Easy 25-minute recipe for Aloo Tikki, an extremely popular north-Indian street food. Mashed potatoes, green peas, herbs, and seasonings are combined and formed into patties, then pan-fried until golden brown and crispy.
Enjoy them with cilantro and tamarind chutney, with a cup of chai, or combine with spiced yogurt for classic Aloo Tikki Chaat!
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Whenever I'm in the mood for something crispy and spicy, Indian snacks always hit the spot. They offer a satisfying combination of salty, sweet, and tangy flavors, just like this delicious Aloo Tikki, also known as Aloo Tikki Chaat.
Aloo Tikki is an Indian spiced potato patty that is soft and fluffy in the middle and is fried to golden and crispy deliciousness. This popular snack is an Indian equivalent of American hash browns.
These tikkis are usually served as-is as a snack with green chutney, with a scoop of spiced yogurt, or as aloo tikki burgers.
This recipe is my easy, homemade take on an authentic street-side Aloo Tikki that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This aloo tikki recipe is made with a potato and green pea base and an incredible blend of fresh herbs and seasonings. Let's take a look at what we need:
Gold Potatoes: you will need 3-4 boiled gold potatoes to make the 2 cups of grated potato needed for this recipe.
Green Peas: frozen or fresh work great. If using frozen, thaw them first.
Onion: you can use white or red onion depending on your preferences. Be sure to chop it pretty small so that it incorporates well into the patties.
Grated Ginger: I recommend using freshly grated ginger for the best flavor.
Serrano Chili: finely chopped. You can leave the seeds if you love spice, or remove them for more mild heat.
Cilantro: freshly chopped cilantro adds delicious freshness to these flavorful patties.
Spices: a blend of Himalayan salt, dry mango powder, chaat masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chili powder/cayenne pepper creates an incredible sweet and spicy flavor. Adjust the amount of red chili powder/cayenne pepper depending on your spice preferences.
Cornstarch: This helps make firm patties and absorbs moisture to create that crispy exterior. Rice flour or breadcrumbs will work as well.
Oil: I use avocado or vegetable oil for its neutral flavor, but any clear oil will work for frying.
For Serving: serve your tikki with cilantro chutney, tamarind chutney, or seasoned yogurt.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Aloo Tikki
Here are step-by-step directions on how to make crispy aloo tikki!
Steam the peas: Add ½ cup of water to a frying pan, bring to a simmer, then add in the peas. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. To steam in the microwave, sprinkle water over the peas and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until thawed.
Prepare the potatoes: Boil the potatoes either on the stove, in the instant pot, or in the microwave using the "potatoes" preset. Once they are fork-tender, cool, then grate them to make 2 cups. (pic 1)
Assemble: In the same mixing bowl, add peas, chopped onion, cilantro, grated ginger, and all of the spices. Mix well, then add in the cornstarch (or rice flour). Mix until fully combined. (pic 2, 3 & 4)
Form the patties: Divide the potato mixture into 8 portions. Apply a little bit of oil to your palms and use your hands to shape each portion into a round patty. The patties should be about ½-inch thick. (Pic 5, 6 & 7)
Optional Step: Rub 1 teaspoon rice flour or cornstarch in your hands and lightly dust each patty with it. Wipe off any excess using a kitchen towel. Dusting is optional, but dries up any excess moisture on the surface and seals the patties, resulting in a crispier tikki. Feel free to skip. (pic 8)
Fry: In a frying pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the tikkis without overcrowding the pan. Cook until golden brown, for about 4 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side. (pic 9 & 10)
Frying tip: Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small crumb. If it starts sizzling and floats to the top, the oil is ready.
Cool and serve: Once the tikkis are golden-brown and crispy on both sides, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and cool for 5 minutes. Serve with chutney or as desired.
Alternative Method: Air Fryer Aloo Tikki
Aloo tikki is great cooked in the air fryer as well! Here's how:
- Prepare and assemble as instructed.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place the patties in a single layer in the basket, brush them with oil, then air fry for 4 minutes, flip, brush with oil, and air fry for another 4 minutes or until crispy.
Serving Suggestions
There are a few different ways that you can serve aloo tikki fry.
Snack/appetizer: Serve your aloo tikki patties with a side of cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney for dipping.
Aloo Tikki Chaat: Another popular way to serve aloo tikki is with seasoned yogurt , cilantro and tamarind chutney.
For aloo tikki chaat, combine ½ cup plain yogurt with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon chaat masala, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, and 2 tablespoons cold water. Drizzle this yogurt over aloo tikki and top with both chutneys.
Entree: Make your potato patties into an entree and serve them as aloo tikki burgers topped with lettuce, tomato, and sliced onion. Here's a detailed recipe for Aloo Tikki Burger.
How to Store
These aloo tikki patties are best served right away, but leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm with a little bit of oil on the stove to heat and re-crisp.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Don't over-cook the potatoes: Boil the potatoes only until fork-tender. Over-cooked potatoes can become mushy and you won't get that crispy texture you want for these patties.
- Let the potatoes cool. Make sure you allow the cooked potatoes to cool slightly before mixing all of the ingredients. The cooler potatoes are less moist which helps with crispiness.
- Grease your hands. This makes the potato mixture much easier to work with.
- Patty thickness: I make my aloo tikki patties about ½-inch thick. This is the perfect thickness for a balanced crispy-creamy bite.
- Make sure the oil is hot. The oil should be hot before you add in the patties. If it's too cold, you'll just end up with soggy tikki. To check the temperature of the oil, drop a small crumb into the pan. If it starts sizzling right away and quickly floats to the top, then the oil is good to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aloo means potatoes and tikki means patty. So aloo tikki literally translates to potato patties!
Aloo tikki originated in the Indian subcontinent but are now served in various ways all over the world.
If your aloo tikki is falling apart, chances are there is too much moisture or not enough binding agent present in the mixture. To prevent this, be careful not to over-cook the potatoes. Additionally, let the cooked potatoes cool slightly before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.
Yes! This aloo tikki recipe is made without any eggs or dairy, so it's completely vegan. Unless, of course, you choose to serve it with yogurt.
More Indian Potato Snacks Recipes
Looking for more potato-based Indian snack recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
📖 Recipe
Aloo Tikki
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Video
Equipment
- Frypan
Ingredients
Aloo Tikki Base
- 3-4 boiled gold potatoes 2 cups grated potato
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup chopped onion 1 small white or red onion
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 serrano chili finely chopped (remove seeds for mild heat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or ¾ teaspoon regular salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mango powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 teaspoons for dusting or rice flour
- ½ cup avocado oil for frying or any clear oil
For serving:
- Cilantro chutney
- tamarind chutney
- seasoned yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Start by boiling the potatoes in the microwave using the 'potatoes' preset, or in the Instant Pot. Cool and grate them to make roughly 2 cups of grated potatoes.
- Steam Peas: If frozen, thaw the peas overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave. Add ½ cup water to a frypan and bring it to a simmer. Add peas, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the peas are steamed. Alternatively, sprinkle some water over them and microwave in 30-second increments, until thawed.
- Assemble: In a large mixing bowl, add grated potatoes, peas, chopped onion, cilantro, grated ginger, and all the spices. Mix well.
- Add cornstarch: Now add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or rice flour) and mix again until fully integrated.
- Form Patties: Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Apply a little oil on your palms and shape each portion into a round patty, about ½-inch thick. Repeat this process to form all the tikkis.
- Dust Patties (optional step): Rub 1 teaspoon rice flour or cornstarch in your hands and lightly dust each patty with it. Wipe off any excess using a kitchen towel. Dusting dries up any excess moisture on the surface and seals the patties, resulting in a crispier tikki. This step is optional though.
- Shallow Fry: Add oil to a large frypan and heat it on medium-high heat. Check the temperature of oil by dropping a small crumb. If it starts sizzling, the oil is ready. Discard the crumb and add the tikkis without overcrowding the pan.
- Cook till Golden Brown: Cook till the base of the aloo tikki turns golden brown, takes about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and cook on this side until golden brown. Flip them again if needed to brown them evenly.
- Cool and serve: Remove fried aloo tikkis on a kitchen towel-lined plate. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney. You can also make Aloo Tikki Chaat by adding seasoned yogurt.
Notes
- Don't over-cook the potatoes: Boil the potatoes only until fork-tender. Over-cooked potatoes can become mushy and you won't get that crispy texture you want for these patties.
- Let the potatoes cool. Make sure you allow the cooked potatoes to cool slightly before mixing all of the ingredients. The cooler potatoes are less moist which helps with crispiness.
- Grease your hands. This makes the potato mixture much easier to work with.
- Patty thickness: I make my aloo tikki patties about ½-inch thick. This is the perfect thickness for a balanced crispy-creamy bite.
- Make sure the oil is hot. The oil should be hot before you add in the patties. If it's too cold, you'll just end up with a soggy tikki. To check the temperature of the oil, drop a small crumb into the pan. If it starts sizzling right away and quickly floats to the top, then the oil is good to go.
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