Wondering how to cook frozen onion bhaji in the air fryer? We tell you everything you need to know from the time and temperature to tips for getting the perfect crisp when air frying onion Bhajis.
Move over Taco Tuesdays, Friday is Curry Night. And you can’t have curry night without some amazing Indian appetizers such as onion bhajis and vegetable samosas.
Onion Bhajis, also known as onion pakoras are a popular street food snack or appetizer from India, South East Asia and parts of the Middle East.
Usually made by deep-frying finely sliced onions which have been dipped into batter which has been lightly spiced.
And our favorite way to cook onion Bhajis or pakoras, as they are interchangeably called, is in the air fryer. They don’t get as greasy as when you deep fry them, and in my opinion they get a much better crisp than when you oven cook them.
In fact these days I turn to the air fryer to cook many of my favorite frozen foods from frozen chicken nuggets, to frozen fries even frozen vegetables, the air fryer works a charm.
But before we get onto the instructions here are some of the questions we had when we started air frying frozen onion Bhajis
FAQS about how to cook frozen onion Bhajis in the air fryer
Is it safe to air fry frozen onion bhajis / onion pakoras?
Yes it is completely safe to air fry frozen onion bhajis / onion pakoras providing you cook them well and for long enough. Always check the temperature of food from the air fryer before serving.
Are frozen onion Bhajis good in air fryer?
Air fried frozen onion pakoras have fast become a favorite in our house on a Friday night. I love them as they are cooked so quickly, and you get a great even crisp by cooking them in this method.
Is it better to air fry or bake or deep fat fry onion Bhajis?
While Bhajis are usually deep fried, when you purchase frozen pakoras from the store there are two main ways to cook them. These are:
- in the oven
- in the air fryer.
In our opinion, although all these methods yield good results our favorite way to cook them is in the air fryer. Air fryer frozen samosas don’t hold the grease like deep frying samosas and in my opinion have a better crisp than when cooked in the oven.
What is the best brand of frozen pakoras to air fry?
When it comes to brand of frozen samosa, we actually haven’t found a brand that doesn’t air fry well. Trader Joes, Costco and Wholefoods usually stock them in the US with some of the big brand names being Deep, Haldirams, and Sukhis.
While in the UK you can find them in pretty much ever freezer or deli section.
As all the brands we have tried air fry well we recommend choosing the brand and flavor combination that most appeals to you.
Do you need to thaw frozen pakoras before air fryer?
One of the things that make this recipe really easy is that you don’t need to worry about thawing your pakora before air frying.
You just need to pop them into your air fryer (my basket can fit 4 at a time) and turn it to the right temperature and time and off you go!
Does this work for air frying frozen homemade onion Bhajis?
You can absolutely air fry homemade bhajis however due to the precook process and the oil content in store bought frozen bhajis the time required is different and oil will need to be added to the air fryer basket.
What to Serve with Onion Bhajis / Onion Pakoras
Onion Bhajis or onion pakoras are a very popular appetizer and therefore one of the most important things to serve with onion Bhajis in my opinion is a delicious dipping sauce.
Our favorite dipping sauces to serve with onion Bhajis are:
- Mint Raita
- Mango Chutney and
- Tamarind Sauce
are all natural sauces to serve with Bhajis.
And if you want to make an appetiser platter that features onion bhajis we also recommend serving vegetable samosas and vegetable pakoras as well as other Asian appetisers such as potstickers and egg rolls.
Storage
Once bhajis have been cooked in the air fryer I recommend consuming them immediately as after a day in the fridge they can go a little soggy. However you could keep these for up to 2 days in the fridge should you wish.
Pakoras certainly can not be refrozen after cooking.
What You’ll Need
- Frozen Onion Bhajis (brand of your choosing).
- An Air Fryer
Instructions
Cooking frozen onion Bhajis in the air fryer is super easy. All you have to do is place the required amount of frozen onion Bhajis into the air fryer basket.
My air fryer basket can fit four of these larger sized Bhajis in it at a time.
Don’t be tempted to oil the basket when cooking frozen onion bhaji. Store bought Bhajis already have oil in them so you will find that they become extra greasy and lose crisp if you put additional oil in.
Pop into the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.
For extra and a more even crisp you can turn the samosas at the half way mark.
Note: cooking time may vary depend on size of onion Bhajis and if your air fryer is already hot.
How to Air Fry Frozen Onion Bhaji Recipe Card
How to cook frozen onion bhaji in the air fryer
These instructions for how to cook frozen onion bhaji in the air fryer result in perfectly crisp and golden brown onion pakoras.
Ingredients
- 1 Packet Frozen Onion Bhaji
Instructions
- Place onion bhajis into air fryer basket without crowding or oiling basket.
- Set temperature to and cook for 10 minutes.
- For a more even color and cook we recommend turning at the half way mark.
Notes
Note: cooking time may vary depend on size of your bhajis and if your air fryer basket is already hot.
Do not overcrowd the basket or the pakoras will cook unevenly.
You can brush the top of the onion bhaji with oil to increase coloration in cooking.
More Great Frozen Foods Cooked in the Air Fryer
As I said above, we love our air fryer, so be sure to check out some of our other frozen food air fryer recipes
- Frozen Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer
- Frozen Salt and Pepper Squid in Air Fryer
- Frozen Potato Waffles in Air Fryer
Have you air fried frozen onion bhaji? If you try this recipe be sure to share it on social media and tag us @freezerfoodieblog