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Home Beef Recipes

Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

By:Nagi
Published:7 Dec '14Updated:9 Mar '19
128 Comments
Recipe v

Here’s something different you can make with leftover potato that is really easy to make! Aloo Paratha is a potato stuffed flatbread that is a popular dish in India. This recipe is so flexible and I’ve provided loads of substitutions and alternatives so don’t be concerned about needing speciality Indian spices. I am addicted to this!

Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbreads) filled with mashed potato and spiced beef on a tray, ready to be served.

I was inspired to make this because I wanted to make something a little unique using leftover mashed potato I had from making Shepherd’s Pie Potato Skins (yet again….I love them!). This recipe is from my favourite Indian food blog, Priya’s Kitchenette. Besides the fact that Priya is an incredibly generous and kind person, she is phenonemal in the kitchen and her blog opened up the world of Indian cooking to me. She shares dishes that I order at Indian restaurants and shows how easy they are to make at home. And a whole lot healthier too because Indian food at restaurants and takeout places here in Sydney is really, really oily. But Indian home cooking is not. All the flavour with far less oil. Win, win!

“The flatbread dough is just flour, salt and water and takes 3 minutes to make. The filling is flavoured with garam masala, a staple Indian spice, but don’t worry if you don’t have it, there are easy alternatives!”

Parathas (Indian flatbreads) are very popular in India and are typically served for breakfast. However, in the Western world this is served as a side with curries, or as an appetiser. Along with naan, parathas are always a “must have” when I go out for Indian. You can get plain Parathas, but my favourite is Aloo Paratha (“Aloo” means “Potato”). I’m a carb monster. So a double carb hit is pretty much my idea of Perfect Food.

“This is one of those recipes where it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the listed ingredients – you can even substitute the potato! Change it up and use what you have. I’ve provided loads of suggestions for substitutions and alternatives. It is still going to be delicious!”

I promised you right up front that this is really easy and the main reason is because the dough is so easy to make and work with:

1. It is just made with flour, water and salt;

2. It only takes about 1 1/2 minutes to knead;

3. You don’t need to flour the work surface because the dough is not sticky. Even after kneading and rolling it out, the work surface will be perfectly clean; and

4. The dough is smooth, silky and elastic so it is really easy to roll out and stretch into the shape you want.

The filling is very simple: potato, shallots (scallions), ginger, coriander (cilantro) and some spices. The beauty of this recipe is that it doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the ingredients, you can substitute with so many other things or simply leave it out. Sure, what you end up with might not strictly be Aloo Paratha, but it is still going to be delicious. I’ve provided loads of suggestions for substitutions and alternatives. You don’t even need to use potato! You could use, for example, broccoli!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a pile of Parathas calling my name. Until next time! – Nagi

Hand reaching in to take a pice of Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbreads) filled with mashed potato and spiced beef.

More things stuffed in flatbreads!

Things stuffed inside flatbreads are always a good thing! I’ve done a few over the years:

  • Gozleme – Crispy Turkish olive oil flatbreads stuffed with spinach and feta

  • Crispy Ham and Cheese Pockets

  • Quesadillas

  • And handy Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas!

  • And though not stuffed, this ever popular Easy Soft Flatbreads has to make the list (use as naan for curries, Greek Gyros, Doner Kebab, Chicken Shawarma – the options are extensive!)

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Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbreads) filled with mashed potato and spiced beef on a tray, ready to be served.

Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 12 minutes mins
Total: 27 minutes mins
Appetizer, Breakfast, Starter
Indian
4.90 from 37 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 301
Aloo Paratha is a very popular breakfast dish in India. The beauty of this recipe is how flexible it is - there are so many options and variations you can do and I've provided a bunch of suggestions in the notes. The dough is extremely simple to make and handle. The only "must do" in this recipe is letting the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 1/2 cups plain white flour (Note 1)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water (Note 2)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any other cooking oil), ghee or butter

Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups mashed potato (Notes 3 and 4)
  • 1/2 cup shallots/scallions , chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped (optional - adds a nice burst of freshness)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger , grated (optional - Note 5)
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala (Note 6)
  • 1 tsp Ajwain/ Carom seeds OR 1 tsp thyme (Note 7)
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder (Note 8)
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Place the flour, water and salt in a bowl. Use a table knife to mix the ingredients together, then use your hands.
  • Once the dough is sort of formed, turn it out onto a work surface and knead it 60 times. It should be smooth and elastic, not sticky or crumbly.
  • Form the dough into a ball, cover with cling wrap and set aside for at least 20 minutes (up to a few hours). Do not refrigerate.
  • Meanwhile, make the Filling. Place all Filling ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
  • Preheat oven to very low (to keep Parathas warm because you can only cook one at a time).
  • Cut the dough into 4 pieces with a knife.
  • Take one ball and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a round about 18cm/7" in diameter.
  • Place 1/3 cup of the Filling into the middle of the rolled out dough.
  • Gather the edges of the dough to enclose the Filling (see photo below). Remove as much air as possible from inside then pinch to seal.
  • Flatten the ball slightly and shape the flattened disc into a circle using your hands.
  • Turn the dough over so the "sealed" side is facing down. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 1 1/2 cm / 2/3" thickness. Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non stick fry pan over medium heat.
  • Place one Paratha into the fry pan and cook the first side for 1 minute 45 seconds. Use an egg flip to check if it is ready to turn - the underside should be golden brown.
  • Turn the Paratha over and cook the other side for 1 minute 30 seconds.
  • Remove from fry pan onto a wire rack (this stops the underside from going soggy due to sweat) and place into a low oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining Parathas.
  • Add a small drizzle of the remaining oil into the pan (you should not need much). Proceed to cook the remaining Parathas.
  • Cut into 4 pieces and serve immediately. It can be served with chutney or yoghurt on the side. I find that the Filling has so much flavour that it doesn't need anything on the side.

Recipe Notes:

1. You can substitute with whole wheat flour if you wish. You may need to adjust the water quantity so start with 3/4 cup and work up from there, 1 tbsp at a time.
2. Different brands and qualities of flour will have minor differences in absorbency. Start with 1 cup of water, as per the recipe. Then adjust as required until the dough is right - it should be smooth and elastic, not sticky or crumble.
3. This works with leftover or freshly cooked mashed potato. With the leftover mashed potato, make sure that it isn't really runny mashed potato (i.e. like the really creamy French mashed potato which has loads of cream in it). You can also use roasted potatoes - just mash it up with a fork. The golden crunchy parts will add flavour into the filing.
4. You can substitute the potato with other mashed vegetables or soft cooked vegetables like broccoli. The vegetables just need to be cut into a small dice and cooked until soft so they can be "squashed" into shape when rolled out.
5. Ginger is optional - I often leave it out because I don't have it. Do not substitute with garlic (too sharp - doesn't cook out) or ground ginger (it doesn't "meld" into the Filling because the Filling does not get cooked).
6. Garam Masala is a spice mix and it is to Indian cooking what soy sauce is to Asian cooking. If you don't have this, you can substitute with the following: 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin + 1/2 tsp ground coriander + pinch of cardamon powder + pinch of cinnamon + pinch of nutmeg + good grind of black pepper.
If you don't have all those spices, just use the ones you have. As long as you at least have cumin + coriander + one of the other spices listed, you will still get the essence of Garam Masala (and it will still be very tasty!)
7. Ajwain/ Carom Seeds are used in Indian cooking and it tastes like thyme. If you don't have either of these options, you can substitute with one of the following: 3/4 tsp cumin seeds, 3/4 tsp caraway seeds, 1/2 tsp oregano + good grind of pepper.
8. Chili powder in India and Australia (where I live) is different to chili powder in America! American chili powder is mixed with all sorts of other flavourings, it is not just ground dried chili. The chili powder in this recipe is ground chili, not American chili. It adds heat to the Filling. You can use American chili powder if you want, but you might want to increase the amount to achieve the spice that is synonymous with Indian food. Or substitute with cayenne pepper.
9. Nutrition per serving.
Aloo Paratha Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 246gCalories: 440cal (22%)Carbohydrates: 76.6g (26%)Protein: 10.2g (20%)Fat: 9.9g (15%)Saturated Fat: 4.5g (28%)Trans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 16mg (5%)Sodium: 1183mg (51%)Potassium: 420mg (12%)Fiber: 3.4g (14%)Sugar: 104g (116%)Vitamin A: 650IU (13%)Vitamin C: 14mg (17%)Calcium: 40mg (4%)Iron: 4.1mg (23%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Preparation steps to make Aloo Paratha, Indian Stuffed Flatbreads filled with potato and spiced beef.

 

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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128 Comments

  1. virginia says

    April 29, 2020 at 1:14 am

    hi i had a small amount of flour in the bag and thought i would give it a go from my leftovers, and it was yummy, i made one,,i also make her bread rolls, all the time, easy peasy ginny

    Reply
    • nina says

      June 7, 2020 at 2:16 am

      does this freeze well?

      Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 29, 2020 at 8:05 am

      Perfect Virginia!! N x

      Reply
  2. Maria says

    April 10, 2020 at 6:58 am

    5 stars
    I like your recipes and I’m gonna try them I like the cinnamon rolls

    Reply
  3. Maria says

    April 10, 2020 at 6:56 am

    5 stars
    I was looking for a Gyro Bread Recipe and this web page came up so I saw some of your recipes and and I’m gonna try some

    Reply
  4. Valery S says

    April 6, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Hi, I just made this for my partner (who is Indian) and he was so impressed. It’s simple easy to follow and super delicious! Thank you. Will be doing more of your recipes in the future.

    Reply
  5. Ronnie says

    March 26, 2020 at 1:21 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious. Thanks😊

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 26, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      Thanks so much Ronnie! N x

      Reply
  6. Ken says

    January 28, 2020 at 2:17 am

    Very tasty! But I think I am missing some key point. I tried to follow your instructions (the pictures were very helpful!), but the dough was much thicker on the side where I had pinched it together. Probably three times as thick as the other side. How do I keep the dough thin on that side?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 28, 2020 at 6:31 am

      Hi Ken, did you roll it out again with a rolling pin after pinching it? N x

      Reply
  7. mobasir hassan says

    September 6, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    Ma’am , it is so delicious and you described everything so nicely and easily to understand. thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 7, 2019 at 12:05 pm

      You’re so welcome Mobasir!

      Reply
  8. Teri L Weakley says

    August 28, 2019 at 8:17 am

    Hi Nagi – have you ever tried refrigerating the dough overnight and then bringing it to room temperature the next day? What was (or what would be) the result? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 28, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      I haven’t tried Teri – I’m sure it would work the same way 🙂

      Reply
  9. Kate says

    August 20, 2019 at 10:04 am

    5 stars
    Well these were ridiculous..ly delicious! Thanks Nagi! The photo instructions of how to compile made them 👍👍👍

    Reply
  10. Lizzy says

    June 19, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    Thanks, its so easy

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 20, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Wahoo, thanks Lizzy ❤️

      Reply
  11. Honey says

    May 17, 2019 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    I love your recipes thank so much greetings from Switzerland

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 20, 2019 at 9:31 am

      I’m so glad you love it Honey!

      Reply
  12. Michelle says

    April 12, 2019 at 11:34 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi, I am so happy to find this recipe! I have been buying this bread (plain variety, no potato) frozen, but homemade is so much better. I have this bread almost every morning. I add crumbled feta cheese while it is heating on the stove, and then add fresh basil. Delicious, and so easy. Thank you for yet another amazing recipe!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 13, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      Yum!!!

      Reply
  13. KRISH says

    February 12, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    4 stars
    I used this recipe in my school project and when i alone at home

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 13, 2019 at 10:37 am

      Great Krish!

      Reply
  14. Petra says

    October 29, 2018 at 9:42 am

    4 stars
    I’m a great fan of yours Nagi and use your recipes every other day. So many time savers, big flavours and compliments to me for cooking!
    I did make the aloo paratha recipe but wondered if 1Tbs of garam masala should really be 1tsp? I found the garam masala really strong, or maybe it’s just the brand of garam masala I’m using? Anyway, otherwise I follow everything you write to the letter and the scrumptiousness speaks for itself!

    Reply
  15. Amy Williams says

    July 11, 2018 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi!
    I’m using you to learn how to cook! I wanted to make your butter chicken tomorrow, and an attempt at bombay potatoes (p.s. would love it if you posted your recipe for bombay potatoes! I feel like a traitor going elsewhere for one). I was thinking I could put extra potatoes on the boil to set aside for this, but the bombay recipe wants me to boil with tumeric. Do you think mash potatoes with tumeric on them would work as a filling for these? Also do you know how much raw potato ends up being 1 and a half ups of mash? Any help you can offer would be great, thank you! I’m a total noob.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 11, 2018 at 8:52 pm

      Be a traitor!! I can’t post every recipe everyone needs! Tumeric flavoured potatoes would be amazing in this 🙂 You’ll need about 1 1/2 potatoes about the size of tennis balls to make 1 1/2 cups of mash 🙂

      Reply
      • Amy Williams says

        July 11, 2018 at 9:39 pm

        I bet you could! Thanks so much for the help x

        Reply
  16. Shaki says

    April 24, 2018 at 2:56 am

    5 stars
    Made these for dinner.so tasty.my father liked them so much.😃
    For the filling I used mashed potatoes with onion,garlic,pepper,cumin seeds,Chillie powder n Garam masala n tempered this with little bit of butter.

    Thanku very much for the recipe Nagi.👍👍

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 25, 2018 at 8:08 pm

      Love hearing that Shaki! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 N x

      Reply
  17. Ron van den Eijnden says

    November 17, 2017 at 9:40 am

    Hi Nagi,
    Greatings from Holland.
    Because you are my “goto” kitchen goddes I searched your site first when I was look for a home made Chutney. My search ended here. So my question is here to.
    Will you please try and post a Chutney recipe? (recipi recepe pff such a hard word for us dutchies 🙂 )
    I will continue my search elsewhere but how great it will be what I find, I will surely try yours.
    Excuse my bad english. Writing is harder then reading

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 19, 2017 at 4:36 pm

      Please don’t apologise! The fact that you can speak / write/ read more than one language is already admirable 🙂 I will certainly add that to my list! You mean Indian ones? N x

      Reply
      • Ron van den Eijnden says

        November 19, 2017 at 8:29 pm

        Indian would be great but other variatys can be nice to. Surprise me.

        Reply
  18. Hope says

    October 9, 2017 at 9:04 am

    How many servings does this make?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 9, 2017 at 7:41 pm

      Hi! I make 4 large or 6 smaller ones 🙂 N x

      Reply
  19. Anil Kumar says

    August 11, 2017 at 3:46 am

    4 stars
    Very delicious recipe of potato paratha

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 11, 2017 at 7:07 pm

      I’m so pleased to hear that Anil! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this recipe 🙂 N xx

      Reply
  20. Kasia says

    August 3, 2017 at 6:43 am

    Hi Nagi! What a delicious way to use all leftover potatoes! Just what I was looking for! I was planning to make your parathas day ahead. Could you advise can they be reheated in the microwave?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 4, 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Hi Kasia! They are better if reheated on the stove, just to get that crispy exterior. Can you do that? 🙂 N x

      Reply
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