Go Back
+ servings
Fried onion bhaji served on a white plate
5 from 12 votes

Onion Bhaji

Golden, light, and perfectly crispy Indian onion bhajis made from scratch! A great gluten-free and vegan snack or starter that you can easily make in 20 minutes.
Author Diana
Servings 12 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (100g) gram flour chickpea flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 6 tablespoons water or more
  • 2 onions thinly sliced - I use a mix of red and yellow
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped - optional
  • 2 cups corn, canola, or sunflower oil for frying

Instructions

  • Make the batter, mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with water to create a batter with a consistency similar to heavy cream (double cream in the UK). You might need to add more water than written in the ingredient list above.
  • Slice the onions into thin slices and separate them just a little.
  • Add the onions to the batter.
  • Stir the onions with the batter so that it coats the onion slices well.
  • Heat canola or vegetable/corn oil to 355°F (180C°), then using 2 spoons of your hands start dropping clusters of onions in the batter (about 3-4 at a time), and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the bhajis from the oil, and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Enjoy hot on their own, or serve with a yogurt mint raita.

Notes

  • Substitute green chili with chili powder, or cayenne pepper if needed. Or omit if you don't like spicy food.
  • The gram flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour.
  • You can either use ground cumin or cumin seeds, both work.
  • Add thinly grated potato or carrot for extra flavor.
  • Use fresh oil for the best flavor.
  • Make sure that the oil temperature is right, otherwise, you might get soggy or not-so-crispy bhajis. I always use my kitchen thermometer to check the temperature when deep frying.
  • This recipe is medium-spicy, when served with yogurt-cucumber-mint raita, it cools off the heat and works really nicely. The combination creates a flavor explosion!
  • If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven or Air Fryer at 390°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes. But keep in mind, the bhajis won't be as crispy as when they were first fried.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg