Vegan pumpkin samosas, inspired by the Trader Joes’ pumpkin samosas with pumpkin and paneer! These are basically regular samosas with a flaky, crispy exterior, but with a spicy pumpkin, tofu, and peas filling. Somehow it works. Options for fried, air fried, and baked!
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When I first heard of the Trader Joe’s pumpkin samosas, I thought that sounded so wrong but I’ve heard they’re actually pretty good. As long as they’re not called “pumpkin spice samosas” or taste like a PSL in samosa form, I’m open to trying thing out, so this is a vegan version based on what I think they would taste like. In the spirit of Halloween, I used an actual pumpkin! Which is not as difficult as I’d assumed!
The Trader Joes version of these samosas has paneer, so I used extra firm tofu instead. Making the filling is almost like making classic potato pea samosas (which I have a recipe for here), but with pumpkin instead of potatoes and extra spices to balance the natural sweetness of the pumpkin.
I then tried both frying and baking as a treat just for you. The main difference was the fried version was flaky and crispy while the baked one was kinda crunchy. Still good though. Served with a cilantro coconut chutney and schezwan chutney, served to friends, and also just served, if you know what I mean.
What is a samosa?
Samosas consist of a crisp doughy layer filled with spicy potatoes and peas. This is the original version that was introduced somewhere around the 13th century, but today, you can pretty much fill a samosa with anything…as we so clearly see at grocery stores these days. They are typically served with green chutney made of cilantro and mint, or a red chutney that is made with dates and tamarind. You can also make samosa chaat, which is my personal favorite way to eat a samosa! You break it up into pieces, add some chana masala to it, and top it with chutneys, chopped onions, and cilantro. It is one of the best savory treats you could ever ask for.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Samosas
Roast the pumpkin for 30-40 minutes at 400 F. You can then cut it into cubes to add to the filling or scoop it out for a mushy filling like potato pea samosas.
Mix oil with the flour. This is key for flaky, crispy samosas! Regardless of whether you are air frying or frying, you will need that oil.
The dough should be stiff and easy to handle. It should not be sticky. Make sure to let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
For the filling: cumin seeds, ginger, green chilis, ground spices (red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric). Then add the peas, tofu, and pumpkin! It should be spicy but you should still be able to taste the pumpkin.
Keep a bowl of cold water next to you as you fold the samosas. You need to use your fingers to dab some water on the dough so that it sticks together, forming the iconic pyramidal samosa shape.
Reheat them by popping them in the air fryer or oven. This will ensure they remain crisp!
Pair them with chutney. Find my green chutney recipe right here! Schezwan chutney is also great. Some people love ketchup. Your call.
Air Fried vs. Baked vs. Fried
I tested out two versions here: baked or fried. You can also air fry for half as long as baking! The baked one was crunchy and so delicious, but there was definitely a difference between the air-fried and fried versions. The fried version was more flaky and crispy rather than crunchy. In the baked version, the crunchy wrapper and the filling were well separated, but in the fried version, they meshed together more.
Vegan Pumpkin Samosas
Ingredients
Samosa wrappers
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ajwain (caraway) seeds *optional
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ½ cup water
Samosa filling
- 1 medium pumpkin
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 green chilis, minced
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder) *optional
- salt to taste
- ½ cup green peas, thawed
- 7 oz. extra-firm tofu, grated (½ a block)
- vegan mozzarella *optional
- oil for frying
Instructions
Samosa wrappers
- Add flour, ajwain (if using), and salt to a bowl. Mix together before adding in the oil, a little bit at a time. Work the oil and flour together as much as you can before adding in water a little bit at a time. Continue to knead the dough until it stays together. Don't overwork it! Cover with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour while you make the filling.
Samosa filling
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the pumpkin in half. Drizzle both halves with oil and salt. Roast face up for 35 min at 400 F. You’ll need half the pumpkin in this recipe, so maybe don’t add salt to the other half if you plan to use the rest for pumpkin puree.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and ginger. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add green chilis and stir some more. Then add spices. Stir for 30 seconds before adding peas. Cook peas for a few minutes before adding the tofu. Cook for 3-4 minutes until everything is well-combined.
- Scoop out the inside of half the pumpkin. You can keep it smooth or chunky – your choice. Mix in until everything is well-combined. Set the filling aside to cool.
Make the samosas
- Divide the dough into 6 sections of equal size. Keep a bowl of cold water next to you. Add a little flour to your rolling surface. Roll each section thin (like a roti) and cut in half into two semicircles.
- Use your finger to add a little water to the straight border of the semicircle. Stick the two halves of the semicircle together, forming an open cone. Fill the opening with the filling. Add a little vegan cheese if you want a cheesier vibe. Use a little water to close the samosa.
- For frying in oil: fry over medium heat in 1 inch of neutral oil in a deep pot on the stove. Fry about 6 samosas at a time. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, for a total of 8-10 minutes. Place on a paper towel.
- For air frying: air fry for 10-15 minutes at 400 F. I found 12-13 minutes to be the sweet spot.
- For baking: bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 F.
- Serve with your favorite chutney!
