Onion Bhajis (Kanda Bhaji Recipe) (2024)

By: Sarah NevinsPosted: 2/5/16

Crispy, light, savoury and absolutely moreish – these Crispy Onion Bhajis are a must make! Thinly sliced onions are mixed and coated in a chickpea flour batter then dropped into a frying pan of hot oil and cooked until crisp.

Onion Bhajis (Kanda Bhaji Recipe) (1)

Originally posted 5 February, 2016. Updated pictures post and recipe 14 September, 2021 with new photos, tips and simplified recipe.

What are Onion Bhajis?

onion bhajis = onion fritters

They’re thinly sliced onions coated in a simple, spiced batter then fried until golden and crisp.

Depending on the region in India, you might find onion bhajis referred to as a number of different names including: onion pakora, kanda bhajia, kanda bhaji, and pyaz ke pakode to name a few.

onion bhajis Ingredients

Spices and fresh ingredients often vary slightly from recipe to recipe but the main ingredients usually remain the same. This onion bhaji recipe is made up of:

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  • Onions – I used a couple of white onions here but you can also use red onions and yellow onion.
  • Gram Flour – Gram flour is often sold under a variety of different names. If you can’t find gram flour look for chickpea flour, besan flour and/or garbanzo bean flour.
  • Baking Powder – A small amount of baking powder helps to create an ultra crispy exterior crust by forming tiny air bubbles across the surface of the fritter. This is what helps to makes these onion bhajis more light and crispy than crunchy.
    • Since this recipe includes lemon juice, you can substitute baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) here if necessary.
  • Dried Spices – A little salt, ground cumin, and turmeric powder is all you need as far as dried spices go. Feel free to spruce up the batter with additional herbs and spices if desired.
    • Other popular kanda bhaji spices include: garam masala, curry powder, chili powder and garlic powder.
  • Fresh Aromatics – You’ll need 1-2 green chillies and fresh cilantro (coriander leaves). Finely chop and add to the batter.
  • Lemon Juice – A teaspoon of lemon adds a slight, but bright pop of flavour.
  • Water – Mix in about 5-6 tablespoons. You just need enough water to transform the mixture into a thick batter.
  • Oil for Frying – Ideally you want to use an oil with a high smoke point. The higher the smoke point the more suitable it is for frying (vegetable, peanut, rapeseed, etc). Avocado oil (though pricey) has a high smoke point making it a decent, healthier option for frying.

How to Make Onion Bhajis

Altogether the process is quite simple.

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the fresh and wet ingredients (except the onion). Mix into a thick pancake-like batter.
  3. Add the onions and coat in batter.
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FYI: Ideal Frying Temperature

If the oil is too hot, the bhajis will burn. If it’s too cold, the bhajis will take longer to cook and end up soggy.

Ideal frying temperature is between 350°F-365°F (177°C – 185°C).

Use a cooking thermometer for them most accurate temperature read.

If you don’t have a cooking thermometer you can gauge temperature with a wooden spoon. Stick the end of a wooden spoon in your oil – if you see lots of little bubbles form around the spoon and float to the surface you’re in the right region. If the bubbles pop up fast and aggressive, lower your temperature.

Fry Until Golden and Crisp

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  • Place a wire rack over large baking sheet and set aside.
  • Warm a large pan with oil over a medium heat.
  • Carefully drop a couple tablespoons of the mixture in to the hot oil to fry.
    • Cook about 3-4 fritters at a time.
    • Leave space between each bhajis so you don’t over crowd the pan.
  • Fry a few minutes on each side. The edges of the bhajis should be golden brown and crisp
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the fritters from the oil then place on the wire rack to let the excess oil drip off.
  • Repeat this process until all of the batter has been fried.
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Final Tips & Questions

Can I make onion bhajis in advance or save leftovers for later?

  • If you want them crispy, fresh is best. That being said, – you can absolutely make these ahead of time or finish at a later day.
    • In an air fryer: Reheat in an air fry for about 4-5 minutes. This is a great method for keeping things nice and crispy.
    • Under a medium grill: Reheat for about 5 minutes (flip halfway through). This is another great option to maintain that crisp factor.
    • Microwave: This will warm the bhajis back up, but they won’t be crispy this way.

Freeze for Later

  • Cook then cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Line a baking sheet (one that can fit in the freezer) with parchment paper. Spread the bhajis across the baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours until the firm up.
  • Transfer the frozen/partially frozen bhajis to an airtight container or freezer safe bag and freeze up to one month.
  • Thaw and reheat: Thaw the onion bhajis by placing them in fridge overnight then reheat in the oven at 400°F/205°C for 5-6 minutes. Flip the bhajis over halfway through reheating.
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Enjoy as delicious side or starter to your favourite homemade Indian food or simply as a naturally gluten free and vegan snack.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

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Recipe

Yield:12 -14 bhajisPrep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes

Rate

Crispy Onion Bhajis make the perfect naturally gluten free and vegan snack or starter. Light, crispy, and completely moreish!

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (100 g) gram flour/chickpea flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 5-6 tablespoons (75-90 ml)water
  • oil for frying

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cumin and turmeric until combined.
  2. Add the chili, cilantro, lemon juice and water. Mix into thick batter.
  3. Add the sliced onions to the bowl. Mix well until all of the onions are fully coated in batter. I find this step is easiest and most thoroughly done with hands.
  4. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add enough oil so that you've got about an inch covering the bottom of the pan.
  5. When the oil is hot, carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Cook about 3-4 bhajis at a time (too many will crowd the pan and make it difficult for them to crisp up). Fry for about a minute on each side and then flip the bhajis to get the other side until golden.
  6. Remove each bhaji with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack to drain the excess oil. Continue until all of you batter in gone.
  7. Serve these hot on their own or with a cucumber mint raita and enjoy!

Notes

  • Red, white, yellow and/or brown onions all work.
  • Ideal oil temperature for frying is between 350°F-365°F/177°-185°C.
  • You can quickly and easily slice your onions with a spiralizer or mandolin slicer if desired.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 12

Serving Size:

1 bhajiCalories: 51Saturated Fat: 1gSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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About Sarah Nevins

Hi, I'm Sarah! Welcome to my little gluten free corner of the internet. I like eating vegetables, but sometimes I get distracted by cookies...

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review!

  1. Suzanne Lesley Waite-Pullan says

    Hi Sarah I can’t print your recipe without advertisem*nts it’s very hard to read on a phone or translate for vision impaired

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Hi Suzanne – Sorry about the inconvenience! There shouldn’t be any actual ads that show up on the printed page, but it might look like it does at first.

      After you press the print button near the top of the recipe section, it should open up a separate page with only the recipe instructions on it. This page might have ads on it, but it you open up the print preview you on your phone or computer it should show you the recipe without anything else on it.

      If the recipe does show up on the print preview then that’s something I’ll need to look into to figure out because it definitely shouldn’t! I’ve checked it on my computer/browser and the ads aren’t there, but sometimes different browsers show up different things. If the ads still show up for you, could you let me know what browser you’re using? And if it’s a phone or computer? This would help me hopefully figure out where things are going wrong.

      Sorry again about all the hassle!

      Reply

  2. John mac says

    Great flavours,very crispy not greasy, best I have ever tasted, 5/5

    Reply

  3. Peter Lockwood says

    Tried them for first time and came out great!

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed these – thanks, Peter!

      Reply

  4. Shaheen says

    Thansk for this bahjis…. Very testy

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Norma says

    Somehow I made them too thick. I probably didn’t get the measurements correct but the taste was good. Consistency was heavy. I’ll try again.

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Hi Norma! Glad you still enjoyed it despite the thick texture! If you run into that problem again you can always thin it out with extra water. Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of water – I imagine that should be enough 🙂

      Reply

  6. Susan Konopski says

    These were amazing – I’ll never settle for onion rings again.

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Yay! Thanks so much, Susan 🙂

      Reply

  7. Gerry Vasquez says

    How do you make the sauce for the onion bhajis?

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Hi Gary! I just made a basic cucumber raita: 1 cup greek yoghurt, 1 grated english cucumber, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar. Mix together and that’s it!

      Reply

  8. David Ransome says

    Made them a few times and they are delicious. Just made a new batch and added a tsp of curry powder also delicious. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them! Curry powder sounds like an excellent addition – thanks David!

      Reply

  9. Jennifer says

    Delicious and so easy to make.

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Thanks Jennifer!

      Reply

    • Duncan Stewart says

      Can these be made in advance and kept warm or do they loose there crispness?

      Reply

      • Sarah Nevins says

        Hi Duncan! Without reheating they will go soft over time. If you’re able to, I recommend you reheat them in the oven (375°F for about 10-15 minutes) to crisp them back up.

        Reply

  10. Jane says

    Best home cooked onion Bhakti recipe I have tried. Now our ‘go to’. Excellent

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Thank you so much, Jane! So thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂

      Reply

Older Comments

Onion Bhajis (Kanda Bhaji Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Why are my onion bhajis falling apart? ›

The best fix is to make sure your onion is as finely sliced as possible – the finer the mixture, the better it will bind. If your bhajis are still falling apart in the oven, we'd recommend trying a muffin tray lined with low calorie cooking spray to separate the mixture into 12 individual moulds.

What is onion bhaji called in English? ›

Kanda Bhaji are fried onion fritters. These crisp fritters are prepared mainly with onion and gram flour (besan). They make for a good tea time snack served with a side of green chutney or tomato ketchup. Onion bhaji is a popular street food snack in Maharashtra.

What is the difference between onion pakora and onion bhaji? ›

Onion Bhaji vs Pakora? They are technically the same. It could be a bhaji, bhajji, or pakora, depending on the region where it is made. In the west, it is known as bhaji; in the south, it is called pakodi; and in north India, it is known as pakoras.

Is onion bhaji healthy? ›

Combining thinly sliced onions with a spiced chickpea flour batter and pan-fried until crispy, these onion fritters are gluten-free, egg-free, vegan, and a healthy appetizer, snack, or side! There's nothing quite like a portion of onion bhaji to complete an Indian meal.

What consistency should bhaji batter be? ›

The consistency should be smooth and similar to double cream. 3. Add the chopped coriander, fenugreek leaves, potatoes and onion, mix well, making sure that all the potatoes and onions are covered in the batter. Cover and leave to stand for 30 mins.

Can you eat onion bhajis cold the next day? ›

You can eat it cold or reheat in the oven. To this day all the pies are still handmade on the original premises in Shelf, Halifax, West Yorkshire and use the finest ingredients.

Is kanda bhaji good for health? ›

Kanda is a carb and protein rich vegetable, loaded with zinc, phosphorous, potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A and calcium. It also constitutes phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids which play a major role in proper body functions. It also contains negligible amounts of fat and is water rich.

What is the difference between Sabzi and bhaji? ›

Sabji ideally is the one with gravy or drybbut not the grean leafy veggies. Green leafy veggies coocked dry are called as bhaji. However, with the people moving to whatsApp lingo and spoiling their languages by other means, both words are being used interchangeably. SABJI means the fresh green vegetables.

Can you reheat onion bhajis? ›

The onion bhajis will be at their crispiest when freshly cooked, but you can make them ahead if you prefer. Make the bhajis, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat on a tray (uncovered) in the oven at 200C/400F for 5-6 minutes, until hot throughout.

Can you eat onion bhajis without cooking? ›

Perfectly safe to eat cold. It's chick pea flour and onions, I think you'll be fine!

Can you freeze homemade onion bhajis? ›

Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following; Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough. Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.

Why are my onion bhajis soggy? ›

Cooking. Cyrus Todiwala's onion bhajis. It is very important to get the temperature of the oil right, as Todiwala explains: "Too hot [and] they will fry too fast and remain raw inside and gooey.

Are onion bhajis ok for diabetics? ›

If you suffer from diabetes, onion bhajia can help you with balancing out glucose, which thusly could stop its beginning. Onion bhajia are rich in minerals, it contains great measures of vitamin C. It also contains fiber, manganese, nutrient B6, potassium, copper.

Is it OK to eat onions everyday? ›

While onions offer many health benefits, consuming an excess amount can lead to gastrointestinal distress, such as irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux. Although onions are quite safe to consume, rarely they may harm your health if you have any underlying health conditions or when you consume them in excess.

Why is my pakora falling apart? ›

Pakoras are delicate, so, if yours are falling apart you likely (1) did not thoroughly and evenly heat your oil or (2) you did not remove enough excess moisture or include enough binding agent (besan) to hold your pakoras together.

Why do my onions keep falling over? ›

As maturation proceeds, necks soften and the weight of the leaves causes the tops to fall over. "Tops down" is the physiological response that results from compounds shuttled from the onion's leaves to its scales; consequently, the bulb swells and the tops dry down.

Why do my onion rings fall apart? ›

If the oil isn't hot enough, the dough will absorb the oil, creating soggy onion rings that may fall apart. Also, for the best onion rings ever, be sure not to overcrowd the frying vessel: Give your onion rings room to move around.

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