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Aloo  Paratha (Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

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Pakistani cuisine is full of a variety of flatbreads, and this aloo paratha (potato-stuffed flatbread) is perhaps the most popular one in the Nation. A paratha is simply a whole wheat, unleavened flatbread that is shallow fried.

Easy Aloo Paratha Recipe

An aloo (potato) paratha is a version of the flatbread that is stuffed with a spicy potato filling. Delicious on it's own, all that's needed as an accompaniment is some easy raita, or green coconut chutney.

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Why you'll love this recipe

  • Easy to source ingredients - How often can you say that about a Pakistani recipe? You won't need a visit to the specialty store for this recipe!
  • The perfect combo - Shallow fried bread filled with potatoes...can it get any better than this?
  • affordable meal option - This is a very budget friendly meal. With today's inflated grocery prices that's a win for sure!
  • Easy recipe - This is a very easy recipe to follow. Plus, since some of the prep can be done ahead of time, dinner can be on the table in record time.
  • Versatile - This can be on the menu for brunch, lunch or dinner and you can switch up the filling for variety!

The ingredients

flour, oil, salt, red chili powder, cumin seeds, cilantro, green onions, serrano pepper and boiled potatoes.
  • Flour - Most Pakistani flatbreads are made with a South Asian flour called Atta. This is a type of a whole wheat flour, but is finer in texture and milder in taste due to the way in which it's milled. You can source this at any South Asian store or on Amazon.
  • Oil - Traditional aloo parathas are made with ghee. I use Avocado oil or Canola oil as a healthier alternative, but any high smoke point oil is ok to use.
  • Potatoes - My go to are usually Yukon gold, which are considered the best for any type of mashed potatoes. Some people prefer a Russet but I find them too soft and fluffy for my aloo parathas.
  • Green onions - I prefer the milder taste and lighter texture of green onions but regular yellow or purple onions can also be used.
  • Serrano chilies - These are my favorite chillies to use for all my Pakistani cooking, but a different variety can easily be substituted.
  • Cilantro - Fresh chopped cilantro is always a welcome addition to potato stuffed flatbread.
  • Cumin seeds - Whole cumin seeds add a nice smoky taste to the potato stuffing.
  • Red chilli powder - No aloo paratha is complete without a dash (or more) of this spice.

For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Substitutions & variations

  • The flour - Can't source Atta? You can substitute with white wheat flour or combine half white and half wheat flour to get something close to the traditional South Asian flour.
  • Daikon radish - Known as "mooli ka paratha" this is another popular choice for stuffed flatbread.
  • Keema (ground beef) - Instead of potatoes, you can add some ground beef as a filling.
  • Leftovers - Adding leftovers to a paratha is a creative and delicious way of using them. I often use up my vegetables and lentils this way.

Step by step instructions

While this potato stuffed flatbread recipe may seem complex, it's actually fairly simple to make. The flatbread dough is just 3 ingredients ... flour, salt and water ... and takes only 5 minutes to make if you use a kitchenaid, a hand mixer or a food processor with a dough hook. 

Collage showing kneaded dough rolled into balls that are then rolled out into circles and stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes.

1. Knead the dough, boil and mash the potatoes and mix in all the spices.

2. Split the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each one into a ball.

3. Roll out each ball into a thin flatbread, 3 inches wide.

4. Add the prepared potatoes on 4 of the rolled out discs, in a thin even layer, leaving some space around the edges.

A collage showing rolled out flatbread, stuffed with spiced potatoes and being cooked on a black flat griddle.

5. Cover each potato filled disc with another layer of dough and press the edges together.

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6. Roll the prepped, aloo stuffed paratha, with a rolling pin, making sure there are no holes in the surface.

7. Place the rolled out aloo paratha on the preheated pan and let it cook for about 30 second. Flip it over and let the other side cook for 30 seconds.

8. Add 2 teaspoons of oil or ghee on the par cooked side and spread evenly on the surface.

A collage showing potato stuffed flatbread at 4 different stages of cooking.

9. After 30 seconds, flip over and add oil or ghee to the other side.

10. Continue to cook and flip as needed till both sides are a nice even brown.

11. Once the paratha starts forming brown blisters in spots it is cooked through.

Set the cooked aloo paratha on a plate and let it cool for a few minutes before you serve it with some delicious cilantro mint chutney. To finish off this amazing meal, enjoy a crispy, crunchy sugar paratha for dessert!

Expert tips

  • The Potatoes - Make sure to prepare the filling ahead of time so that It's at room temperature when stuffing the dough. If the filling is too hot, it can crack the dough. A great tip by
  • A great tip by indianhealthyrecipes.com  that's worth a mention is to grate the potatoes versus mashing them. This helps prevent the potatoes from getting pasty as you won't accidentally over handle them.
  • The Dough - Gluten formation is what helps achieve the perfect elasticity in the dough. Allow your dough to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes to help the gluten to continue forming after you knead it. Make sure to cover the ball of dough with a damp cloth while it's resting as this prevents it from drying out.

Recipe FAQS

How can I store my parathas?

If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 2 days. Beyond 2 days, I would recommend freezing them. If you want to cook a large batch and freeze them, aloo parathas can last upto 2 months in the freezer.

What is the best way to reheat my parathas?

Paratha's reheat beautifully on the frying pan or tawa. If they're frozen,
Just defrost them! Preheat the pan and heat the paratha for 1 minute on each side and serve!

I have leftover potato stuffing...how can I use it?

Mashed and spiced aloo are perfect for samosa filling or aloo cutlets (Pakistani style potato pancakes).

My paratha is cracking, how can I fix this?

Make sure that your potatoes are mashed to a smooth consistency and don't have any lumps in them. Also, make sure you don't overstuff the dough or else it will crack.

How can I make my parathas crispy on the outside and soft on the inside?

Make sure your pan or tawa is preheated very well before you start cooking the flatbread. The bread needs to cook quickly on high heat to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

easy aloo paratha recipe

For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 30+ Vegetarian Recipes From Pakistan. If you decide to try this recipe, please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!

white plate with aloo parathas.

Aloo Paratha (potato stuffed flatbread)

Nosheen Babar
Aloo Paratha (potato stuffed flatbread) is a shallow fried, unleavened flatbread, stuffed with a spicy potato filling.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 4 parathas
Calories 818 kcal

Equipment

  • kitchenaid mixer (see notes)
  • Rolling Pin
  • tawa (see notes)

Ingredients
  

The Dough

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 ½ tsp oil
  • pinch salt

The Potato Filling

  • 4 medium yellow potatoes
  • 2 green onions
  • 2 serrano chilies
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 2 tsp white cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp salt (see notes)
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder (see notes)

Aloo Parathas

  • ½ cup oil
  • dough
  • potato filling
  • ½ cup flour

Instructions
 

The Dough

  • Put all of the flour in your kitchenaid bowl
  • If you are adding salt add it in at this point (see notes)
  • Use the dough hook on your kitchenaid and add half of the water and the oil and start mixing on low
  • Once the dough starts to come together, add the remaining water and turn up the speed just one level
  • Mix till all of the ingredients are well incorporated
  • Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl, mix again and shape the dough into a ball
  • Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set it aside for 20 minutes

The Potato Filling

  • Boil the potatoes (see notes)
  • Cool slightly, peel and mash till there are no lumps (see notes)
  • Chop and add the green onions (stalk and green), cilantro and chilies
  • Add the cumin, salt and chilli powder and mix well (see notes)
  • Set the mixture aside to cool completely

Aloo Parathas

  • Shape the dough into 8 even balls
  • lightly dust two of the balls with some flour and roll them out into round discs, about 3 inches wide
  • Add the potato mixture in a thin even layer on one of the discs, stopping ¼ - ½ inch from the edge
  • Lay the other disc on top and press down gently, sealing the edges
  • Using your rolling pin, lightly roll the paratha out till you have a 4-5 inch wide disc. Stop rolling before the potatoes poke a hole through the dough
  • Preheat your Tawa (flat griddle) well (see notes)
  • Brush any flour off the surface off your stuffed paratha and place on the preheated pan
  • After about 30 seconds, gently flip the paratha over
  • While the other side is cooking, spoon about 2 tbsp oil onto the par cooked surface and spread it around.
  • Flip the paratha again after 30 seconds and repeat with the oil on the other side.
  • Cook an additional minute on each side (after adding the oil) till light brown spots appear on the surface of the stuffed bread (see notes)
  • Remove the paratha from the heat and serve while fresh and hot
  • Repeat this entire process 3 more times with the remaining balls of dough

Notes

Kitchenaid Mixer - I use my kitchenaid mixer to knead my dough as it shaves off a lot of time and makes the task much easier. A food processor or a hand mixer with a dough blade are also great options. If you don't have either, mix the dough by hand, kneading for 5-10 minutes.
Tawa - A tawa is a traditional flat griddle used to make all Pakistani and Indian flatbreads. If you don't have one you can use a wide frying pan instead.
Adding Salt To Your Dough - Salt is often added to flatbread dough when making a plain paratha. However, in this case, since your potatoes will also be seasoned, you may or may not want your dough to have salt in it. If you do add any salt, no more than a pinch or two is suggested.
Seasoning The Potatoes - Since the filling is essentially sandwiched between 2 flatbreads, they need to be well seasoned. However, if you want to be a bit cautious and tend to use less salt and spices, add half the salt and chilli powder recommended and taste the mixture before adding the rest.
Boiling The Potatoes - The potatoes should be cooked through just right or else they can get pasty when mashed. I use yellow potatoes for my parathas as they are creamy and dense, providing a perfect stuffing. Some experts use and swear by Russet potatoes instead. But I find them a little too soft and dry for my parathas. Feel free to experiment and go with your personal prefer. 
Preheating The Tawa - The Paratha needs to cook quickly at high heat in order to stay soft. If the Tawa or frying pan is not preheated well, the cooking process will slow down and result in a hard and chewy flatbread.
Cooking Time For The Paratha - As mentioned, the Paratha should cook quickly, approximately 3 minutes is an average time. However, since everyone's cooking utensils and stoves vary, it's possible to be off by a 30 seconds or so (but not too much).

Nutrition

Serving: 1parathaCalories: 818kcalCarbohydrates: 119gProtein: 16gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1228mgPotassium: 1160mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 547IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 8mg
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