Samosa Pinwheels

// These easy and delicious samosa pinwheels are baked pastry sheets filled with spicy potato filling. Perfect appetizer or snack for parties.



These easy and delicious samosa pinwheels are baked pastry sheets filled with spicy potato filling. They make a flaky, crispy, flavorful and so irresistibly delicious appetizer for parties and potlucks!

This easy-to-make tempting delicacy is bursting with deliciousness and has the comfort of a pick-me-up snack.

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samosa pinwheels stacked on a metal plate with green coriander chutney

Samosas are loved by people of all age groups and this samosa-inspired appetizer ‘Samosa Pinwheel’ surely makes a great addition to your festive celebrations, get-togethers, or parties. 

Throwing a New year party, or any other party? Serve these lip-smacking golden pinwheel appetizers or snacks to your guests and they will definitely drool over them! 

If you are making these golden treats for a crowd, then make sure that you make a big batch, because these tiny jewels are so addictive and no one is going to stop at one or two. :)

 a closeup of a person holding samosa pinwheel

About Samosa Pinwheel

These Puff Pastry Samosa Pinwheels are crumbly and flaky savory pastries that are a great twist to a classic samosa. These are beautiful little savory swirls filled with potatoes and peas filling. Here, irresistibly delicious samosa filling is diligently wrapped in rolled pastry sheets and baked until crispy and golden. 

Making these samosa pinwheels are very quick and easy with store-bought puff pastry sheets. To make these swirls, just thaw the pastry sheets, make the spicy potato filling, roll the sheets using a rolling pin, spread the filling, and roll it into a log. Chill, slice, and bake!

That’s it. Can it get any simpler than this?

You can always make them in advance when making them for a crowd or a party. Just freeze the rolls and bake them when you want to serve them! 

Traditional samosa filling generally has potatoes and spices. To make it traditional, I have used a basic potato and peas filling for making samosa pinwheels. You can also add raisins and cashews to this filling to make it richer.

Samosa is such a versatile snack that comes in many other fillings such as mixed vegetable filling, paneer filling, peas filling, meat filling, or lentil filling. These days you can even find samosa with noodles filling, butter paneer filling, pizza filling, or even sweet gajar halwa filling or chocolate filling. If you want to explore, you can absolutely use any other samosa filling of your choice.

Make them for an office potluck, holidays, or a weekend get-together. These vegetarian appetizers will make a crowd-pleasing appetizer for any occasion. Or you can indulge them any day as an evening tea-time snack with a cuppa masala chai or coffee! 

No matter how you are serving them, these versatile appetizers will always be a hit.

one samosa pinwheel on a grey background with some more samosa pinwheels in the background

What is Samosa

Samosa is one snack that truly needs no preface, it is a traditional and very popular snack or breakfast from North India.

It is a deep-fried triangular pyramid shaped crispy snack which is traditionally prepared using a crust made with flour and fat, and then filled with a spiced potato filling and deep fried on low heat to golden perfection. 

Samosas are sold everywhere — be it confectionery stores, restaurants, street vendors, movie halls, bus stands, train stations, cafés, or even office/school/college canteens.

Samosa is a very popular evening tea-time snack and “Chai Samosa” itself is a phrase for evening snack time. People just look for excuses to eat samosas. It’s the epitome of Indian snacks, an Indian snack list is never complete without a samosa and kachori.

If you ask me, you can even make Samosa the National Indian Snack :)

Wherever you go, you will find some kind of samosas in India. The basic and most common filling of samosa is spicy potato filling. But there are also many different varieties of samosa fillings you can find at halwai (mithai/snack) shops. 

More samosa inspired recipes you may want to try are: Samosa Chaat, Baked Samosa with Chocolate Tamarind Chutney,  Samosa French Loaf With Coriander Chutney

overhead photo of samosa pinwheels in a metal plate with green chutney and tomato ketchup on the side

These Samosa Pinwheels

✔ are an easy-to-make appetizer or snack

✔ are great for parties, potlucks & get-togethers

✔ are crowd-pleasing bite-size snacks

✔ are versatile and customizable

✔ can be made in advance

✔ are wonderful for gathering

✔ can also be made using samosa dough

✔ are made using store-bought puff-pastry sheets

✔ are vegetarian, and can also be made vegan

✔ can be baked or air-fried

✔ are made with a handful of easily available ingredients

✔ are kids-friendly

Ingredients for samosa pinwheels

Making these Samosa Pinwheels is very easy and quick. These delicious and flaky appetizers can be prepared at home with some basic ingredients which are readily available in any Indian kitchen.

Following ingredients are needed:

  • Potatoes – For making samosa filling, you will need boiled and peeled potatoes. Remember to use flour potatoes, silky potatoes don’t really taste great. Also, you can either crumble the potatoes before adding them to the pan or simply mash them. 

  • Green Peas – Adding green peas gives a beautiful contrast and flavor to the potato filling. You can use boiled or frozen potatoes for making the stuffing. 

  • Fennel Seeds –  Crushed fennel seeds enhance the aroma and the taste of potato masala. So adding fennel seeds is highly recommended. 

  • Cumin Seeds – It adds a nice aromatic floral fragrance and lovely texture to the samosa filling.

  • Asafoetida – A pinch of asafoetida in the spicy potato filling aids in digestion and gives it a lovely flavor. But adding hing is entirely optional here.

  • Powdered Spices – Samosa filling needs some powdered spices for flavor and hotness. The spices you will need are red chili or paprika powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, amchur (dried mango) powder, and garam masala powder. 

  • Salt – You can use regular table salt, pink salt, or sea salt for seasoning samosa filling.

  • Puff Pastry Sheets – I have used store-bought puff pastry sheets for making samosa pinwheels. You can also use homemade samosa pastry dough or homemade puff pastry sheets. Savory pie dough can also be used for making samosa pinwheel recipes.

samosa pinwheels stacked on a metal plate with green coriander chutney and coffee cups in background

How to Make Samosa Pinwheels

The samosa pinwheels recipe is straightforward. This is how you can prepare them in 9 simple steps:

  1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets - Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheets in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. If your sheets are not frozen, then thaw them according to the package instructions.

  2. **Make the samosa filling -**To make samosa filling, heat oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot, add crushed fennel seeds and cumin seeds to the pan and let them crackle, and then add 1/4 teaspoon asafetida (hing). Add ginger, and green chilies and sauté them for 1-2 minutes or until the raw smell is gone. 

  3. Then add all the spices and sauté them for 30-40 seconds on low heat. Then add crumbled or mashed aloo and mix everything well. Add boiled/frozen green peas and mix well. You can mash the potatoes using a spatula or use a potato masher to get a well-mashed smooth filling. You need to mash until everything comes together. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat. The filling is ready, let it cool down.

  4. Roll – Sprinkle some dry flour on a wooden board or silicone mat. Roll the puff pastry sheet onto a dusted surface using a rolling pin. I have pre-cut pastry sheets so I joined and rolled them together to get a large sheet. If you want flakier samosa pinwheels, then you can also use them without rolling. Roll it using a rolling pin so that it gets a little elongated from all sides. Spread the cooled samosa filling evenly on top of the pastry sheets, leaving an inch from all sides. 

  5. Fold & Chill – Start rolling it tightly from the long side until you reach the other side. Apply a little water at the edges to seal and secure the ends. Roll the log on the board to lengthen it using your palms. Roll both sheets and chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

  6. Slice – Remove the logs from the refrigerator. Discard the ends and cut each log into 1-2 inch pieces using a sharp knife. Press each pinwheel with the back of your palm. Preheat the oven/air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then transfer them to the prepared greased baking sheet, leaving enough space between each piece so that they can spread. 

  7. Bake/Air-Fry – Bake them @ 400°F/200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pinwheels are nicely golden and crisp. Alternatively, air-fry them for 11 minutes at 200°C/400°F. Once golden, remove the pinwheels from the oven and serve them hot.

Other interesting puff pastry recipes: Chocolate Palmiers, samosa roll,  Puff Pastry Cheese and Pesto Swirls, Puff Pastry Apricot Galette with Almond Topping, Caramelized Peach Pesto tart with Blueberries, and Baked Tart with Chickpea Curry and Tamarind Chutney.

Serving Suggestions

Samosa Pinwheels taste great when served with coriander chutney or coriander mint chutney, and sweet tamarind chutney (imli ki chutney). They can also be served with simple tomato ketchup or mayonnaise. Also, pair them with a cup of piping hot chai or coffee

Storage Suggestions

It is highly unlikely that you will have leftover samosa pinwheels. But if you have baked samosa pinwheels, then you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To store, transfer them to a parchment paper-lined air-tight container and refrigerate. 

When you want to eat, reheat them in a preheated oven at 150°C for 10 minutes or until they are crisp again. Alternatively, air-fry them for 7-8 minutes at 175°C/350°F

You can also store the pinwheel log in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wrap each log with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When you want to serve them, bake them as per the recipe instructions.

Filling Variations

Other than spicy aloo filling, there are other filling ideas you can use for making samosa pinwheels.

  • Paneer Bhurji Samosa Pinwheels – Spread paneer bhurji on rolled sheets and follow the same instructions given in the recipe box.

  • Pizza Samosa Pinwheels – Spread pizza sauce on the rolled sheets. Top it with your favorite toppings and cheese. Roll, slice, and bake.

  • Jeera Aloo Samosa Pinwheels – Mash some jeera aloo and spread them on the rolled sheet, slice, and bake.

  • Egg Bhurji Samosa Pinwheels – Place egg bhurji evenly on rolled sheets and follow the same instructions given in the recipe box.

a person holding a samosa pinwheel over a plate of green chutney with more samosa pinwheels on the side

Tips & Tricks To Make The Best Samosa Pinwheels

  1. Thaw the pastry sheets – Chilled puff pastry sheets bake well and are easier to work with. Before rolling and folding samosa pinwheels, make sure that the puff pastry sheets are chilled but not frozen. If you don’t thaw them properly, they might break and tear while rolling and folding. So to fix this, always thaw the sheets in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours or overnight. You can also thaw them at room temperature for around 30-40 minutes.

  2. Use cooled filling – Always let the filling cool completely at room temperature before spreading it on a chilled puff pastry sheet. If it is hot or warm, it will melt the chilled pastry sheet. 

  3. Dust with dry flour - Always sprinkle or dust the work surface with dry flour to prevent the sheets from sticking to the board. 

  4. Act fast – Puff pastry sheets are easy to handle when they are cold. So, keep everything ready before rolling and folding sheets. If the sheets become warm, then place them back in the fridge and chill again before working. 

  5. Seal the edges – Make sure to seal and secure the edges of the log to prevent the filling from coming out. If your edges are not sealing, then apply a little water to the edge and seal them. 

  6. Slicing – For clean slicing use a sharp knife to cut to a chilled log.

  7. Golden top – To get a golden color on the outside, you can also brush the pinwheels with milk, egg wash, or melted butter.

FAQ  

How to make Vegan Samosa Pinwheels

Making a vegan version of Samosa Pinwheels is very simple and easy. To make vegan Samosa Pinwheels, replace pastry sheets with vegan pastry sheets.

Can I freeze Samosa Pinwheels?

You can freeze samosa swirls. To bake raw samosa pinwheels, place them on a freezer-safe tray and freeze them for 2-3 hours or until they are frozen.

Once they are frozen, wrap each samosa pinwheel in plastic wrap and then transfer them to a sealed bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.

You can bake them whenever you want to eat samosa pinwheels. To bake, put the frozen samosa pinwheels 2 inches apart, and then bake them for 18-20 minutes or until they are golden, crisp, and perfectly baked. 

How to serve Samosa pinwheels?

Samosa pinwheels can be served with any chutney, ketchup, or dip of your choice. You can also pair them with a glass of wine when serving at a party. 

Can I make Samosa Pinwheels in advance?

Yes, making samosa pinwheels ahead of time is possible. You can roll and store pinwheel logs in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. So wrap the log in a cling film and store it in the refrigerator. Make them in advance and bake them when you want to serve. Just slice and bake.

That’s it.


Samosa Pinwheels (Step-by-step photo instructions)

How to make samosa filling

  1. Before we start, thaw your puff pastry sheets for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator/30 minutes at room temperature, or thaw them according to the instructions on the package. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and mix well. Add crushed fennel seeds, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Let the seeds crackle for a few seconds or until fragrant.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-1 for Samosa Pinwheels
  3. Next, add chopped green chilies, and chopped ginger and sauté 1-2 minutes or until the raw smell is gone. Then turn the heat to low, and add in the powdered spices (red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, and garam masala powder) and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-2 for Samosa Pinwheels
  5. Then crush the boiled potatoes with your hands and add them to the pan. TIP: You can also add chopped or mashed potatoes. Mix everything well to combine. After that, add frozen peas and mix. Now mash the potatoes with a spatula until everything comes together or mash them using a potato masher.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-3 for Samosa Pinwheels
  7. Once everything is mixed and you get a smooth potato mixture that is well coated with the spices, add salt amd mix well. Turn the heat to medium and cook the filling for 3-4 minutes. The spicy samosa filling is ready, let it cool down to room temperature.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-4 for Samosa Pinwheels

Assemble Samosa Pinwheels

  1. Place thawed yet chilled pastry sheets on a wooden board or silicone mat. I have 7x11 cm pre-cut pastry sheets so I am joining them to make a large sheet. If you have large sheets, then there is no need to join sheets. Roll them using a rolling pin until it expands from all sides. Also, sprinkle sheets with some dry flour to prevent the sheets from sticking to the work surface or rolling pin. TIP: IF you want flakier samosa pinwheels with more layers then skip rolling the sheets.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-1 for Samosa Pinwheels
  3. Alternatively, use samosa dough for making sheets.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-2 for Samosa Pinwheels
  5. Once the samosa filling is cooled, transfer it to the rolled sheets. TIP: Don't add the samosa filling to the sheets when it's hot or warm. Also, use chilled pastry sheets. Spread cooled samosa filling evenly across the pastry sheets using a spoon or hand, leaving 1-inch from all sides. Start rolling tightly from the long side until you reach the opposite side. Seal the edges tightly to secure them. If the edges are not sealing, you can apply a little water at the edges to seal the ends. Make one more log. Roll both logs on the board to lengthen slightly using your palms. Chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-3 for Samosa Pinwheels
  7. Once chilled take out the logs from the refrigerator. Discard the ends, and cut each log into 1-2 inch pieces using a sharp knife. Press each pinwheel with the back of your palm.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-4 for Samosa Pinwheels

Bake Samosa Pinwheels

  1. Preheat the oven/air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then transfer them to the prepared greased baking sheet, leaving enough space between each piece so that they can spread. Bake them at 400°F/200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pinwheels are nicely golden and crisp. Once baked, remove the pinwheels from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes on the baking tray.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-1 for Samosa Pinwheels

Air Fry Samosa Pinwheels

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Place the pinwheels into the air-fryer basket leaving 1 inch of space from all sides. Air-fry them for 11 minutes at 200°C/400°F or until golden and crisp. Once air-fried, remove the samosa pinwheels from the air fryer.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-1 for Samosa Pinwheels

Serving

  1. Serve delicious samosa pinwheels hot with mint cilantro chutney or any chutney, dip or ketchup of your choice. Don't forget to pair it with a cup of masala chai for an extravagant experience.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-1 for Samosa Pinwheels

Recipe Card


Samosa Pinwheels [Recipe]

Recipe Image
These easy and delicious samosa pinwheels are baked pastry sheets filled with spicy potato filling. Perfect appetizer or snack for parties.
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 9 reviews)

Prep time 🕐 Cook time 🕐 Total time 🕐
30 mins
Category ☶ Cuisine ♨ Serves ☺
Snacks Indian 40
Nutrition Info ⊛ Serving size ⊚
51 calories 1

INGREDIENTS

For Samosa Filling
  • 2 tablespoons oil of your choice
  • Pinch of asafetida (hing)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon green chilies, chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon red chili or paprika powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried mango (amchur) powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1/2 cup green peas, frozen or boiled
  • 4 medium-sized potatoes, boiled & peeled
Other Ingredients
  • 4 sheets puff pastry (7x11 cm), thawed in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours
  • Dry flour for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon water, if needed for sealing
  • Mint coriander chutney to serve
  • Masala chai to serve

INSTRUCTIONS:

How to make samosa filling
  1. Before we start, thaw your puff pastry sheets for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator/30 minutes at room temperature, or thaw them according to the instructions on the package. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and mix well. Add crushed fennel seeds, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Let the seeds crackle for a few seconds or until fragrant.
  2. Next, add chopped green chilies, and chopped ginger and sauté 1-2 minutes or until the raw smell is gone. Then turn the heat to low, and add in the powdered spices (red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, and garam masala powder) and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
  3. Then crush the boiled potatoes with your hands and add them to the pan. TIP: You can also add chopped or mashed potatoes. Mix everything well to combine. After that, add frozen peas and mix. Now mash the potatoes with a spatula until everything comes together or mash them using a potato masher.
  4. Once everything is mixed and you get a smooth potato mixture that is well coated with the spices, add salt amd mix well. Turn the heat to medium and cook the filling for 3-4 minutes. The spicy samosa filling is ready, let it cool down to room temperature.
Assemble Samosa Pinwheels
  1. Place thawed yet chilled pastry sheets on a wooden board or silicone mat. I have 7x11 cm pre-cut pastry sheets so I am joining them to make a large sheet. If you have large sheets, then there is no need to join sheets. Roll them using a rolling pin until it expands from all sides. Also, sprinkle sheets with some dry flour to prevent the sheets from sticking to the work surface or rolling pin. TIP: IF you want flakier samosa pinwheels with more layers then skip rolling the sheets.
  2. Alternatively, use samosa dough for making sheets.
  3. Once the samosa filling is cooled, transfer it to the rolled sheets. TIP: Don't add the samosa filling to the sheets when it's hot or warm. Also, use chilled pastry sheets. Spread cooled samosa filling evenly across the pastry sheets using a spoon or hand, leaving 1-inch from all sides. Start rolling tightly from the long side until you reach the opposite side. Seal the edges tightly to secure them. If the edges are not sealing, you can apply a little water at the edges to seal the ends. Make one more log. Roll both logs on the board to lengthen slightly using your palms. Chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  4. Once chilled take out the logs from the refrigerator. Discard the ends, and cut each log into 1-2 inch pieces using a sharp knife. Press each pinwheel with the back of your palm.
Bake Samosa Pinwheels
  1. Preheat the oven/air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then transfer them to the prepared greased baking sheet, leaving enough space between each piece so that they can spread. Bake them at 400°F/200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pinwheels are nicely golden and crisp. Once baked, remove the pinwheels from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes on the baking tray.
Air Fry Samosa Pinwheels
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Place the pinwheels into the air-fryer basket leaving 1 inch of space from all sides. Air-fry them for 11 minutes at 200°C/400°F or until golden and crisp. Once air-fried, remove the samosa pinwheels from the air fryer.
Serving
  1. Serve delicious samosa pinwheels hot with mint cilantro chutney or any chutney, dip or ketchup of your choice. Don't forget to pair it with a cup of masala chai for an extravagant experience.

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NOTES:

  1. Act fast – Puff pastry sheets are easy to handle when they are cold. So, keep everything ready before rolling and folding sheets. If the sheets become warm, then place them back in the fridge and chill again before working.
  2. Seal the edges – Make sure to seal and secure the edges of the log to prevent the filling from coming out. If your edges are not sealing, then apply a little water to the edge and seal them.


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