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Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

By:Nagi
127 Comments
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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:

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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 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Appetizer, Breakfast, Starter
Indian
4.89 from 36 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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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.

 

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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127 Comments

  1. Maren says

    5 stars
    Hello Nagi,
    I am so glad I found my way to your blog, it’s amazing!

    I way looking for a recipe with some potatoe-leftovers and found yours. I made the filling without the ginger and cilantro (I don’t like it that much), but it tasted great either way 🙂
    I have a mill at home, so I made the dough out of freshly grounded spelt and adjusted the amout of water – just like you said 🙂
    As a side dish I made some Hummus and it fit perfectly in!

    Thank you so much for this special and new dish. I’m definitely trying out some more fillings. Maybe a potatoe-mushroom-gren onion-kind? So many possibilities…!

    I hope you’re having a good day and feel hugged!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Hi Maren! Thanks so much for your lovely message. I’m so glad you enjoyed this, and thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x

      Reply

  4. Barbara says

    4 stars
    Wow, so tasty but I think I did something wrong. Mine browned up nicely but they didn’t get crispy even though I put them on a rack in the oven. Any hints as to what I did wrong. They are yummy but I want some crunch to them.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      Hi Barbara! So glad you enjoyed the flavour! These aren’t meant to be super crispy. But if you want crunch, roll the dough thinner and cook on high heat with slightly more oil 🙂 Oh and press down with an egg flip while cooking!

      Reply

  5. Mila furman says

    HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS!?! Omg so loving it!!!! Ahhh making making making! And the munchkin will love it because she loves playing with dough! Ahhhh this is soon fantastic!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      How did you even end up on this recipe?? 🙂 Such a co-incidence, I’m actually making these again today!!!

      Reply

  8. Chaela says

    5 stars
    Amazing! I didn’t have any garam masala so I substituted curry powder (about 1 TBSP) and added smoked paprika (about 1 tsp)–flavor was seriously amazing! My mashed potatoes were made with cream, butter, and copious amounts of salt! 🙂

    End result was incredible.

    Reply

  10. Sophia says

    I am new to your site. Thank you for the e-books and thank you for this recipe! It turned out exactly like your photos and it was so easy to make. Thank you for writing such clear instructions. My husband LOVES mashed potato and misses the knishes he ate on the streets of New York City long ago. I am hoping I can eventually use the same technique but season the potato the way knishes do. This is so much easier to make! Thanks again, looking forward to trying more recipes.

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Hi Sophia! I am so glad you “found” me. 🙂 And I’m glad you enjoyed the Aloo Paratha! This is a personal favourite of mine. I just adore big flavours, and this is right up there!! Your hubby is very lucky that you make amazing food like this for him!

      Reply

  11. Sheryn says

    5 stars
    I did this the other day and another WOW from your recipes Nagi. It is so delicious! Everybody enjoyed it. I commend you for providing visual instructions on how to make the bread. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Sheryn! I’m SO glad you loved it! Isn’t it amazing? I love Paratha, I am a bit obsessed with it. I must admit I get frozen ones on the rare occasion I go to an Indian speciality store, they are SO GOOD!!! But you can’t beat fresh! Thank you for taking the time to let me know you loved it!! 🙂

      Reply

  12. Kathleen | HapaNom says

    5 stars
    I just made this for dinner and it was a HUGE hit!!! My husband and I loved the bold spices and bit of heat! It was super easy to make and was quite filling! We will definitely make this on a regular basis!

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Oh yay!!! I love this sooo much….plus, you can put anything you want inside! I often put in leftover veggies – broccoli is one of my favourites, I just mush it up and use the same flavourings 🙂

      Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Thanks for visiting Hadia!! I absolutely adore Priya, both as a person and as a chef. This is definitely one of my favorites!

      Reply

  14. Maggie says

    5 stars
    Wow, stuffing potato to a flatbread? It sounds so new and damn good! And yes, I do have a lot of leftover potato that I can’t wait to get rid of! Love the spices in it, the curry powder just make it to the next level! 🙂

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Thanks Allie!! It really is so delicious, and I can’t take credit because it’s Priya’s recipe. I love it so much I ate all 4 for dinner!! Such a pig! 🙂

      Reply

  18. Sarah @ Savoring Spoon says

    5 stars
    Nagi this recipe is amazing! First I saw the word “Potato” and I was thinking ooooo this is going to be good! I’ve never stuffed mashed potatoes into flatbread but now I really need to. These look so simple yet innovate and delicious. Pinned! I will be making these once I make it out of my exams period. 🙂

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      Thanks Sarah!! I’m addicted to potato stuffed paratha. I used to buy frozen ones until I discovered how easy they are to make myself!!

      Reply

  19. Immaculate says

    5 stars
    Nagi, you sure know how to make a girl hungry. Every time, I look at your pictures am hungry – no matter the time of day. And your styling is one I could only dream of….. FABULOUS!

    Reply
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