Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes (High-Protein Indian Veg)
High-protein Indian vegetarian air fryer recipes: paneer and tofu tikka,…
Indian food and the air fryer are a natural match. So many of our favourite dishes, like tikkas, pakodas, samosas, cutlets and dry sabzis, are about getting a crisp, browned outside, which is exactly what an air fryer does with a spoonful of oil instead of a kadhai full. Every recipe here is written for Indian ingredients and Indian kitchens, with exact temperatures and times for a standard 4–6 L basket air fryer.
Start here: the recipe cards below are our most popular desi recipes. Scroll down for every recipe by category, an Indian air fryer cooking chart, and the rules for adapting your own family recipes.
Popular Indian Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Snacks: Indian & Easy Snacks (Samosa, Pakoda, Tikki & More)
Air fryer snacks with temperature, time and oil: samosa, paneer…
Air Fryer Green Beans (Crispy in 10 Minutes)
Crispy air fryer green beans at 200°C for 8–10 minutes…
Air Fryer Vegetables: Roasting Time Chart for 25 Veggies
Roast vegetables in the air fryer at 200°C for 8–20…
Matar Paneer with Air Fryer Paneer (Easy Weeknight Curry)
Matar paneer with air-fried paneer cubes: golden paneer with 1…
Paneer Butter Masala in Air Fryer (Less Butter, Roasted Gravy)
Restaurant-style paneer butter masala with an air-fried tomato-cashew base and…
Paneer Tikka in Air Fryer (Tandoori-Style, 12 Minutes)
Restaurant-style paneer tikka in the air fryer: a thick hung-curd…
All Indian air fryer recipes by category
Snacks and starters
- Paneer tikka: tandoori-style, 200 °C for 10–12 min
- Paneer pakoda: crisp without deep frying
- Samosa: flaky ghee crust, aloo-matar filling
- Veg cutlet: the tea-time and tiffin classic
- Bread pizza: the 6-minute after-school snack
- Banana chips: Kerala-style with raw bananas
- Roasted peanuts and green chilli kalonji
- Cheese nuggets: a kids’ favourite
Sabzi, curries and meals
- Aloo gobi: dhaba-style dry sabzi
- Paneer butter masala: air-roasted gravy base
- Matar paneer: easy weeknight curry
- Can you cook dal chawal in an air fryer? Our honest test
Festive, seasonal and trending
- Navratri & Diwali air fryer recipes: sabudana vada, makhana, namak pare, mathri, nankhatai
- Seasonal air fryer recipes: tandoori gobi, bhutta, onion bhaji, shakarkandi chaat
- Viral air fryer recipes: masala papad, crispy corn, paneer popcorn
- Trending air fryer recipes: what readers are cooking this season
Indian air fryer cooking chart
| Dish | Temperature | Time | Key tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paneer tikka | 200 °C / 400 °F | 10–12 min | Thick hung-curd marinade; turn once |
| Paneer cubes for curry | 200 °C / 400 °F | 8–10 min | Soak in warm water before adding to gravy |
| Paneer pakoda | 190 °C / 375 °F | 10–12 min | Thick besan paste, not batter |
| Samosa (homemade) | 180 °C / 350 °F | 12–15 min | Brush all over with oil |
| Veg cutlet | 180 °C / 350 °F | 12–14 min | Squeeze vegetables dry |
| Aloo gobi (dry) | 200 °C / 400 °F | 18–22 min | Dry the florets; shake every 6 min |
| Onion bhaji | 190 °C / 375 °F | 12–15 min | Very little water in the mix |
| Sabudana vada | 180 °C / 350 °F | 12–15 min | Shape flat; flip halfway |
| Bread pizza | 180 °C / 350 °F | 5–6 min | Butter the base |
| Banana chips | 180 °C / 350 °F | 12–15 min | Raw bananas, 2 mm slices |
| Masala papad | 180 °C / 350 °F | 1–2 min | Weigh it down with a rack |
For a standard 4–6 L basket. Cook in a single layer; smaller or more powerful models may need a minute less.
How to adapt Indian recipes for the air fryer
- Swap batter for a thick coating. Runny pakora batter drips through the basket. Use a thick paste, or a slurry plus breadcrumbs, and add rice flour for crunch.
- Oil the surface, not the pan. A light brush or spray of oil (mustard oil, ghee or coconut oil all work) is what turns food golden. Dry flour patches stay pale.
- Dry everything. Pat paneer, vegetables and soaked sabudana dry. Moisture steams instead of crisping.
- Use the air fryer for the crisp part of a curry. Air fry the paneer, or roast the onion-tomato base, then finish the gravy on the stove in a few minutes.
- Single layer, then batch. Two quick batches always beat one crowded, soggy batch.
What doesn’t work well in an air fryer
| Dish | Why | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Puri, bhatura, jalebi | They need hot oil to puff or set | Keep these for the kadhai |
| Thin batter pakoras | Batter drips through the basket | Use a thick coating (see paneer pakoda) |
| Dal, rice, gravies | Liquids don’t benefit from circulating air | Cook on the stove or in a pressure cooker; see our dal chawal test |
| Roti and phulka | They need direct flame or tawa contact to puff | Use a tawa; reheat stale rotis in the air fryer as crispy khakhra-style snacks |
Frequently asked questions
Can you cook Indian food in an air fryer?
Yes. Dry and crispy dishes work best: tikkas, pakodas, samosas, cutlets, dry sabzis like aloo gobi, roasted snacks and namkeen. For curries, use the air fryer for the paneer or the roasted masala base and finish the gravy on the stove.
Which oil is best for Indian air fryer cooking?
Mustard oil suits tikkas and North Indian sabzis, coconut oil suits South Indian snacks like banana chips, and ghee works for samosas and festive namkeen. You only need a teaspoon or two. More in the healthiest oil for air frying.
Is air-fried Indian food healthier?
It uses far less oil than deep or shallow frying, which cuts fat and calories considerably. See air fryer health & safety for the full picture.
What size air fryer is best for Indian cooking?
For a family of 3–4, a 4.5–5.5 L basket handles a full batch of tikka or cutlets. See our air fryer buying guides.
New to air frying? Start with our beginner guides and tutorials.