Vegan samosas use rice paper wrappers for an easy baked samosa recipe that’s filled with spiced potatoes and peas and tastes incredible. This gluten-free appetizer with delicious green chutney dipping sauce is sure to be a hit!
Jump to:
Restaurant style samosas….only better! These baked samosas are absolutely delicious. They have authentic flavor and taste….take no time to make and they’re both vegan and gluten-free.
This healthy samosa recipe brings all the flavor and crunch….in a baked rice paper wrapper. Such a smart idea…it’s so much faster than making dough, doesn’t use any flour or oil….and they’re super tasty too!
Homemade Samosas…yeah, it’s a thing…and an easy thing too! Delicious and tangy potato filling is loaded with green peas and Indian spices.
Ingredients for Healthy Samosas
- Rice paper wrappers: Look for a brand that is made with rice and cassava root flour and water. Tapioca starch is also an ok ingredient. You can find rice paper wrappers at most major grocery stores or order rice paper wrappers online.
- Potatoes: I prefer the yukon gold potatoes for this recipe because they are creamy and mash well. You can use any potato you have….even sweet potatoes, if you prefer.
- Green peas: I buy them frozen so I always have on hand when needed. Peas are low in sugar, high in fiber and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, they add a pop of color and taste great in this traditional samosa filling.
- Onion: White, yellow or even a red onion will work in this recipe.
- Garlic: Adds flavor plus antioxidants and is good to build immunity.
- Spices: Turmerice (anti-inflammatory), cumin (delish), cinnamon (the illusion of sweet) black pepper (to enhance the absorption of the curcumin in the turmeric), salt (brings out the flavors).
How to make samosa filling:
Scrub potatoes. It is not necessary to peel them. Cut potatoes into large dice and place in a small sauce pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Use 1-2 Tablespoons water or olive oil to saute onions until beginning to soften. Sprinkle on garlic, turmeric, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir while garlic cooks, about 1 minute. Turn off heat.
Drain potatoes and add to pan with sauteed onion. Gently mash with a fork, while incorporating into the onions.
Gently mix the peas into the potato mixture. Now, you’re ready to fill the rice paper wrappers.
Gather your supplies and preheat the oven to 400 degrees before beginning to fill the vegan samosas.
- large rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
- wooden board to work on
- pie plate or other dish large enough for wrapper that can hold water
- kitchen scissors
- rice paper wrappers
- samosa filling, already prepared
How to prepare samosas for baking:
First, dip one rice paper wrapper into the prepared water dish. Let it sit for 5 seconds. Flip it over, making sure it’s submerged in the water, for another 10 seconds. You want it pliable enough to cut in half with the scissors without breaking, but not so goopy/sticky that it will be hard to work with.
Tap the wet wrapper onto your dish towel to remove any dripping water. Then cut in half. Place both sides down onto your wooden board.
Scoop a heaping Tablespoon of the prepared potato filling onto the center of each half moon. You’ll need to work quickly on one half, then the next, before the wrapper becomes too sticky.
Work with the flat (cut) side on the top and the rounded side on the bottom.
Take the top right corner and fold it down towards the opposite side bottom curve as shown above.
Next, you’ll fold the top left corner down towards the right bottom, meeting at the right diagonal edge so the samosa forms a triangle.
Last thing to do is to fold up the bottom edge to seal the samosa. It should look like a triangle, but the shape doesn’t matter as much as the fact that it’s sealed on all sides.
Gently place samosas onto the prepared pan as soon as they’re sealed. They may shrink a tiny bit, but otherwise will hold their shape and size in the oven so there’s no need to space them too far apart.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip, then bake for another 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
How to make green chutney
If you’re serving your samosas with cilantro chutney, make that while they’re in the oven baking. Place cilantro, mint, jalapeno, ginger, lime zest and juice, cumin, sea salt and maple syrup into the bowl of a food processor and mix until fully blended. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of water until green chutney is desired consistency.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Get all supplies ready before you begin. Once the rice paper is wet, you don’t have long before the wrapper is too sticky to work with.
- Keep a towel close by to dry your fingers, or the wrappers, as needed.
- There may be a learning curve for you to get used to the rice paper wrappers…but by the second or third one, you’ll be making these like a pro! If your wrapper is too sticky and the samosa doesn’t come out well, simply remove the filling back to your bowl, throw out the soggy wrapper and begin again….no big deal.
- Buy larger diameter rice paper to make full sized, dinner samosas.
- Taste the potato filling, adding more spice if desired.
- Baked samosas are best fresh out of the oven. You can prep and let sit in advance…but pop them into the oven just before you want to enjoy them.
- There’s turmeric in this recipe—-which stains—so be careful with the filling. The towel you use will probably get yellowed.
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE
- TO SERVE: Fresh from the oven is best. Make them small and serve with a green chutney or mango dipping sauce as a healthy appetizer. Or, make them large and have for dinner along with a simple cauliflower rice.
- TO PREP AHEAD: Make the potato filling up to 3 days in advance, stored covered in the fridge. Make the cilantro chutney up to a week in advance, stored in a sealed jar in the fridge. Prepare the samosas and leave on a baking tray at room temperature for up to 4 hours before ready to bake. Green Chutney dipping sauce will stay good in the fridge for 3 weeks…so make it whenever it’s convenient for you.
- TO STORE: Already baked samosas can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge. The wrappers will become more chewy than crisp until reheated.
- TO FREEZE: Make sure cooked samosas are totally cooled off. Place in an airtight container, with parchment between layers, in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat in a 375 oven for 15 minutes, until heated through and re-crisped.
More Healthy and Fun Appetizer Recipes
Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe, please consider a five star rating below and leave a comment. Also, please share your photos on instagram by tagging me @dkhealthcoach and using the hashtag #debraklein
📖 Recipe
Baked Samosa Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ lb. yukon gold potatoes*
- 1 onion small dice
- 2 or more cloves garlic, minced, pressed or zested.
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- a few grinds black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- optional: 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 12 rice paper wrappers*
Green Chutney
- 2 cups cilantro woody stems removed
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 2 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon diced fresh ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into large dice. Place in a small saucepan, cover with water and cook until tender, but not mushy. About 20 minutes.
- Saute onions in 1-2 Tablespoons water (or veggie broth or olive oil) for 3-5 minutes, until softening. Add the garlic, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir constantly while garlic cooks and spices become fragrant. Add another Tablespoon water if the pan becomes too dry.
- Turn off heat and let the onion mixture sit until the potatoes are done. Then add the potatoes to the pan. Use a fork to roughly mash them, then stir the potatoes into the onion mixture until well incorporated. Add the peas and gently mix them in.
- Get yourself set up and ready before beginning to fold the samosas. Preheat the oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking tray with unbleached parchment paper. Fill a pie plate with ¼" water. Have a dish towel (preferably one that is already stained, as the turmeric could leach onto your towel) ready and a wooden board to fold the samosas. And you’ll need a pair of kitchen scissors.
- Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water. Wait 5 seconds. Flip it onto the other side and push down to submerge for about 10 seconds. You want it to be pliable, but not so sticky (like saran wrap) that it sticks to itself).
- Dab the wrapper onto your dish towel to prevent dripping, then cut in half so you have two half moons. Place each half separately onto the wooden board with the long edge on top and the curved edge on the bottom.
- Scoop 1 heaping Tablespoon of the potato mixture onto the middle of each half moon wrapper. Start folding by taking the right top edge and bringing it over to the left bottom. Then take the top left edge and bring it over toward the right bottom. You should have a triangle now. the very center will be the top point of the triangle. Fold the bottom edge up and over to seal the samosa.
- As soon as samosa is folded into a triangle, move it to the prepared baking tray. Continue until all the filling is used. You should be able to make 2 dozen appetizer sized samosas.
- Place the tray in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Then flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve warm with cilantro dipping sauce.
Cilantro Chutney
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender. Blend.
- Tasted for seasoning. Squeeze in another lime if you like your green chutney tangy. Add another Tablespoon honey or syrup if you prefer your sweet. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper if spicy is your jam.
- Add ¼ cup water, one Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
- Chutney will stay good in a sealed jar in the fridge for 3 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Sue
These samosas were so tasty, my family asked when we can have them again.
Swathi
Baked samosa looks really yum.
Debra Klein
Thanks…it is!
Julie
Five stars for sure! The most beautiful ingredients and I LOVE CILANTRO SO MUCH!
Debra Klein
Totally….team cilantro over here too!
Jean
I havent make my own samosa, your recipe looks great!
Kay
These samosas were amazing, the whole family loved them 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Kayla DiMaggio
I love samosas and I love that these are baked! So delicious!
Debra Klein
Agreed!
Lillian
I’ve never made samosas before but they are one of my favorite appetizers. This recipe looks great.
Natalie
Delicious samosa. i will definitely make it again.
Kristina
These is a very good recipe.
mihaela |theworldisanoyster.com
Super idea for tonight’s dinner! Thanks
Kayla DiMaggio
Such an easy and delicious recipe!
Amanda Scarlati
These samosas were so good. Such an easy recipe and loved how light they were being baked
Amy Roskelley
Easy and delicious. Will be making again!
Audrey
Great flavors in this dish!
Laura
The green chutney was great!
Brianna
These samosa are light with so much flavor!
Leslie
Love this recipe!
Lilly
This samosa recipe is so good!! I love the green chutney!
Lisa M. Green
Made these for family and friends. People were super impressed. Delicious and you gave great tips about the rice paper. So much better than store bought and easy to Mae,. Thanks
Debra Klein
So glad it was a hit for you!
Lisa M. Green
Oh meant to ask — I hate cilantro so I tried making the chutney with parsley but it was not a good consistency… adding water just made it watery not like a sauce. Any tricks?
Debra Klein
Hmmm…I would guess that parsley instead of cilantro would be an equal swap in this recipe. If your food processor is too large, the herbs won’t break down as well. If you don’t have a small enough processor, try using your blender. And definitely add the water slowly, adding just the amount needed for it to come together, but not too watery.
Mona
My sons made it for me tonight as I am cooped up with covid. It was what I had marked down for dinner. I know they made a few changes as I heard avocado and cilantro and know we had no mint. I know they did a bit in the airfryer before putting in the oven. My eaves dropping was not so good. But this dish…omg spectacular!!! Truly delish!! Btw you should allow us to post pics of our renditions if your recipe.
Debra Klein
So lovely of your sons!! Glad you enjoyed it. If you want to post pics of any of my recipes that you make, do so over on Instagram and tag me @dkhealthcoach so I can be sure to see them.