Onion Bhaji Recipe (easy and crispy)

This is the best Onion Bhaji recipe! Like it makes ridiculously good onion bhajis! These Indian Onion Fritters are a delicious side dish or appetizer, perfect for curry night! This easy recipe is vegan, gluten-free and tastes like your local takeaway but better!

Serve with this trio of Poppadom Dips for curry night!

Onion Bhajis are so easy to make at home from scratch and taste delicious! The prep only takes a couple of minutes and the ingredients are fairly simple. Onion Pakodas make a great accompaniment to an Indian meal or to enjoy as a snack.

You can also make Air Fryer Onion Bhajis that are so easy to make!

What are Onion Bhajis?

Onion bhajis, also known as onion pakora, are a popular snack or appetizer in Indian cuisine.

In India, these crispy bhajis are a popular street food and are known as onion bajji, pyaz ke pakode or kanda bhajia in North India.

In India, Onion Bhajis are typically made on a rainy day with masala chai or karak tea.

These crispy onion fritters are made by mixing sliced onions with a batter made from chickpea flour (also known as gram flour) and Indian spices, such as ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chilli powder.

The mixture is then formed into small balls or patties and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.

Onion bhajis are typically served hot and accompanied by chutney or raita.

They are often found in Indian takeaway and restaurants, as well as being made at home as a tasty snack.

Other pakora recipes we love are Bread Pakora and Maru Bhajiya (Crispy Potato Bhajia).

Onion Bhaji Ingredients

Main ingredients are listed here, full ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card

Onions – I have used a large onion cut into round onion slices. You can also use red onions. The key to perfect onion bhajis like the takeaways is to slice the onions finely. This gives them more chance to cook in the hot oil.

Chickpea flour – is made from brown chickpeas and is also known as gram flour or besan flour and is a must for Indian pakora recipes. These days it is easily available in supermarkets however, if you really struggle to get hold of it then go for plain flour or all-purpose flour.

Rice flour – this is optional but a small amount of rice flour makes the batter super crispy! Alternatively use corn flour/cornstarch.

Ginger, garlic and green chillies – all of these ingredients are optional but definitely worth using.

Spices: red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ground coriander and cumin seeds.

Bicarbonate of soda – you just need a tiny pinch. Only add this just before frying the pakoras.

Oil – to deep fry. I recommend that you use either vegetable, sunflower or canola oil to deep fry the pakoras. This will yield the crispiest onion bhajis – this is a restaurant style onion bhaji secret!!

Optional

Spices: Chaat masala or lemon juice or amchoor powder (dry mango powder)

Fennel seeds

Coriander seeds

Crushed black pepper

How to make Crispy Onion Bhaji

Prepare your onions. Peel the skin and slice using a sharp knife or mandoline slicer into half rounds. Cut the onion in half then slice lengthways.

In a large bowl, add sliced onions, cumin seeds, green chilies, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander and salt. Mix well.

Let this sit for a few minutes then add in the chickpea flour and rice flour. Pour little water at a time until you get a thick batter consistency.

Important Tip: Add the bicarbonate of soda just before frying and mix the batter really well.

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Ensure you add enough oil to be able to deep fry the bhajis.

Instead of a frying pan you can also use a deep fat fryer.

Check the temperature of the oil by dropping in a small amount of the batter. If it sizzles and rises to the top, the oil temperature is correct. If it immediately becomes dark brown, the oil is too hot. In this case, reduce the heat and wait a minute. You can also use a cooking thermometer.

Take a small portion of the onion mixture using a fork and drop it in the hot oil. Work in small batches and fry until the bhajis turn golden brown on all sides.

You can poke the bhajis with a sharp knife whilst they are frying to create little holes. The oil will penetrate better and make the bhaji extra crispy.

Remove the bhajis from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Alternatively use a wire rack or baking sheet.

Repeat the process with the remaining onion mixture, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.

Enjoy your delicious onion bhaji homemade with an onion bhaji sauce such as mint cilantro chutney, tomato ketchup or mango chutney.

Pro Tips

The batter should actually be more of a thick paste. A loose, runny batter will not work. If this happens, add more besan and more onion to the mixture.

Add the bicarbonate of soda just prior to frying the onion bhaji. It is so important to mix the mixture really well to distribute the soda around. If you do not do this, the batches will not be equal in colour or in texture.

Use a fork rather than a spoon to drop onion bhaji into the oil. A fork keeps the shape of the bhaji better than a spoon.

Use vegetable oil or sunflower oil for super crispy onion bhaji.

Whilst frying the bhajis, poke little holes into the centre with a sharp knife to help onion bhaji cook from the inside (see the video for instructions)

Want your bhajis to be the crispiest ever? Double fry them. Once cooked and cooled, add them back into the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Onion bhajis are typically served with various condiments that complement their spicy and savory flavors. Here are some popular onion bhaji dipping sauce options:

Mint chutney (green chutney): A tangy and refreshing condiment made with fresh mint, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice, and spices.

Date and Tamarind chutney: A sweet and sour sauce made from tamarind pulp, dates, jaggery or sugar, and spices.

Tamarind Sauce: A tangy and sweet sauce made from tamarind pulp, spices and sweetner.

Indian Mint Sauce: A cooling yogurt dip for onion bhaji.

Mango chutney: A sweet and spicy condiment made with ripe mangoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices.

Tomato chutney: A tangy and spicy sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chili, and spices.

Pickles: Various pickles such as mango pickle or lime pickle, add a tangy and spicy flavor that goes well with onion bhajis.

You can serve onion bhajis with any combination of these condiments based on your personal preferences.

Serve Onion Bhajis as a side for your favorite Indian curries such as Brinjal Bhaji, Bombay Potatoes or Chana Saag.

Turn leftovers into Onion Bhaji Burgers. Simply stuff a burger bun or naan with leftover onion bhaji, loads of salad and sauce!

Storage

Onion Bhajis are best served immediately to enjoy them at their crispiest.

Store leftover bhajis in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can reheat onion bhaji in the air fryer at 200C/400F for 5 minutes or in the oven for the same time

You can freeze onion bhajis by placing in freezer bags or freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen in the air fryer or oven until piping hot.

Other Easy Indian Recipes

Indian Chickpea Salad

Kachumber Salad

Indian Onion Salad

Masala Poppadom

Sweet Lassi

Indian Vegetable Curry

Paneer Jalfrezi

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in February 25th, 2012.