Potato & Peas Samosa Pinwheels (With Puff Pastry)

These bite size samosa pinwheels come together in no time! A fun and flavorful indian fusion appetizer, they are a creative twist on traditional punjabi samosa. Not only are they easy to make, but they're incredibly delicious. You can prep them ahead of time, refrigerate, and simply bake or air fry when ready to serve. They're a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and tend to disappear fast!

I love them dipped in sweet tamarind chutney for a sweet & spicy bite, though green chutney is delicious too.

When I published these samosa pinwheels for the very first time on my Instagram page in 2020, the idea went viral almost instantly. Since then, I've made all kinds of samosa-inspired fusion recipes like samosa tart and samosa sticks. But these pinwheels are still the most loved by you all.

And honestly, I get why. Imagine spicy aloo & matar samosa filling fragrant with coriander powder, cumin, hing (asafotedia), ginger and green chillies all rolled up in buttery puff pastry and baked to perfection. It looks fancy, tastes amazing and since we use ready to use puff pastry than make a dough at home, it takes way less time than traditional samosas.

Classic Punjabi samosas are made without onion and garlic, and my aloo samosa filling stays true to that tradition. Adding onion and garlic does alter the classic flavor, but feel free to include them if you prefer. Also, coriander seeds is the highlight of authentic punjabi samosa, you may feel that 1.5 teaspoon is too much, but trust me.

In my very first attempt, I added the samosa filling only at the center (see old images), so the potato mash ended up just in the middle of the pinwheels, surrounded by crispy, buttery pastry. Over time, as I experimented with more pinwheel recipes, I realized there's plenty of room to spread the filling more evenly across the pastry, while still keeping that deliciously crisp, buttery bite intact.

Why I Love Samosa Pinwheels

• They are totally irresistible and will give you all the indulgent feels of eating a samosa. Because the pinwheels are baked in buttery puff pastry, they have the same satisfying crunch and richness you'd expect from deep-fried samosas, but without the hassle.
• Perfect to serve a crowd- these are vegetarian!
• You can prep them ahead. Assemble the pinwheels a day ahead, keep them chilled in the fridge, and bake the, fresh when you're ready.A smart and stress- free appetizer that's big on flavor and convenience.
• You can also divide the work over 2-3 days. Make samosa filling a day ahead. Next day stuff and roll the pastry. On the day you want to serve, simply slice and bake. 
• They are super customizable. Add paneer, corn or a touch of cheese for your own twist.

Ingredients

How To Make Samosa Pinwheels

Prepare the Spiced Potato Pea Samosa Filling

1. Boil potatoes with a bit of salt added to water. This really flavors them. Peel the cold boiled potatoes and using your hands, crumble them into small pieces. Avoid using a masher, we do want some texture and not a pasty filling. Set aside.
2. In a frying pan, add ghee and heat up on medium heat. Temper the hot oil with cumin seeds, hing and coarsely crushed coriander seeds. Also add the chopped ginger and green chillies. Fry for about 10-15 seconds taking care not to burn spices or aromatics. Take the pan off the stove if needed.

1. Next, sprinkle red chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for few seconds.
2. Then, add the potatoes and green peas to the pan. Sprinkle salt, garam masala powder and amchur powder.
3. Mix everything very well until the potatoes are covered very well in spices.
4. Reduce the heat to low and stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the potatoes are warmed through. Switch off the stove. 
5. Add the cilantro. Mix, taste and adjust the salt if needed. Samosa filling is ready. 
6. Transfer to a bowl or let the filling completely cool down completely in the pan.

Stuff Samosa Filling in Puff Pastry

9. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure you are working in a cold environment, else working with puff pastry gets quite difficult if it gets warm.
10. Lightly flour your working surface and unroll one of the thawed puff pastry sheet (they usually come 2 in one pack). Keep the second pastry refrigerated while you work with first one.
11. Using a rolling pin, gently roll to smooth out the folds of the pastry and slighly enlarge it while still keeping the rectangle shape intact.
12. Spread half of the cooled samosa filling all over the rolled pastry leaving a ½ inch space from edges. Avoid overfilling. Using a spatula press down the peas into the potatoes else they will pop out when you cut the pinwheels.

9. Starting from the longer edge, tightly roll the puff pastry into a log. At the seam, brush little water and seal the log.
10. Using a sharp knife, cut the loose dough at both ends. Wrap the log in a cling film and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
11. While the first log is chilling, repeat the process with the second puff pastry sheet and the remaining samosa filling.

Slice and Bake

13. Using a sharp knife, cut the chilled log about 1 to 1.5 inch thick pinwheels. When you cut the pinwheels at first they look wonky. Shape them using your thumb and first finger into a roundish shape.

13. Place the pinwheels on the baking sheet 2 inches apart, they will spread.
14. Chill in refrigerator again for at least 10 minutes before you bake. The colder they hit the oven, the crisper they are.
15. Meanwhile,preheat oven to 400 F (or the temperature indicated on your puff pastry package).
16. Brush the pinwheels liberally with melted butter. Bake for 16-18 minutes in preheated oven until light golden brown. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even browning.Start checking after 16 minutes so that the bottoms do not get overly browned.

13. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes. Then, transfer using a spatula to a cooling rack to keep the bottoms crisp. Serve warm with chutneys and chai.

Samosa Pinwheels in Air Fryer

You could cook the samosa pinwheels in the air fryer if you wish. Place pinwheels in a single layer on the basket of air fryer. Layer them with space in between because they will spread as they puff. Air fry at 375F (190C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.

Note - Air Frying isn't my favorite because air fryer basket is smaller in size compared to a baking sheet & you will need to air fry in many batches. However, if you are making a small batch of pinwheels, it is fine to use air fryer.

Recipe Tips

• Always thaw puff pastry before using. I find its best to pull it out of the freezer and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
• Add some finely chopped roasted cashews or golden raisins to the filling for a nutty, sweet bite.
• For clean pinwheel slices, chill the log thoroughly and use a very sharp knife (a serrated knife works well too)