Want to make Crispy Vegetable Pakoras? Then try our Easy Vegetable Pakora, just like the ones from the Indian takeaways, in just 30 minutes. Veggies are smothered in a mildly spiced chickpea flour batter and deep-fried to have golden crispy pakoras. Serve with yogurt mint sauce, mango chutney, and coriander mint chutney.
I'll show you how to make mixed vegetable pakoras in my easy way!
About these Easy Vegetable Pakoras: So much better than the takeaways!
Call them Veg Pakoras or Vegetable Bhaji; they are a fabulous side dish to serve with Indian fakeaways. Forget just being a side dish; they make fantastic appetisers, a great afternoon tea snack, and a brilliant party food recipe.
If you're looking for local Indian restaurant-style mixed vegetable pakoras, then this is the recipe you need. These Pakoras are super simple and easy to make, just like our Onion Bhajis. The vegetables can be switched up based on availability, but they always turn out perfectly. You just can't go wrong with this easy, straightforward pakora recipe.
Why you'll love these Vegetable Pakoras:
Budget-friendly: Compare the cost of ordering pakoras from a restaurant, a takeaway, or even buying pre-made ones from the supermarket like Tesco, Sainsburys, M&S and Waitrose. You'll find homemade pakoras are cheap, easy to make, and can be prepared with pantry ingredients.
Ready in 30 minutes: Why make a trip to the supermarket when you can make them at home in just 30 minutes or so? It's the perfect choice to satisfy your family's craving for something delicious yet easy to prepare.
Simple and Easy: Simply mix the ingredients and deep-fry them to a golden and crispy perfection. How much easier can pakoras get?
Personal Touch: The recipe is flexible, allowing you to adjust the spice level to your preference or add in additional veggies you have on hand.
Dietary Needs: The recipe is suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets
Ingredients you will need
- Vegetables: I have used finely sliced red onion, diced potatoes, cauliflower, and spinach. Apart from the onion, cut the other veggies small and to a similar size. You can also grate the potatoes if it’s easier.
- Herbs: Fresh Coriander leaves (cilantro) are delicious in bhajis, so I always add them.
- Gram flour – also known as Chickpea Flour or Besan is naturally gluten-free. It has a nutty flavor and is easily available in major supermarkets.
- Rice flour – is optional. I prefer to add rice flour for extra crispy vegetable pakoras,
- Spices: In my pakodas, I like to add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, coriander, and garam masala.
- Chili: I add a mix of both green chilli and Kashmiri chilli powder to the pakora batter. If you like it less spicy, leave out diced green chilli.
- Water: Only add as much as you need. There is no fixed proportion, but the mentioned quantity is for reference.
- Salt: Add salt to taste.
- Baking soda: Adding some will bring out a lighter texture in the pakoras.
How to Make Homemade Vegetable Pakoras Step by Step?
Just like my popular Onion Bhajis, Aloo pakoras and Gobi Pakoras, this Vegetable Pakora recipe is super easy and a hit. The method of preparation and frying is very similar.
Preparing the Pakora Batter
Step 1: Place the veggies, coriander, gram flour (chickpea flour), rice flour, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 2:Macerate with your hand so that the vegetables release a bit of water. If you have time, allow the vegetables mixture to rest about 30-40 minutes. It will release more water.
Step 3: But if you don't have time to rest, add a little water at a time, start with a teaspoon, to make a clump batter. The gram flour vegetable pakora batter should be thick but not too watery.
Cooking the Mixed Vegetable Pakora on the Stove
Step 4: Heat oil over medium flame in a pan or kadai. Test the oil by adding a small portion of the pakora; they should sizzle and come up immediately. Using a teaspoon, gently drop the pakoras into the hot oil.
Step 5: Fry over medium flame for 4-5 minutes, flipping on either side, until they turn golden and crisp.
Step 6: Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a kitchen tissue to absorb any excess oil.
Make Vegetable Pakoras in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place clumps of the pakoras on the tray, separated. Brush them with a little oil.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping them once at half time until they are thoroughly cooked and golden brown.
Make Mixed Vegetable Pakoras in the Air fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.
- Scoop small portions of the pakora batter and place them in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't touch. Brush with oil.
- Lower the temperature to 175°C and cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through. Continue to air-fry until they are golden brown and fully cooked. If needed, add a few more minutes to achieve the desired crispiness.
Serving Suggestions for Veggie Pakoras
For a casual evening, I like to serve with pakoras with homemade Indian masala chai.
On special occasions, I serve this veg Pakora along with an array of chutneys and dips like green chutney, tamarind chutney, Indian mint sauce, mango chutney and tomato ketchup
For a lavish Indian feast serve these pakoras with tarka dal, vegetable jalfrezi, naan bread, cucumber raita, mango lassi and kachumber salad.
Popular Substitutions & additions
- Switch out the rice flour: While authentic Indian recipes uses rice flour for crispiness, you can use corn flour instead. The texture might slightly vary but this is still going to be delicious.
- Switch up veggies: Along with onion and potatoes, add aubergine, green beans, carrots - whatever you have got at hand.
- No gram flour, no problem: Consider making with self raising flour. The texture will be different, but it will still taste amazing.
- Add more heat: If you like it spicy, add more chilli powder and diced green chillies. I have added minimal spices in the recipe kids friendly, so every one can enjoy it.
- Freshen up with herbs and more: Just before serving, sprinkle a bit of chaat masala, sliced red onions and herbs. They add a burst of flavour and vibrance to the dish.
Tips to the best mixed vegetable pakoras
- Choose the Right Cookware:Use a kadai or a wok pan for making pakoras as it will make frying and removing the fried fritters easier.
- Control the Heat:Always cook them over medium heat, which may take up to 5 minutes per batch of vegetable bhajis. Avoid cooking on very high heat as it can cause the pakoras to turn golden brown too quickly while remaining undercooked on the inside.
- Water Usage: Do not be tempted to add excessive water; the veggies release their natural juices when combined with chickpea flour, so only add as needed. Otherwise, the vegetable pakorabatter will become too watery. Aim for a clumpy batter to achieve the best pakora texture.
- Don't use high water content vegetables: such as zucchini (courgette) and mushrooms.They will alter the texture of the pakoras.
- Crispiness: Use rice flour or corn flour for extra crispiness. I always use rice flour for crispy appetisers such as crispy potato slices and onion bhaji.
- Lighter Texture: Add a small amount of baking soda to make crispy light pakoras.
Storing and Reheating
In the fridge: While leftovers are rare with delicious veg pakoras, if you do have some, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, use an air fryer at 180°C for 3-4 minutes until they become crispy again. Serve while hot. Avoid reheating in the microwave, as it can make them soft and potentially soggy.
How to make large batch of vegetable pakoras for Diwali or Christmas?
- Prep the veggies and measure out the ingredients separately. Combine them about 2 hours before guests arrive. Allow the batter to rest for about 30 minutes or so, to release more vegetable juices. Combine to make a clumpy pakora mixture, thats not too watery or too dry.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry in batches.
- When you are making a large batch of these fritters, place them on a baking sheet in the oven at a low heat to keep them warm.
- Sprinkle chaat masala, coriander leaves and onion. Then serve them warm with dips or chutneys.
Recipe FAQ's
It happens, primarly because of 4 reasons - Batter consistency, frying temperature, over crowding the frying pan and not adding rice flour. To rectify this,
Ensure your pakora batter isn’t too watery; use water sparingly.
Don’t forget to add rice flour to achieve the desired crispiness.
Avoid frying on low heat or very high heat to prevent oil absorption and sogginess.
Fry in Batches without overcrowding the pan. I suggest fry pakoras in smaller batches for better crispiness.
Yes, mixed veggie pakoras can be made in the air fryer. Air fry for 12-14 minutes at 350F / 175C.
Absolutely. Veg pakoras do not have any dairy or eggs and is perfectly suitable for vegans.
Dips / Chutneys to serve with Vegetable Pakoras
Homemade Vegetable Pakora recipe below
Ingredients
- 1 cup gram flour (chickpea flour)
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 1 medium onion sliced thin
- 1 cup potato chopped ( about 2 small)
- ½ cup cauliflower chopped
- ¼ cup spinach roughly chopped
- ¼ cup coriander roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½-¾ teaspoon Kasmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 green chillies finely chopped (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated (optional)
- ⅛- ¼ cup Water
- Oil for frying
- ⅕-¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the onion, potato, cauliflower, spinach, coriander, ginger and green chilli.1 medium onion, 1 cup potato, ½ cup cauliflower, ¼ cup spinach, ¼ cup coriander, 2 green chillies, 1 teaspoon ginger
- Add the chickpea flour, rice flour,baking soda, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala.1 cup gram flour (chickpea flour), 2 tablespoon rice flour, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½-1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½-¾ teaspoon Kasmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ⅕-¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Mix them with clean hands and squeeze the vegetables with your hands to release the water.
- If you feel the batter is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to the batter and mix until the batter coats the veggies.⅛- ¼ cup Water
- Heat oil over medium flame in a pan or kadai. Test the oil by adding a small portion of the pakora; they should sizzle and come up immediately.
- Using a teaspoon, gently drop the pakoras into the hot oil.
- Fry over medium flame for 4-5 minutes, flipping on either side, until they turn golden and crisp.Oil for frying
- Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
D says
This is a new favourite in our home and a great way to use up any veggies from the crisper. Thank you!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thats awesome to know to know you loved Vegetable Pakoras Dani. Do try our Onion Bhaji and other pakoras, you will love it too.
Meenasha Woomed says
It was quite easy to make and was a great success with family..
Sandhya's Kitchen says
So glad to know your family enjoyed our Mixed Vegetable pakoras.