10+ Snacks Recipes Indian You’ll Love to Try Today

Indian snack recipes are honestly a playground of flavors and textures. You can whip these up pretty easily, and they’re perfect for any mood or time of day.

If you’re itching to try something new or just want more excitement in your snack routine, these are for you.

Whether you’re into spicy, mild, or just plain savory, Indian snacks cover all the bases. You don’t need anything fancy—just everyday ingredients and a little curiosity.

1) Onion Bhaji

Onion bhaji is that crunchy, addictive Indian snack you can’t stop eating. You toss sliced onions with spices and chickpea flour, then fry until golden.

It’s simple, quick, and you can dip them in chutney or just eat them straight. The outside is crispy, and the inside stays soft—kind of perfect.

Honestly, they’re a hit at parties or even packed in a lunchbox. You really just need a handful of ingredients and a few minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup gram flour (chickpea flour)
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix onions, gram flour, chilies, cumin seeds, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add a splash of water—just enough to hold everything together in a thick batter.
3. Heat oil in a pan to about 350°F (175°C).
4. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil.
5. Fry for 3–4 minutes until golden and crispy.
6. Let them drain on paper towels.

Want more details? Here’s a simple Onion Bhaji recipe.

2) Chaat Tikki

Chaat Tikki is a quick Indian snack that’s all about layers. You get crispy potato patties (tikkis) with spicy chickpeas (chole), and then you go wild with yogurt and chutneys.

It’s tangy, spicy, crunchy, and soft—kind of a flavor explosion. I love how you can tweak it with onions, coriander, or a pinch of chaat masala.

Serve it warm and let the textures do their thing. It’s easy to make your own version.

Ingredients

• Potatoes, boiled and mashed
• Chickpeas (chole), cooked and spiced
• Tamarind chutney
• Mint chutney
• Yogurt (plain)
• Red onion, finely chopped
• Chaat masala
• Oil, for frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix mashed potatoes with spices and form into small patties.
2. Fry them in hot oil until golden and crisp.
3. Warm up your spiced chickpeas.
4. Put patties on a plate and top with chickpeas.
5. Spoon on yogurt, tamarind, and mint chutneys.
6. Add chopped onions and a sprinkle of chaat masala.
7. Eat right away.

Here’s the Chaat Tikki recipe if you want to dive deeper.

3) Dabeli

Dabeli is a street snack from Gujarat, and honestly, it’s a flavor bomb. You mash potatoes with spices, stuff them in a pav (soft bread), and then top with roasted peanuts and pomegranate.

Toasted pav with butter is a must. Special tamarind-date chutney gives it that sweet-tangy kick.

There are tons of ways to make dabeli, but the magic’s in that spicy-sweet balance.

Ingredients

• Pav bread
• Boiled potatoes
• Tamarind-date chutney
• Red chili powder
• Roasted peanuts
• Pomegranate seeds
• Chaat masala
• Butter
• Onions
• Fresh coriander

Cooking Instructions

1. Mash boiled potatoes and mix with chili powder and chaat masala.
2. Toast pav lightly in butter.
3. Spread tamarind-date chutney inside the pav.
4. Stuff with spicy potato mix.
5. Top with onions, peanuts, pomegranate, and coriander.
6. Close the pav and serve warm.

More on this Dabeli recipe.

4) Phool Makhana Snack

Phool Makhana, or fox nuts, is a snack I go for when I want something light but still crunchy. You just roast them in a bit of ghee or butter until they’re golden.

They taste great on their own or with tea. Toss in some salt, chili powder, or turmeric for a little extra zing.

Just keep the heat at medium and stir now and then. Five to seven minutes should do it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups phool makhana (fox nuts)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ghee or butter
• Salt to taste
• Optional: chili powder, turmeric, or chaat masala

Cooking Instructions

1. Melt ghee or butter in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add makhana and stir.
3. Roast for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until they’re crunchy and golden.
4. Sprinkle salt and spices, mix, and enjoy warm.

Details here: roasting phool makhana.

5) Samosa

Samosa is that classic Indian snack—crunchy on the outside, soft and spicy inside. You find them everywhere, usually with chutney or just a hot cup of chai.

The filling is mostly potatoes and peas with a bunch of spices. The dough is pretty basic: flour, water, and a bit of oil.

You fill, fold, and deep fry until golden. The first bite is always the best.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil (for dough)
• Oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt, and oil. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Rest for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, peas, and potatoes. Stir in spices and cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool.
3. Divide dough into balls, roll each out, and cut in half.
4. Shape each half into a cone, fill with potato mix, and seal with water.
5. Fry in hot oil at 350°F (175°C) until golden. Let them drain.

Full recipe at this Indian food blog.

6) Vada

Vada is a lentil-based snack that’s crispy outside and soft inside. I love it for breakfast or as an evening treat.

You’ve got Medu Vada (with urad dal) and Masala Vada (with chana dal). Both get mixed up with spices, onions, and herbs, then fried.

Serve them with chutney or sambar. They’re deep-fried, super crunchy, and honestly, they disappear fast.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal or chana dal
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• A few curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions:

1. Soak lentils for 4 hours, then drain.
2. Grind to a smooth batter—skip the water if you can.
3. Stir in onions, chilies, curry leaves, and salt.
4. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
5. Shape batter into rounds or doughnuts.
6. Fry 3–4 minutes until golden and crispy.
7. Let them drain and eat hot.

7) Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka is one of those snacks that feels special but isn’t hard to make. You cut paneer into cubes and marinate them in spiced yogurt.

Grill, bake, or just pan-fry them on a tawa. The high heat gives the paneer a charred, smoky flavor that’s just so good.

You don’t even need an oven—just a hot pan. Paneer Tikka is great for sharing, and it’s even better with green chutney.

Ingredients

• 250g paneer, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp oil or ghee
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Cooking Instructions

1. Combine yogurt, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, salt, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl.
2. Toss in paneer cubes and coat well. Let them marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Heat a tawa or grill pan over medium-high.
4. Cook paneer 3–4 minutes per side until you see a little char.
5. Serve hot with chutney or salad.

Want to bake? Try 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, flipping once. Air fryer works too. Full details at this Paneer Tikka recipe.

8) Aloo Tikki

Aloo Tikki is a classic Indian snack, and honestly, it’s hard not to love it. You start by boiling and mashing potatoes, then mixing them up with spices and herbs.

Shape that mix into small patties—nothing too fancy, just round and a bit flat. Toss them in a pan and shallow fry until the outsides turn golden and crispy.

People eat Aloo Tikki on its own, but it’s also great tucked into sandwiches or burgers. If you’re ever craving something filling and flavorful, this is a solid go-to.

Ingredients

• 4 medium boiled potatoes, mashed
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1 small chopped green chili (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• Oil for shallow frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix mashed potatoes with cumin powder, chaat masala, chili, cilantro, salt, and breadcrumbs.
2. Shape the mixture into round flat patties.
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
4. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.
5. Remove and drain on paper towels before serving.

9) Methi Pakoda

Methi Pakoda brings together fresh fenugreek leaves and a crispy batter. The flavors pop, especially when you dip them in chutney or have them with tea.

You make the batter with chickpea and rice flour. Spices like cumin, ajwain, and red chili powder give it a nice kick.

Just drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown. That’s it—crunchy, savory, and honestly pretty addictive.

Ingredients

• Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) – 1 cup
• Chickpea flour (besan) – 1 cup
• Rice flour – 2 tbsp
• Onion (finely chopped) – 1 small
• Green chili (finely chopped) – 1
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Ajwain seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Water – as needed
• Oil – for deep frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash and chop fenugreek leaves finely.
2. Mix besan, rice flour, spices, and salt in a bowl.
3. Add chopped onion, chili, and fenugreek leaves.
4. Pour water little by little and make a thick batter.
5. Heat oil in a pan to 350°F (175°C).
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil carefully.
7. Fry pakodas until golden brown on all sides.
8. Remove and drain on paper towels.
9. Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

Learn more about Methi Pakoda recipes here.

10) Butter Murukku

Butter Murukku is one of those snacks you just keep reaching for. It’s a crunchy, spiral-shaped treat that gets its rich flavor from rice flour and butter.

The butter makes the inside a little softer, while the outside stays crisp. You can use mild or bold spices—totally up to you.

Once you mix the dough and get used to shaping it, making murukku is actually pretty quick. It’s a favorite during festivals, but honestly, you don’t need an excuse.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1.5 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• Oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss rice flour, gram flour, cumin seeds, and salt into a bowl.
2. Add the melted butter. Mix it in with your hands until everything’s combined.
3. Slowly pour in water, just a little at a time.
4. Work it into a soft dough—don’t rush this part.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan. Aim for about 350°F (175°C).
6. Fill a murukku press with dough and squeeze out spirals right into the hot oil.
7. Fry them for 3-4 minutes, or until they look golden and crisp.
8. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out.
9. Let them rest on paper towels to drain off the extra oil.
10. Wait until they cool down a bit before serving.