How to cook frozen samosas

Who doesn’t like to bite into a crunchy, hot and spicy samosa? No matter what your favorite filling is, a samosa has to be prepared properly in order to be enjoyed as it was meant to be: crispy on the outside with a soft and flavorful filling on the inside!

When we make samosas, most of us buy them pre-made and cook them from frozen. Actually, cooking samosas from frozen helps keep them crisp on the outside and a wonderful golden color.

How do you cook frozen samosas? The best way to cook frozen samosas is to fry them, but you can also bake them or cook them in the air fryer. It is also possible to cook frozen samosas in the microwave, but the results are poor compared to the other methods.

Frying samosas gives the best results, but baking or air frying them is healthier. However you prefer to cook your samosas, here is a guide on how to cook them from frozen for the best results!

How to fry frozen samosas

Frying frozen samosas is the most popular way to cook them, and it makes the best samosas!

How to fry frozen samosas

Here’s how to fry frozen samosas:

1. Heat the oil in the deep fryer until hot, reaching about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Carefully place the samosas in the deep fryer, one at a time. Do not overfill the deep fryer as this will lower the temperature of the oil and there will not be enough heat for the samosa wrapper to turn crisp and golden.
3. Keep turning the samosas as they fry so they cook evenly on all sides.
4. After 2 minutes, lower the heat and allow the samosas to cook for another 3 minutes. This helps them turn crisp and golden.
5. Remove the samosas from the hot oil and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel.
6. Repeat the above process, heating the oil and cooking the samosas little by little until they are well cooked.

Note : Do not thaw samosas before frying as they will crisp up and turn a nice golden color if fried from the freezer. So you can take them straight from the freezer to the fryer.

Advantages of frying frozen samosas:

Frying frozen samosas is the best way to get a crispy, golden exterior while still enjoying a delicious filling. Samosas are more likely to get crispy when fried from frozen, as the heat shakes up the batter and finishes it off perfectly.

You won’t be able to get the same crispiness and golden finish, along with the flavor that deep-frying brings, using any other cooking method.

Cons of frying frozen samosas:

The problem with frying samosas is that it is the least healthy option. It is well known that frying anything is not the healthiest way to prepare food, and also the amount of oil needed is quite excessive.

Once in a while it’s okay to fry, but preparing food this way is often not good for your health.

How to bake frozen samosas

If you don’t want to fry your samosas, you can bake them in the oven. Although it is not the most traditional way of cooking them, it offers good results and is healthier than cooking them in oil.

You can bake no-cook frozen samosas or pre-cooked frozen samosas. Here’s how to do both:

Bake Frozen Samosas Without Cooking

If your frozen samosas have not been cooked before, you will need to bake them at a higher temperature and for a longer time.

Here’s how to bake frozen no-cook samosas:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the frozen samosas on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with a little vegetable oil.
3. Place the tray with the samosas in the oven and cook them for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, turning once. The internal temperature of the samosas should reach about 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. When cooked, remove the samosas from the oven and let them rest for up to 3 minutes before serving.

Baking Precooked Frozen Samosas

If your frozen samosas are pre-cooked, this is much easier. You really just need to heat them up so they don’t lose all their crunch, though again the texture won’t compare to great frying results.

Here’s how to bake pre-cooked frozen samosas:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the frozen samosas on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with a little vegetable oil.
3. Put the tray with the samosas in the oven and let them cook for 8 minutes.
4. Flip the samosas over to the other side and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until heated through.
5. Remove the samosas from the oven and let them rest for up to 3 minutes before serving.

Advantages of baking frozen samosas:

Baking samosas in the oven is a healthier option than frying them. You still get a crispy exterior. You don’t need to use an excessive amount of oil to bake the samosas.

You can also bake a large number of samosas in one go, which is especially useful if you have a large number of people to cater to.

Cons of baking frozen samosas:

The only drawback to baking samosas in the oven is that you have to leave the oven to preheat, which can take longer than other cooking methods.

There is also the possibility that you leave the samosas in the oven too long, and this could cause the exterior to burn or the filling to dry out. You must watch carefully to prevent this from happening.

How to cook frozen samosas in the air fryer

If you have an air fryer at home, you can use it to cook your frozen samosas, and this is the healthiest way to do it.

Cooking Frozen Samosas in the Air Fryer

You don’t need oil to cook samosas in the air fryer, making it the healthiest way to cook them by far. Plus, it doesn’t take that long to cook them in the oven!

Here’s how to cook a batch of frozen samosas in the air fryer:

1. Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. This should only take about 5 minutes.
2. Arrange the frozen samosas in the air fryer basket, arranging them in a single layer, spacing them out as much as possible. They won’t cook well if you pile them up in the air fryer.
3. Cook the samosas in the deep fryer for 5 minutes .
4. Open the air fryer and flip the samosas very carefully, as they will be hot.
5. Return them to the air fryer for another 3-4 minutes .
6. At the end of this time, the samosas should be crisp and lightly browned, and warmed all over.
7. Take them out of the air fryer and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Pros of Cooking Frozen Samosas in the Air Fryer:

While cooking samosas in an air fryer may not give you the same flavor and texture as deep frying, it does come close and is certainly the healthiest way to cook them.

You can cook them from frozen, and it will only take a few minutes. The heat from the air fryer crisps the exterior, while keeping the filling moist and flavorful.

Cons of cooking frozen samosas in the air fryer:

Cooking samosas in the air fryer will not give you the same flavor as deep frying.

You may also need to make several batches, which can take some time, since you can’t put too many samosas in the air fryer at one time.

Can I cook frozen samosas in the microwave?

You can technically cook frozen samosas in the microwave, but it’s not necessarily the best option.

To do this, you need to place the frozen samosas on a microwave-safe plate and cook them over medium heat for a few minutes until cooked through and hot.

They won’t be as crispy as if you cooked them in a deep fryer or in the oven, and there’s a chance that there might be very hot bits inside and some still cold.

Microwaving frozen samosas may be your only option if you want them ready in a few minutes, but it should be your last resort.

Related questions

How do you thaw frozen samosas?

If you prefer to thaw the samosas before cooking, you can leave them in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, to thaw to a safe temperature.

If you can’t wait that long, you can defrost the samosas using the microwave’s defrost function for a few minutes.

Can I freeze homemade samosas?

Yes, you can freeze homemade samosas and they happen to freeze just fine.

Place them on a baking tray and put it in the freezer for a few hours. Once the samosas have frozen solid, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag and label it with the freeze date.

Freezing them first on a cookie sheet prevents them from sticking together when frozen, so you can get as many as you want out of the freezer bag without having to thaw them all.