Spiced Potato Puff Pastry Baskets (Deconstructed Samosas)

Flaky, golden puff pastry cups filled with a turmeric-yellow potato and pea filling, warm with ginger, smoky paprika, and popping mustard seeds. These Spiced Potato Puff Pastry Baskets taste like a samosa without any folding, and they make an easy vegetarian appetizer for holiday parties and New Year’s Eve.

Good to know before you start

• Time: About 30 minutes. The filling cooks while the pastry bakes.
• Thaw the puff pastry: Thaw it in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for about 40 minutes, so it unfolds without cracking.
• Equipment: You need two round cutters, one a little smaller than the other.
• Make ahead: The filling keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Egg-free: Brush the pastry with milk instead of beaten egg.
• Makes: 9 baskets.

When my daughter and I visit any South Asian store, we head straight for the frozen food section to look for those packages of pre-made, oversized samosas. They are some of our favorite snacks for movie nights and for our appetizer night on New Year’s Eve.

My daughter loves those store-bought samosas for their crispy crust. I buy them because I have yet to perfect the art of samosa folding! I can make a decent samosa filling, but what I end up with after trying to wrangle it into any sort of dough just leaves me gobsmacked. Just take a look at these!

Since moving to Athens, a little college town, I have yet to find a store that sells frozen samosas. So I started improvising. Instead of samosas wrapped in a pastry shell, I make “deconstructed samosas” in puff pastry baskets. The filling tastes just like a samosa, and the little baskets look as good as they taste.

Why you will love these

• No folding or frying. The pastry bakes into crisp, buttery cups while you cook the filling.
• Big flavor from simple spices. Turmeric, smoked paprika, and coriander, plus mustard seeds that pop in the hot oil.
• Party friendly. The filling can be made ahead, and the baskets are easy to pick up and eat in two bites.
• Vegetarian. And easy to make egg-free with a milk wash (see below).

Ingredients

You will need these ingredients for this recipe:

1. Puff pastry sheets, thawed
2. Yellow onion
3. Garlic cloves
4. Fresh ginger
5. Potato
6. Frozen green peas
7. Turmeric powder
8. Smoked paprika
9. Coriander powder
10. Mustard seeds
11. Egg (or milk) for brushing the pastry
12. Olive oil
13. Salt and black pepper, and parsley to garnish (optional)

Substitutions

• Puff pastry: Pre-made puff pastry shells, sold in the freezer section next to the sheets, save you the cutting. Store-bought biscuit dough also works.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger: Most stores sell them peeled and chopped in the produce section if you would rather skip the prep.
• Potato: I used a russet potato, but an orange or purple sweet potato works too.
• Vegetables: Finely diced carrots and bell peppers can be added along with the peas, like in my veggie puffs.
• Spices: Turmeric, smoked paprika, and coriander can be swapped for harissa or garam masala.
• Mustard seeds: Replace with a teaspoon of cumin seeds, or leave them out.
• Egg wash: The beaten egg gives the pastry its shine and deep golden color. For an egg-free option, brush the pastry with a little milk instead. The baskets will be slightly paler but still crisp.

How to make spiced potato puff pastry baskets

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 2: You will need two round pastry cutters, one a little smaller than the other. Using the large cutter, cut 9 circles from each puff pastry sheet. Then use the smaller cutter to cut a hole in the center of 9 of the circles, making rings. Brush egg on the underside of each ring and press it onto a whole circle. Brush the tops with egg wash and place them on a baking tray.

Step 3: Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and golden. As they bake, the rings rise up to form baskets.

Step 4: While the baskets bake, peel and chop the onion and sauté it in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often so it does not burn.

Step 5: Meanwhile, rinse the potato and cut it into small cubes (the smaller the cubes, the faster they cook). Peel and finely chop the ginger and garlic.

Step 6: Once the onion is translucent, add the mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, and potato, and turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the potato cubes are tender.

Step 7: Uncover, add the peas, turmeric, smoked paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper, and sauté for a couple more minutes.

Step 8: When the baskets come out of the oven, their centers will be puffed up too. Gently press each center down with a spoon, leaving the sides standing.

Step 9: Spoon the spiced potato filling into the baskets, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve warm.

Make them ahead for a party

• Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
• Bake the baskets a few hours ahead and leave them at room temperature, uncovered, so they stay crisp.
• Just before serving, warm the filling, spoon it into the baskets, and pop them in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes.

What to serve them with

A dollop of mango chutney on top is my favorite. Onion chutney or pineapple chutney work well too.

Storage and reheating

Filled baskets are best eaten the day they are made, as the pastry softens over time. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, store the filling on its own in a freezer-safe container for up to a month, and bake fresh baskets when you are ready.

Reheat filled baskets in a 375°F oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pastry crisps up again.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use store-bought puff pastry shells?

Yes. Bake them according to the package directions and fill them the same way.

Can I make these without egg?

Yes. Brush the pastry with milk instead of beaten egg. They will be a little less shiny and slightly paler.

Are these spicy?

They are mild. For more heat, add a pinch of chili flakes or a finely chopped green chili with the garlic and ginger.

Want more puffs like these?

Then check out these tuna potato puffs, black-eyed pea puff pastry baskets, and these bell pepper puffs (that look like the holidays in puff pastry)!

Spiced Potato Puff Pastry Baskets (Deconstructed Samosas)

4.67 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 9 baskets

Author: Shashi

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Flaky puff pastry cups filled with a turmeric-yellow potato and pea filling, warm with ginger, smoky paprika, and mustard seeds. All the flavor of a samosa without any folding.

Ingredients

• 2 puff pastry sheets thawed
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 1 medium russet potato cut into small cubes (the smaller the cubes, the faster they cook)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 egg beaten (or a little milk for an egg-free wash)
• olive oil for the pan
• parsley optional, to garnish

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Using a large round cutter, cut 9 circles from each puff pastry sheet. Use a smaller cutter to cut a hole in the center of 9 of the circles, making rings. Brush egg on the underside of each ring and press it onto a whole circle. Brush the tops with egg wash and place them on a baking tray.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and golden. As they bake, the rings rise up to form baskets.
• While the baskets bake, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often so it does not burn.
• Once the onion is translucent, add the mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, and potato cubes and turn the heat down to low.
• Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the potato cubes are tender.
• Uncover, add the peas, turmeric, smoked paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper, and sauté for a couple more minutes.
• When the baskets come out of the oven, gently press each puffed center down with a spoon, leaving the sides standing.
• Spoon the spiced potato filling into the baskets, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve warm.

Notes

• Egg-free: Brush the pastry with milk instead of beaten egg. The baskets will be slightly paler but still crisp.
• Make ahead: Make the filling up to 2 days ahead. Bake the baskets a few hours before serving, then fill and warm them in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes.
• Storage: Best eaten the day they are made. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat at 375°F for 7 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2mg

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