A spin on a classic samosa, these potato and peas samosas are baked in flaky puff pastry in the shape of a pinwheel. It's the perfect, unmessy handheld appetizer for a party. Serve Puff Pastry Samosa Pinwheels with cilantro chutney and freshly brewed chai.
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.
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Why you'll love this Recipe
I'm a huge fan of using puff pastry for a quick way to make an elegant snack at home! It's been trending for a reason - you can stuff it with any delicious filling. Here's why I love samosas in puff pastry vs. the traditional way:
- 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.
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.
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
* Not pictured - ghee
- 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.
- 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.
Use store-bought puff pastry, found in the frozen aisle of a grocery store. Or, try this recipe for Puff Pastry by my friend Callan over at The Cozy Plum.
I've also seen gluten-free and vegan variations of store-bought puff pastry.
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Buy Now → How to make Puff Pastry Samosas
I like to breakdown making this recipe into 4 parts -
- Prep the Ingredients - the potatoes, spices, peas, and puff pastry
- Make the Samosa Filling - cook the potato and peas samosa filling
- Roll the Log - spread the filling on the puff pastry and roll it into a log
- Cut into Pinwheels and Bake - cut the log into pinwheels and bake
1. Prep the Ingredients
First, make the puff pastry fresh or use store-bought. If using frozen store-bought puff pastry, follow the packaging instructions to defrost. It'll usually take 3-4 hours to defrost it in the refrigerator. Don't defrost it further than that, otherwise the dough will be too moist to work with.
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.
2. Make the Samosa Filling
- Begin heating a pan on low to medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of neutral oil into the pan and add the cumin seeds. Roast them for about a minute or until you see them start to pop and dance in the oil. Transfer the chopped potatoes and grated ginger into the pan and cook the potatoes until they start to brown a little.
- Add the spices into the pan. Mix it really well until everything is fully combined and the spices are evenly distributed.
- Mash the potatoes down with the back of a wooden spoon. Continue cooking the potatoes for about 4-5 minutes. Most of the water content should have evaporated by now, leaving a uniform texture that's almost like a dough. Turn off the heat and add in the peas.
- Mix in the peas and allow the potato samosa filling to cool.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to overcook the potato filling so that it isn't bone dry. It's going to get another blast of heat from the oven.
3. Roll into a Log
Now that the aloo samosa filling is cool, it's time to work with the puff pastry.
The puff pastry dough should be cold yet pliable when working with it. If it's soft and sticky, it will be a nightmare to work with. Again, follow packaging instructions closely. It may also need to be rolled out to ¼-inch thick if the edges are thicker than that.
- Plop the samosa filling into the center and begin evenly spreading it out to the edges with clean hands or a rubber spatula. Leave ½-inch on each side.
- Tightly roll the outer edge into the filling and tuck in the dough. Then, use both hands to roll it into a log.
- Once you get to the end, dab water onto the other edge and roll the log to the end.
- Pinch the ends to seal the log shut.
Cut into Pinwheels and Bake
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line the half sheet tray with a baking mat or parchment paper.
Cut about ½-inch off from each end of the log to remove the excess dough. Then slice the rest of the log into ½-inch thick pieces. Depending on your cuts, there should be between 22-25 pinwheels.
(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.
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.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the potato samosa pinwheels with this Cilantro-Mint Chutney recipe and imli (tamarind) chutney with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
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.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Working with puff pastry can be difficult. My first try was a mess, and while my samosas still tasted great, they weren't cute, took forever to bake until crispy, and the texture was off.
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.
Storage Instructions
To Freeze Unbaked Pinwheels:
The samosa pinwheels can be stored unbaked in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Freeze the pinwheels in a single row on a half sheet tray. Once fully frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
- Label the freezer bag with the freeze date.
- To bake, place them in a half sheet tray with 1-2 inches between them and bake at 400℉ for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
To Store Baked Pinwheels:
The puff pastry samosas can be stored in a refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. Bake them for 5 minutes at 350℉, or until warmed through and crispy.
They can also be frozen after baked. Bake them at 425℉ for 10 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.
More Indian Appetizer Recipes to try
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Puff Pastry Samosa Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes, boiled
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ⅓ cup peas, frozen
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅓ teaspoon aamchur
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ⅓ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida
- 14 oz puff pastry, store-bought
- 2 tablespoon flour, for working with puff pastry
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Follow the packaged instructions to defrost the puff pastry in the refrigerator. Defrosting may take up to 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line the half sheet tray with a baking mat or parchment paper.
- Boil the potatoes until the centers are fork tender. Remove the skin of the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into small pieces. If using frozen peas, defrost them in warm water and pat them dry.
- In a pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee on medium flame. Once hot, add the cumin seeds. They'll start to pop after about a minute. Now, add the potatoes and grated ginger into the pan and toss them with the ghee and cumin seeds. Allow the potatoes to lightly brown in the pan, about 2-4 minutes.
- Once the potatoes have started browning, add the salt, black pepper, coriander, amchur, chaat masala, garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric, and asafoetida into the pan. Toss the potatoes in all the spices until they're evenly coated. Then, mash the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Continue cooking the potatoes, about 4-5 minutes. The potatoes will combine into a big lump, similar to dough, and lift off of the pan easily. At this point, add the peas and mix them into the potatoes. Remove the filling from heat and set to the side to cool down.
- Once the filling is sufficiently cooled, it's time to work with the puff pastry. You'll need about a tablespoon of room temperature water in a bowl. Sprinkle loose flour on a sheet of parchment paper and place the puff pastry dough on top of it. You may need to roll out the dough 1-2 inches out on each side if it's extremely thick.
- Place the potato filling on the dough and evenly spread it out to each corner with your hands or a rubber spatula, leaving a half inch of space on the edges.
- Dip your finger or a pastry brush in the water. Brush the water down the length of the edge on one of the long sides.
- Begin to roll the rectangle from the opposite side that you just placed water on. Once it reaches the edge with the water, pinch the seal firmly together.
- Now, take the serrated knife and remove the ends of the log. Slice ½-inch thick pinwheels. Place them laying down on the half sheet tray with 1-2 inches between each pinwheel to allow space for expanding in the oven.
- Place the half sheet tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
- Remove the half sheet tray from the oven. Transfer the pinwheels to a serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm with cilantro chutney and imli chutney.
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