Like many Indian recipes, onion pakoda is made differently in various parts of India. It is one snack that is easy to prepare and tastes good too.

There are many variations of making onion pakora in the vast Indian Cuisine. In this post I am sharing 2 delicious variations.

1. Classic Onion Pakoda – North Indian Punjabi Style
2. Onion Fritters – Crispy South Indian Style (With Rice Flour)

About Classic Onion Pakoda

This recipe of onion pakoda is a North Indian style recipe. A basic onion pakoda will have gram flour (besan), onions, salt with some herbs & spices – though there will be variations with the type of spices and herbs used.

Generally in the Indian pakoda recipes, the spices and herbs that are added help in digestion. In this punjabi style onion pakoda recipe, the spice that aids in digestion is carom seeds (ajwain). They also lend some sharp aromatic notes to the fritters. I also add some asafoetida (hing) but it can be skipped.

The recipe makes for crispy fritters having the texture of some onions caramelized from the outside. While the texture inside the pakoda is in contrast with softened onions in a well cooked batter.

In my home crispy crunchy onion fritters are very much in demand during the rainy season or during winters.

You can serve Onion Pakoda with some fried salted green chillies and a green chutney or sweet chutney. This whole combo can also be served with the Indian chai.

Which type of onions for onion pakoda

You can use any variety of onions to make onion fritters – be it red onions, yellow onions or white onions.

Just make sure to slice the onions thinly to get a crisp texture. I always use a chef’s knife to slice the onions thinly. You can even use a food processor.

Onion fritters are made in a variety of ways in regional Indian cuisine.

Some more varieties

Tips for making Onion Pakoda

1. Slicing onions: The onions have to be sliced thinly and not thickly as thin slices will get cooked faster than thick slices. If the slices are thick, then while frying the gram flour gets cooked but the onion slices remain half cooked. Thinly slices also give a crispy texture in the pakoda.
2. To add or not to add baking soda: Some cooks use a pinch of baking soda in the batter to add that extra fluffiness to the onion pakora. We don’t like the taste and flavor of baking soda, so I have not used it. Adding baking soda helps the pakoda to have a soft texture.
3. Adding hot oil in the batter: in the gram flour batter, you can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil. This makes the onion pakoda crisp and it absorbs less oil while frying.
4. Frying temperature: The temperature of the oil has to be correct while frying. The oil should not be too hot or cold. If it is hot, then the outside of the onion pakoda will get fried but the inside will be undercooked. If it is not hot, then the pakoda will absorb oil while frying and will be too oil-laden once fried.
5. Additional ingredients: You can add a variety of herbs and spices in the gram flour batter – like crushed coriander seeds, red chilli powder, red chilli flakes, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, ground cumin powder, coriander leaves (cilantro). You can add some rice flour in the batter too. This will make the pakoda crunchy. You can add more red chilly powder to get a spicy pakoda. Basically, you can add your choice of spice powders in the batter.
6. For a gluten-free pakoda: Store brought asafoetida (hing) has some amounts of wheat in it. To make a gluten-free pakoda, skip the asafoetida or use wheat-free asafoetida.
7. Crisp vs softer pakoda: To get crisp onion pakoda, slice onions thinly and add less water in the batter. To make soft pakoda, add some more water in the batter. Addition of baking soda or baking powder also helps in making pakoda soft and light.
8. Baking or air-frying: You can also bake or air fry them. Baked onion pakoda will taste differently than fried ones. Baked or air fried onion fritters won’t be as crisp as the fried ones. I have made onion fritters both in the oven and in an air fryer. In terms of crisp texture, the pakoda fried in oil were better. If you want to have a fried version, then just best to make that and enjoy the hot onion pakoda with a steaming cup of Indian chai.
   A) if baking, then bake at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven till the pakora look crisp and golden. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the batter. Add less water just enough to coat the onion slices.
   B) if air-frying, then air fry at 180 degrees celsius. Preheat air fryer for 10 minutes and then air fry till crisp. In between remove the air fryer pan and shake or turn over each pakoda.

How to make Onion Pakoda

1. Slice the onions evenly & thinly. Take them in a mixing bowl. Also, add chopped green chilies. If you do not have green chilies, then add red chili powder. You can also add chopped coriander leaves if you want.

2. Add the spices – carom seeds (ajwain), turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt as required. Asafoetida is optional and can be skipped for a gluten-free pakoda. You can even use gluten-free asafoetida.

3. Mix everything well. Cover and keep the onion, chilies and spice mixture aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. the onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter.

5. Add gram flour (besan). For a soft and light texture in the pakoda, you can add 1 pinch of baking soda. Adding baking soda is optional.

6. Add the required amount of water to make a medium-thick batter.

7. stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands. The onion pakora batter is ready to be fried. You can either shallow fry or deep fry.

Frying onion pakoda

8. In hot oil, add spoonfuls of the pakora batter.

9. Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t overcrowd the onion pakoda while frying.

10. When the pakora is a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.

11. You will have to turn the pakora a few times for even frying.

12. Fry the onion pakoda, till they look crisp and golden.

13. Remove fried onion pakora with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed.

14. In the same oil fry slit green chilies.

15. Sprinkle some salt on the green chilies and mix well.

16. Serve onion pakoda or kanda bhaji with the fried green chillies or coriander chutney or mint chutney or tomato sauce.

Serving onion pakoda

Onion pakoda is a tea time snack and can be served with some chutney or sauce and a few fried & salted green chillies. At my mom’s place they are served with bread or pav (bread rolls). So I am so used to eating these crispy & crunchy onion pakoda with soft bread slices or bread rolls. We sandwich the pakoda between the bread and have them dipping in some spicy coriander chutney or any spicy sauce.

At my in-law’s place, onion pakoda is had with (hold your breath) – Chapati. so they make pakoda for lunch or dinner and not as a snack. Onion pakoda, chapati and some coriander chutney is their favorite combination. In my home, I just serve these plain as an evening snack with some chutney or sauce.

Few more pakoda recipes

Note: This onion pakoda recipe is from the archives (Aug 2009) and has been republished and updated on 14th June 2020.

Many of my recipes have detailed step by step photos and useful tips to help you make it easily and perfectly.

Classic Onion Pakoda (Punjabi Style)

Onion pakoda are onion fritters made with thinly sliced onions, gram flour or besan batter and some spices. This is a classic Punjabi style onion pakora recipe and one that I make at home as a tea-time snack.

Servings (change the number to scale):4

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

making pakoda batter

• Slice the onions thinly and take them in a mixing bowl. Also, add chopped green chillies.
• If you do not have green chillies, then add red chilli powder. You can also add chopped coriander leaves if you want.
• Add the spices – carom seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
• Mix everything well. Cover and keep the onion, chillies and spice mixture aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
• The onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter.
• Add gram flour (besan). If you plan to add baking soda, then add at this step.
• Add the required amount of water to make medium-thick batter.
• Stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands. The batter is ready to be fried.

making onion pakoda

• In hot oil, add spoonfuls of the batter.
• Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t over crowd the onion pakoda while frying.
• When the pakora are a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.
• You will have to turn them a few times for even frying.
• Fry them till they look crisp and golden.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed.
• In the same oil fry slit green chilies.
• Sprinkle some salt on the green chilies and mix well.
• Serve onion pakoda With the fried green chilies or coriander chutney or tomato sauce.

• Baking & Air-frying: You can also make baked onion pakoda or air-fry them. But the taste and texture of baked onion pakora will be different than the fried version. For both baked and air-fried onion pakoda, add less amount of water which just about coats the flour mixture on the onion slices. The mixture should look kind of dry and should not have a batter like consistency.
  • for baking: Bake at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven till the pakora look crisp and golden. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the batter. Add less water just enough to coat the mixture on the onion slices.
  • for air-frying: Air-fry at 180 degrees celsius. Preheat air fryer for 10 minutes and then air fry till crisp. In between remove the air fryer pan and shake or turn over each pakoda.
• Texture:  For a softer pakoda, add some more water. For a crisp pakoda, slice onions thinly and evenly.
• Scaling: Recipe can be halved or doubled or tripled.
• Slicing onions: The onions need  to be sliced thinly and not thickly. Thin slices will get cooked faster than thick slices and also give a crispy texture in the pakoda.
• Baking Soda: You can choose to add baking soda or avoid it completely. We don’t like the soapy taste and flavor of baking soda, so I do not add it in the recipe. Though adding baking soda helps the pakoda to have a soft texture.
• Adding hot oil in the batter: in the gram flour batter, you can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil. This makes the onion pakoda crisp and it absorbs less oil while frying.
• Frying temperature: The temperature of the oil has to be correct while frying. The oil should not be too hot or cold. If it is hot, then the outside of the onion pakoda will get fried but the inside will be undercooked. If it is not hot, then the pakoda will absorb oil while frying and will be too oil-laden once fried.
• Additional ingredients: You can add a variety of herbs and spices in the batter – like crushed coriander seeds, red chilli powder, red chilli flakes, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, ground cumin powder, coriander leaves (cilantro).
• For a gluten-free pakoda: To make a gluten-free pakoda, skip the asafoetida or use wheat-free asafoetida.

 

Nutrition Facts

Classic Onion Pakoda (Punjabi Style)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Sodium 608mg26%

Potassium 274mg8%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 15IU0%

Vitamin C 4.4mg5%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

About South Indian Onion Fritters

These onion fritters are crispy, crunchy and made in South Indian style. You can make these crispy fritters for a delicious tea time snack.

The taste and texture of these onion fritters are very different than the Classic Onion Pakoda I have shared above.

Addition of rice flour makes these fritters crispy and crunchy. The addition of curry leaves, coriander leaves and fennel seeds make these fritters very flavorful and also help in digestion.

These are truly crispy and taste too good with coconut chutney. Though you can also serve with tomato chutney, mint chutney or coriander chutney.

They are best served hot and a cup of hot ginger tea or filter coffee also goes very well with them. You can also sandwich them with bread slices or dinner rolls (pav).

How to make Crispy South Indian Onion Fritters

1. Take ½ cup besan (gram flour or chickpea flour) and ¼ cup rice flour in a mixing bowl.

2. Add ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, a pinch of turmeric powder and ¼ teaspoon red chili powder.

3. Next add the sliced onions, 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped. also add salt. You can also add some ginger in the recipe. You can even consider adding more onions.

4. Mix well.

5. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon water all over.

6. mix well. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

7. The onions will release their juices and the batter will become more moist. Then add 1 to 2 tablespoon more water and mix well again. I added 2 tablespoons water. I usually keep the onion fritters batter more moist than what is the norm for this recipe. As I feel some moisture helps in making these fritters not too dense. The batter has to be of thick dropping consistency.

Frying Onion Pakoda

8. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, drop spoonfuls of batter in the kadai.

9. Flip each fritter when they become pale golden.

10. While frying you can regulate the flame from low to medium.

11. Continue to fry till the onion fritters are golden and crisp, turning over them as required.

12. Once they are fried to perfection, then remove them with a slotted spoon.

13. Keep the fried onion pakoda on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed. Fry in batches this way.

14. Serve these Crispy Onion Fritters hot with tomato chutney or coconut chutney or pudina chutney or tomato ketchup. You can also have them with a cup of tea or coffee. Some people like to stuff them between bread slices and then have them with any green chutney.