Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (2024)

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Want to make Crispy Onion Bhajis? Then, try this Easy Onion Bhaji recipe. They are the perfect tea-time snack as well as a delicious side to your favorite Indian curries! Made with onion, chickpea (gram) flour, and basic Indian spices, these onion bhaji fritters are quick and easy! Very addictive, vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 30 minutes! Learn how to make these delicious Indian onion bhajia step by step.

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (1)

Easy Onion Bhaji recipe (Kanda Bhaji)

Does Onion Bhaji need any introduction really? I doubt so! They are also popularly known as Kanda Bhaji, Kanda Bhajia, Pyaz ke Pakode, or Onion Pakora. These Onion Bhajis are also a popular Indian street food snack!

I cannot imagine an Indian takeaway without a serving of these popular bhajis, but they’re actually so so easy to make at home too! So delicious with Tarka Dal, homemade garlic naan, quick chana masala, mango chutney, and cucumber raita.

In India, whenever we would invite friends and family over for tea, my mom would make a fried tea time snack. This tradition has travelled with me to the UK. I love to make Aloo pakora, Gobi pakoras, Vegetable Pakoras, Aloo Bonda, Samosa, or even Vada’s to serve with Indian Masala Chai. Something crispy – either fried, air fried or baked!

Learn to make perfect Crispy Onion Bhaji at home with all the tips and tricks!

TRENDING RECIPE ON SANDHYA’S KITCHEN – VIDEO

Ingredients you’ll need for Onion Bhajis

Red onions – I prefer red onions in my fritters. But you can always use White onions too if that’s what you like.

Gram flour – also known as Chickpea Flour or Besan are naturally Gluten Free. They are easily available in major supermarkets.

Rice flour – is optional. Want extra crispy Bhaji’s then do add the rice flour.

Coriander Leaves adds a luscious flavor to the bhajis. If you don’t like them, simply leave them out.

Spice Powders – I like to use Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, and Turmeric.

Chilli powder or Green Chillies – I prefer Chilli Powder in the bhajis. If you like it spicer, you also add finely sliced green chillies too.

Salt – is essential and has an important role in making our crispy bhajis with onion.

Water – Add only as much as needed.

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (2)

How to make Onion Bhajis at home step by step?

Prep the onions: Slice the Onions Thin and Uniform – either using Mandolin Slicer or using a sharp knife.

Combine the ingredients: In a mixing bowl, add the sliced onions, gram flour, coriander leaves, spice powders, and salt. Mix them well with clean hands. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 20 minutes (or longer up to 1 hour). This step is essential for achieving crispy bhajis.

Salted sliced onions release the moisture(natural juices) and turn a bit soft. Gram Flour added to the mixture allows in binding together to make a simple fritter batter.

When you are ready to make onion bhaji’s, squeeze the Onions to release the water. This liquid is usually sufficient in combining the onion fritters batter. However, if you feel the batter is too dry, add one teaspoon of water at a time and mix with hands until the batter sticks to the onions together.

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (3)
Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (4)

Fry the Bhajis: Heat oil in your pan. Check if your oil is sufficiently hot by adding a pinch of the onion bhaji batter. If it comes up immediately, you know the oil is ready for frying the remaining Onion Pakora.

Using a spoon or clean hands, add small onion bhaji batter portions into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes. Flip the bhaji’s once they are light brown on one side and fry until they are brown all over and evenly cooked.

Check if they’re cooked inside and the bhaji is not wet. Drain the fried fritter on a kitchen roll or absorbent paper to soak up any excess oil.

If you are making a large batch of these fritters, place them on a baking sheet in the oven at a low heat to keep them warm.

Serve hot Onion Pakora with Green Chutney and Cucumber Raita!

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (5)

Why is My Bhaji Not Crispy?

Onion Bhaji did not turn crispy because of mainly Three Factors.

  • Onions are SLICED TOO THICK or they are not UNIFORMLY SLICED.
  • When you fry the bhaji in low heat, they tend to absorb a lot of oil and turn out soggy too. Remember to check if the oil is hot enough.
  • There is more water than required to make the Onion Fritter Batter.
  • There are more fritters in your frying pan and they are crowded!

All these factors will result in not-so-crispy onion bhaji.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Onion Bhaji

Store the onion bhaji in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat them, Pre-heat the oven to 180C and place the onion bhaji in the oven between 5-10 minutes or until just warm. You can also reheat the onion bhaji in the air fryer.

Can I Bake The Onion Bhajis?

You can bake Onion Bhaji at 180C for 30-40 minutes. To bake the Bhaji, Preheat the oven to 180 C and line the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Place an equal proportion of onion bhaji on the paper, brush it with a little oil. Bake for 30 -40 minutes or until crispy and cooked.

What is the difference between Onion Bhaji and Mushroom Bhaji?

Onion Bhaji is an appetizer whereas Mushroom Bhaji is a tasty side dish served with rice or flatbread. Both the dishes are Vegan and are usually available from your local Indian takeaway!

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (6)

YOU MAY LOVE THESE POPULAR INDIAN CURRIES TO SERVE WITH THE BHAJI

Mushroom Bhaji

Vegan Chickpea Tikka Masala

Saag Aloo

Palak Paneer

30 minutes Chana Masala

Vegan Aubergine, Mushroom and Potato Curry

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EASY INDIAN ONION BHAJIS RECIPE BELOW

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (7)

EASY ONION BHAJIS RECIPE

4.46 from 77 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Sandhya Hariharan

Crispy Onion Bhajis are quick and easy to make with a handful of Ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes! {Vegan, GF Recipe }

Ingredients

  • 2 large red onions sliced thin
  • 1 cup gram flour /chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/4 cup coriander leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 – 3 tsp water as needed

Instructions

  • PREPARE THE ONIONS – Peel the onion, wash and cut the onions in to thin slices. Cut them into halves again.

  • MIX THE INGREDIENTS – In a mixing bowl, all all the dry ingredients – onion, flour, spices and salt.Mix them with clean hands and allow them to sit for at least 20 minutes ( or longer – up to 1 hour )

  • ONION BHAJI BATTER – After 20 minutes, squeeze the onions with your hands to release the water. Combine the mixture together to form a thick batter. If you feel the batter is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until the batter coats the onions well.

  • If you feel, during the process of frying the batter has gone a bit watery, you can add 1-2 tsp of gram flour too.

  • FRYING THE BHAJIS – Heat Oil Check if your oil is sufficiently hot by adding a pinch of the onion bhaji batter. If it bubbles up immediately, you know the oil is ready for frying the remaining Onion Pakora.

  • Using a spoon or clean hands, add small onion bhaji batter portions into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes. Flip the bhaji’s once they are light brown on one side and fry until they are brown all over and evenly cooked.

  • Check if they’re cooked inside and the bhaji is not wet. Drain the fried fritter on a kitchen roll or absorbent paper to soak up any excess oil.

  • SERVE – Serve with your favourite coriander chutney or raita.

  • STORE & REHEAT – Store any leftover onion bhaji's in an airtight container and refrigerate upto 3 days. To reheat, place them on a baking tray and cook in a preheated oven at 150C for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

OPTIONAL

For added flavours, you can also add 1/2 tsp Garam masala or Curry Powder.

I also love to add Carom Seeds or Cumin seeds to the bhaji’s for a change.

For Extra crispy Onion Bhaji, add 1 Tbsp of Rice Flour to the batter.

If you prefer Air frying, I have got an AIR FRYER ONION BHAJI RECIPE FOR YOU.

Nutrition

Serving: 16g | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.3g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 1.4g | Calcium: 8mg

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: bhajis, kanda pakora, onion bhaji, onion bhajis, onion pakora

Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhyaskitchen and Hashtag #sandhyaskitchen!

Easy Onion Bhajis {Step by Step Recipe} - Sandhya's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why are my onion bhajis falling apart? ›

The best fix is to make sure your onion is as finely sliced as possible – the finer the mixture, the better it will bind. If your bhajis are still falling apart in the oven, we'd recommend trying a muffin tray lined with low calorie cooking spray to separate the mixture into 12 individual moulds.

What is the difference between onion bhaji and pakora? ›

They are technically the same. It could be a bhaji, bhajji, or pakora, depending on the region where it is made. In the west, it is known as bhaji; in the south, it is called pakodi; and in north India, it is known as pakoras. And just like any other recipes, these differ widely.

What are onion bhajis made of? ›

Finely sliced onion smothered in a simple, fragrantly spiced batter and fried to crispy perfection. This recipe uses gram flour – which is a flour made from chickpeas. This means they're also naturally gluten free!

Can you eat onion bhajis cold the next day? ›

You can eat it cold or reheat in the oven. To this day all the pies are still handmade on the original premises in Shelf, Halifax, West Yorkshire and use the finest ingredients. See Our Story | The Crusty Pie Company for more information about our small, family business.

Why is my onion mushy in the middle? ›

This, he explained, is due to Pantoea bacteria that enter the bulb during maturation. After a while, it will also turn to mush, just like the other types of rot. Regardless of the cause, an onion with a brown ring on the inside, whether mushy or dry, should be discarded.

Can I use plain flour instead of gram flour? ›

You can substitute the gram flour for plain/all purpose flour if you would prefer and they would work just as well, but I like the interesting 'nutty' taste of the gram flour.

What to use gram flour for? ›

This flour made from ground chickpeas is great to coat vegetables for pakoras or to make flatbreads. It is pale yellow and powdery and has an earthy flavour best suited to savoury dishes. Gram flour contains no gluten. It is widely used in Indian cookery.

What is bhajia flour made of? ›

Bhajia 😋 Ingredients: Potatoes 1 cup Gram flour 1 tbsp corn flour/ all purpose flour 1 tsbp tumeric powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic powder Salt Coriander Vegetable oil Tamarind chilli ( store bought ) Soak the potatoes for 30 mins to get rid of excess starch and dry them before putting it in the mixture. #fyp #bhajia.

Are onion bhajis good for you? ›

It also contains fiber, manganese, nutrient B6, potassium, copper. Onion bhajia are very low in calories one more valid justification is to eat it as a guide to weight loss, likewise known to assist with killing microbes that might cause colds and other nasties throughout the cold weather months.

Can you eat raw onion bhajis? ›

Of course, raw is best but onions are packed full of sulphur-containing compounds that can make them difficult to eat uncooked, so eating them anyway you can is all good. So, how to make an onion bhaji tasty, crispy and healthy?

Why are my onions splitting? ›

Conditions for Development

Uneven irrigation of onion fields increases the incidence of this disorder. Fields that are over-irrigated, allowed to dry completely and then over-irrigated again often have many split bulbs. This condition is more prevalent in areas of the field were stands are thin or uneven.

Why do my onions keep falling over? ›

As maturation proceeds, necks soften and the weight of the leaves causes the tops to fall over. "Tops down" is the physiological response that results from compounds shuttled from the onion's leaves to its scales; consequently, the bulb swells and the tops dry down. The onion is a health food.

Why do my onion rings fall apart? ›

If the oil isn't hot enough, the dough will absorb the oil, creating soggy onion rings that may fall apart. Also, for the best onion rings ever, be sure not to overcrowd the frying vessel: Give your onion rings room to move around.

Why are the leaves on my onion flopping over? ›

First, trim off any sad, droopy leaves to redirect energy to the rest of the plant. Next, check the soil moisture; if it's dry, give your onions a drink with room-temperature water. If it's too wet, hold off on watering and let it dry out. Move your plant if it's in a less-than-ideal spot.

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