Spinach Pakora

Name: Spinach Pakora
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups baby spinach; 2 serrano chilies; ½ cup cilantro; 1 yellow onion; 1½ tsp salt; 1½ tsp red chili powder; 2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) ((see notes)); 2 tsp coriander seeds (sabut dhania); 2 tsp pomegranate seeds (anardana); 4 tsp cornflour; 1½ cup gram flour (besan) ((see notes)); ¼ cup water; 2 cups cooking oil

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Crispy, golden, and bursting with flavor, spinach pakoras (palak pakora recipe) are a popular South Asian street food and a tea-time favorite. Made with gram flour, spinach, onions, and a medley of spices, these fritters come together in just 30 minutes—perfect for a quick snack or appetizer.

If you're a fan of South Asian cuisine, pakoras have probably already found their way to your heart. What's not to love about a deep-fried, crispy, golden fritter made with vegetables dipped in a spiced gram flour batter?

For Pakistanis, pakoras symbolize hospitality and tradition. A popular snack to enjoy with a cup of chai, they grace the table frequently at family gatherings and are a staple during Ramadan and the monsoon season.

Enjoy your aloo pakora, chicken pakora, or spinach pakora with mango chutney, cilantro mint chutney, or tamarind chutney.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients for spinach pakora
Substitutions & variations
Step-by-step instructions
Tips for the perfect spinach pakora
Recipe FAQS
Other snacks you may like
Spinach Pakora

Why you'll love this recipe

Quick and easy recipe: With a handful of ingredients and thirty minutes from start to finish, you can make these spinach pakoras at the drop of a hat.
Vegan option: This is a great vegan recipe for catering to guests or family members with dietary restrictions.
Kid-friendly snack: This spinach pakora recipe is always a favorite with kids and is a great way to get those veggies in.

Ingredients for spinach pakora

Spinach: I like to use fresh baby spinach for this recipe, but you can also chop and use regular spinach.
Gram flour, also known as besan, is perhaps the most versatile ingredient in the South Asian Pantry. Unlike chickpea flour, authentic South Asian gram flour is best sourced for this spinach pakora recipe.
Cornflour: This is added to the batter as a crisping agent. Read the FAQS at the end of this post for a gluten-free version of this recipe.
Onions: I like adding thinly sliced yellow onions to my spinach for flavor and texture.
Green chilies: Spinach tends to be very bland, and the chilies help kick up the flavor.
Spices: Seasoning the pakora batter is the key to making mouth-watering fritters. A simple blend of salt, red chili powder, coriander, carom, and pomegranate seeds adds complexity to the flavor.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

Make a tempura version: Ditch the onions, green chilies, and cilantro, mix a batter of all the other ingredients, dip large spinach leaves in it, and fry it like a tempura.
Try kale: Use fresh kale instead of spinach for a fun and nutrient-packed version of this recipe.
Add other veggies to the mix: Add potatoes or any other leftover veggies you have lying around in your fridge to this spinach pakora recipe.
Use the leftover spinach pakoras: Make pakoras today, and use the leftovers to make a delicious kadhi recipe tomorrow. Tried and tested, you're guaranteed to love the results!
Sprinkle chaat masala: Do this just before serving the pakoras for an extra layer of flavor!

Step-by-step instructions

spinach and onions are being tossed in spices.

Step 1: Chop the baby spinach, green chilies, and cilantro. Thinly slice the onions and toss everything together with the spices.

Cornflour is added to vegetables for a palak pakora recipe.

Step 2: Add the cornflour and toss the vegetables until coated.

Gram flour is added to vegetables for a fritters recipe.

Step 3: Add the gram flour, ensuring you break down any clumps.

Step 4: Toss until well incorporated, then add ¼ cup of water and mix until a thick batter coats the vegetables.

Step 5: Preheat the oil to 325℉, reduce the flame to medium, and then add the pakoras in small dollops to the pan.

Step 6: Fry the spinach pakoras on each side for about 11/2-2 minutes until they are medium golden brown.

Tips for the perfect spinach pakora

Use fresh gram flour: The quality of the besan is essential to perfectly crispy pakoras.
Thinly slice the onions: This allows the batter to coat them thoroughly, and they will cook through better if thinly sliced.
Season the batter: Spinach is inherently bland in flavor, and adding the perfect amount of spices to the batter is necessary for this spinach pakora recipe.
Make the batter thick: In this recipe, the batter has to be almost dough-like in texture. It acts as a binding agent for the vegetables, resulting in crispy fritters that hold their shape.
Fry on medium heat: Frying at medium heat is crucial. If the heat is too high, the center won't get cooked through, and if it is too low, the pakoras will be dense and tough.

Recipe FAQS

Are pakoras gluten-free?

While pakoras are typically gluten-free, the cornstarch may have trace amounts of gluten. Be sure to source the correct type or substitute with an equal quantity of rice flour.

My batter is too watery; how can I fix it?

Be precise when measuring the water, as the vegetables release water and can make the batter runny. If your batter seems too watered down, add two tablespoons of gram flour at a time until you reach the perfect consistency.

How do I store my leftovers?

Leftover pakoras should be placed in a Ziploc bag and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

How do I reheat my leftovers?

Defrost the frozen pakoras in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the oven at 350℉ for 20 minutes or in the air fryer at the same temperature for 10 minutes.