Crispy Onion Pakoda's are Indian-style onion fritters that are easy to make, crispy, and made in the Air Fryer with very little oil. Serve this onion pakora hot with cilantro mint chutney and enjoy with a cup of hot masala chai.
I used my Instant Vortex Plus 6 Quart Air Fryer for this recipe. I love this because you can get the food in a single layer all at once, and dinner is ready in 30 minutes or less. Any air fryer brand like Cosori 5.8QT, Cuisinart Air Fryer Oven, Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Duo Crisp works here.
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Why You'll Love this Air Fryer Onion Pakoda Recipe
- Easy to prepare
- Crunchy and delicious.
- A healthier alternative to the traditional deep frying version.
- Perfect evening appetizer/snack with masala chai.
- Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free.
Ingredients for Onion Pakoda Recipe
- Onion - I like to use red onion for pakodas. However, you can use any variety of onions, like yellow, white, sweet, or red onions.
- Besan Flour (Gram Flour) - is a gluten-free flour primarily used as a binding agent. You may also slightly roast the besan before adding it to the batter.
- Rice Flour - is added to give a crispy texture to the pakoras. You can easily find it in Indian grocery stores.
- Green Chili - I have used 1 Thai green chili for the heat. You can increase or decrease according to your preference.
- Ginger - is added for the flavor, so don't skip it.
- Fresh Herbs - I like to use coriander leaves and curry leaves as they give a wonderful flavor.
- Spices & Seasonings - You can enhance the flavors of pakodas using spices like ajwain (carrom seeds), turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, and chaat masala.
How to Make Onion Pakoda
Take a large red onion (about 250 grams) and thinly slice them. They shouldn't be too thick or too thin.
Transfer the sliced onions to a large bowl. Add all ingredients except rice flour, besan, and oil to a mixing bowl. Gently massage the onions using your hand.
Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit for 10 minutes, it helps in releasing moisture from the onions.
After 10 minutes, add besan, and rice flour. Mix well such that the mixture is stiff and not soggy. Do not add any extra water, the moisture from onions should be enough to form the dough. You may add additional 1-2 tablespoons of besan if required.
Next, add ½ tablespoon of hot oil. This helps to keep pakodas soft from the inside. So don't skip it.
For Air Frying
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176°C). Spray or brush some oil so that the pakoda doesn’t stick to the plate.
Now drop the pakoda mixture on the air fryer plate. I was able to get 9 big pakoda's from this dough. You can make any size of your choice.
Air fry at 350°F (176°C) for 10-12 minutes or until the edges start browning and turn crispy. Shake the basket halfway through and spray some oil on the pakodas.
Sprinkle some chaat masala on top and serve these onion pakodas immediately straight from the air fryer.
For Deep Frying
If you don't have an air fryer, you may also deep fry these pakodas.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium flame. Once hot, drop the pakoda mixture into the oil. Stir them occasionally. Fry them till they are golden brown in color.
Oven Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the pakora evenly in a single layer.
Bake at 400 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Brush or spray oil, halfway through.
Serving Suggestion
Serve these onion pakoda's hot with coriander mint chutney or ketchup and a cup of Masala chai.
Air Frying Tips & Variations
- Slicing onions: Make sure to slice the onion thinly with even thickness. If few are thick and few are thin, pakoras will not be crispy.
- Work in batches: Make sure to spread the onion pakoda in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each other. Cook in batches if needed.
- Shake the basket halfway: It's important to shake it halfway through to allow the pakodas to be cooked evenly. Also, make sure to spray/brush some oil halfway through to get a nice golden color and crispy pakoda. Do not skip this step.
- Adding hot oil to the dough: adding ½ tablespoon of hot oil to the pakoda dough makes them softer/lighter from the inside and crispy from the outside.
- No Besan: If you don't have besan (gram flour), you may replace it with chickpea flour.
- No Rice Flour: If you dont have rice flour at home, replace it with the same amount of corn flour, or you can totally skip it. Rice flour helps to make the pakoda's crispy.
- No Ajwain (carrom seeds): Don't worry, simply replace it with cumin seeds. Ajwain gives a nice taste and helps to relieve indigestion.
- Every air fryer is different, so adjust the time and temperature accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Few people add hot oil to the pakoda dough before frying because it helps to make pakodas crispy from the outside and lighter/softer from the inside.
Ensure to add rice flour (or cornflour) as mentioned in the recipe to keep the pakodas crispy. Also, make sure to add no/or less water while preparing the pakoda mixture. Adding hot oil to the pakoda mixture also helps to make it crispy.
Yes! this is a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
More Pakoda Recipes
More Air Fryer Recipes
Onion Pakoda - Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion (or 2 small onions, about 250 grams), sliced lengthwise
- ¼ cup besan (gram flour) add more if required
- 1 tablespoon rice flour for crispness
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1-2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 stalk curry leaves finely chopped
- ¼ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ajwain (carrom seeds)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon hot oil
- ½ teaspoon salt as per taste
- oil for air frying or deep fry
Garnish
- chaat masala powder for sprinkling
Instructions
Preparation
- Take a large red onion (about 250 grams) and thinly slice them. They shouldn't be too thick or too thin.
- Transfer the sliced onions into a large bowl. Add all ingredients except rice flour, besan, and oil to a mixing bowl. Gently massage the onions using your hand.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit for 10 minutes, helps in releasing moisture from the onions.
- After 10 minutes, add besan, and rice flour. Mix well such that the mixture is stiff and not soggy. Do not add any extra water, the moisture from onions should be enough to form the dough. You may add additional 1-2 tablespoons of besan if required.
- Next, add ½ tablespoon of hot oil. This helps to keep pakodas soft from the inside. So don't skip it.
For Air Frying
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176°C). Spray or brush some oil so that the pakodas don’t stick to the plate.
- Now drop the pakoda mixture on the air fryer plate. I was able to get 9 big pakodas from this dough. You can make any size of your choice.
- Air fry at 350°F (176°C) for 10-12 minutes or until edges start browning and turn crispy. Shake the basket halfway through and spray some oil on the pakodas.
- Sprinkle some chaat masala on top and serve it immediately straight from the air fryer.
For Deep Frying
- If you don't have an air fryer you may also deep fry these pakoda's.Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium flame. Once hot, drop the pakoda mixture into the oil. Stir them occasionally. Fry them till golden brown color.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the pakora evenly in a single layer.Bake at 400 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Brush or spray oil, halfway through.
Notes
Air Frying Tips & Variations
- Slicing onions: Make sure to slice the onion thinly with even thickness. If few are thick and few are thin, pakoras will not be crispy.
- Work in batches: Make sure to spread the onion pakoda in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each other. Cook in batches if needed.
- Shake the basket halfway: It's important to shake it halfway through to allow the pakodas to be cooked evenly. Also, make sure to spray/brush some oil halfway through to get a nice golden color and crispy pakoda. Do not skip this step.
- Adding hot oil to the dough: adding ½ tablespoon of hot oil to the pakoda dough makes them softer/lighter from the inside and crispy from the outside.
- No Besan: If you don't have besan (gram flour), you may replace it with chickpea flour.
- No Rice Flour: If you dont have rice flour at home, replace it with the same amount of corn flour, or you can totally skip it. Rice flour helps to make the pakoda's crispy.
- No Ajwain (carrom seeds): Don't worry, simply replace it with cumin seeds. Ajwain gives a nice taste and helps to relieve indigestion.
- Every air fryer is different, so adjust the time and temperature accordingly.
Nutrition
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