieve a golden and hot result. For homemade samosas, a lower starting temperature of 350°F/180°C is suggested for 4 minutes, followed by an increase to 400°F/200°C for the final 4 minutes. This variable temperature approach helps achieve a desirable golden finish.
For those who prefer their samosas with a more pronounced crispiness, increasing the temperature to 400°F for the last 2 minutes of cooking is a good strategy. This higher temperature setting ensures the exterior of the samosa attains the desired level of crispness.
When reheating samosas, preheating the air fryer is recommended, followed by cooking at 350°F for 3 minutes or until the desired crispness is achieved. This reheating process restores the samosas to their original crispy state without drying them out.
It is worth noting that the cooking time and temperature may vary depending on the size and thickness of the samosas, as well as the specific model of the air fryer being used. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor the samosas closely during the cooking process to prevent overcooking or undercooking.
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How to prevent overcrowding in the air fryer
Air fryers are small, efficient convection ovens that use hot air circulation to cook food. This hot air needs space to move around the food, and overcrowding the air fryer basket can block this airflow. This results in unevenly cooked, soggy food.
To prevent overcrowding in your air fryer, follow these steps:
- Always ensure there is ample space around the air fryer for proper airflow and heat dissipation.
- Avoid filling the air fryer basket to the brim. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the quantity of food to be loaded.
- Arrange the food in a single layer, without stacking, to allow hot air to circulate. This may mean cooking in multiple batches.
- Regularly flip or rotate the food during cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Use the right amount of oil. A light coating of oil can help your food crisp up, but too much oil can lead to greasy, soggy results.
- Avoid using oils with low smoke points, such as extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil, as these can break down at high temperatures, leading to smoke and unpleasant flavors.
- Clean your air fryer regularly to prevent any oil residue from building up.
By following these steps, you can prevent overcrowding in your air fryer and ensure your food cooks evenly and turns out crispy and delicious.
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How to fold and seal the samosas
To fold and seal samosas, you can start with either a pre-made samosa sheet or homemade dough. Pre-made samosa sheets are commonly found in a rectangular shape, while homemade dough can be rolled into an oval shape.
If you're using a pre-made sheet, cut the rectangle into a semi-circle, then fold the semi-circle into a cone shape. After filling the cone with your desired stuffing, you can seal the samosa by applying water or a flour and water paste along the open edges and pressing or pinching them closed.
If you're using homemade dough, roll it into an oval shape, then cut the oval in half. Take one of the halves and, with the cut edges facing towards you, use your finger to dab water along one edge and shape it into a cone. Slightly overlap the edges and gently press them to seal the cone. Fill the cone with your chosen stuffing, then apply water to the open edges and seal the samosa by pinching the edges closed.
To ensure the samosas remain sealed during cooking, it's important to properly seal the edges. You can also coat the samosas with oil before cooking, which can help achieve a crispy exterior.
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Reheating samosas in an air fryer
The cooking time for reheating samosas is shorter than for cooking them from scratch. If your samosas are frozen, cook them for 2 minutes at 360°F (180°C) until golden and hot in the centre. If your samosas are not frozen, cook them for 3 minutes at 350°F (180°C). You can also reheat them at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.
While you can lightly brush the samosas with oil before air frying to help them achieve a crisp exterior, this is not necessary. The air fryer will still produce crispy results without the added oil. However, if your samosas are of a variety that tends to dry out during the cooking process, such as filo or spring roll pastry samosas, brushing them with oil will prevent scorching and burning.
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Recommended dipping sauces
Samosas can be enjoyed on their own, but they're frequently served with a dipping sauce. Sauces for samosas tend to be either sweet or tangy, with a mild spice that enhances the flavours of the fillings without overwhelming them. The sauce also cuts through any dryness or greasiness of the samosas.
The most common type of sauce for samosas is chutney, often made with fresh ingredients like mango, mint leaves, or Indian spices. Chutneys can be made in a variety of colours, with red, green, and brown sauces being the most common.
- Mint Cilantro Chutney (Green Sauce): An Indian classic, this chutney is vibrant in colour and tangy in flavour with a medium heat thanks to the green chillies. It's made with fresh coriander leaves, green chillies, fresh mint, ginger, cumin seeds, lemon juice, and salt, all ground in a blender until smooth. Sometimes chana dal, peanuts, or desiccated coconut is added to thicken the chutney, resulting in a coriander coconut chutney.
- Mint Yogurt Dip: This sauce is made with plain yogurt (such as Greek yogurt), fresh mint leaves, garam masala, and green chillies. It's refreshing and cooling thanks to its yogurt base.
- Red Samosa Sauce: This sauce is commonly found in Indian households and restaurants. It's a sweet and sour sauce that is usually intensely spicy, so a little goes a long way.
- Cucumber Mint Raita: A simple yet refreshing sauce that cools and balances hot and spicy dishes. It's made by blending cucumber, yogurt, and mint, with a pinch of salt, chaat masala, and cumin to taste.
- Yogurt Sauce: Two heaping spoons of yogurt (or sour cream) are mixed with a generous sprinkle of powdered cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder, then thinned with water if needed.
- Tamarind Chutney: Tamarind-based sauces are commonly served with samosas in Indian snack shops and restaurants.
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Frequently asked questions
The cooking time depends on the size and thickness of your samosas, as well as the temperature of your air fryer. As a general guideline, cook them at 375°F (190°C) for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.
It is recommended to preheat your air fryer to 190°C/375°F. You can brush both sides of the samosas with oil to help achieve a crisp exterior, but this is not necessary. Make sure to leave enough room between the samosas in the air fryer basket to allow for proper air circulation.
Your samosas are done when they are golden brown and crispy. If the exterior is overcooked but the interior is still raw, try lowering the temperature and cooking in batches.
