Easy onion bhajis recipes (2024)

Updated: Jan 12, 2023 by Corina Blum · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 29 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This easy onion bhajis recipe is the perfect side dish or appetiser for an Indian dinner at home. Simple and quick to make and so crispy too. Perfect with a squeeze of lemon!

If you've ever wondered how to make onion bhajis like the ones from a takeaway then you've come to the right place. In fact, these are even better. Crispy, light and incredibly addictive!

For a long time I had planned to make onion bhajis. I love Indian food and we almost always get them with a takeaway. However, for a long time, I'd never actually made onion bhajis myself. I think it's because of the deep frying. I rarely deep fry because let's face it, it's not the healthiest way to cook.

But, I don't want to discourage you. A homemade curry can be such a healthy meal that a little fried food on the side is not going to do any harm, especially not when it's something as deliciously tasty and crispy as these homemade bhajis!

Also, these are full of onions and the hidden veg inside these delicious little onion bhajis is a great way of getting picky eaters to eat a few more vegetables. Just as it is in my spicy pea pakoras and my cauliflower pakoras!

Onion bhajis as good as from a Takeaway!

I was really pleased with just how delicious this onion bhaji recipe turned out to be! They tasted just like I expect onion bhajis to taste. That may sound a bit weird. After all, wasn't I trying to create an onion bhaji recipe?

Yes, but sometimes whenyou try to recreate something you know really well, it doesn't quite match up to how you were expecting. Even if it still tastes good!

Not so with this onion bhajis recipe! They were just how I wanted them to be. You might have noticed in the recipe that these onion bhajis contain cashew nuts. That's something I came across in a couple of recipes and I do like the slight nuttiness they add.

Can you adapt these onion bhajis?

Oh yes! You can just vary the spicing. Why not add some extra ground spices such as cumin and turmeric?

I find that with one chilli pepper they aren't very hot so you can add more. And if you are serving them to people who don't like chilli heat you can miss the fresh chillies out. Alternatively, if you want a chilli kick with your onion bhajis you can just serve a hot pickle or chutney on the side.

If you want to adapt the recipe more drastically you could add some other vegetables as well as the onions. How about some grated carrot?

You can vary the onion element by using a mixture of different types of onions or alliums. How about adding leeks, red onions and spring onions?

Can you reheat onion bhajis?

If you don't eat all of these bhajis when they are freshly made just store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you want to eat them just pop them in a hot oven for 5 minutes to heat up. They will have gone a bit soft in the fridge but reheating in the oven will help them to crisp up again.

If you have an air fryer you can also reheat them in that. It will make them deliciously crispy again.

You can also reheat them in the microwave but they won't be crispy.

Can you freeze onion bhajis?

Yes, if you prepare these in bulk you can freeze a batch for later. They'll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze, put them in a single layer on a baking tray and once they are frozen, put them in an airtight container. You can cook them from frozen and they will take about 8 minutes at 180C.

More Indian Recipes

If you like Indian food then do check out my recipe collection of easy homemade curries. You might also like my easy spicy recipes for midweek meals collection!

Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Raita
Spicy Dry Curried Okra and an Indian Cookery Class
Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry - Gluten Free
Chicken Tikka Masala - The Top Homemade Takeaway

Recipe

Onion Bhajis

Corina Blum

This easy onion bhajis recipe is the perfect choice to make next time you're making an Indian dinner at home. Simple and quick to make and great with a squeeze of lemon!

4.50 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6

Calories 45 kcal

Ingredients

1 large onion sliced
1 green chilli pepper thinly sliced
8 g ginger grated
10 dry curry leaves crushed ( or a few fresh ones, sliced)
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
Pinch salt
10 cashew nuts chopped
4 tablespoon gram flour (chickpea flour)
Pinch bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 lemon optional (to serve)

Instructions

Put the onions, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, chilli powder and salt into a bowl and mix together. Leave to stand for a few minutes.
Add the cashew nuts and sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Add a small amount of water at a time, mixing it in until a thick batter is formed.
Heat oil in a saucepan. Take a spoon and carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil. Deep fry until they are golden and crispy on the outside.
Serve with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over them.
See Also
25 Authentic Spanish Tapas Recipes To Make at Home Easy Homemade Candied Ginger Recipe | Montana Happy 3 Ways To Dehydrate Fruit At Home & 7 Delicious Recipes Homemade Naan Bread Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and a guideline only.

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 31mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 37.5mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.5mg

Keyword onion bhajis

Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram @Searchingforspice

Pin for later!

Places I'm sharing these Easy Onion Bhajis

Cook Blog Share hosted by Flipped Out Food

More Side Dish Recipes

Air Fried Broccoli with Parmesan
Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Spicy Homemade Cauliflower Pakoras
Creamy Feta Dip with Sumac, Mint and Lemon

About Corina Blum

Corina Blum loves easy healthy recipes that taste great and often involve spices. She's a big fan of air frying and loves developping recipes inspired by global flavours. As well as a food content creator shes also a busy mum of two children.

Get weekly post updates!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Ramya
January 30, 2022 at 2:02 pm

I have tried this Onion Bhaji and it came out so yummy. Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated. My boyfriend loves that.
Reply
- Corina Blum
  February 02, 2022 at 11:39 am
  Thank you for letting me know Ramya! I'm so pleased your boyfriend liked the recipe.
  Reply
Vanessa
January 20, 2021 at 5:38 am
What sauce is best to serve with the onion bhajis?
Reply
- Corina Blum
  January 20, 2021 at 9:19 am
  Hi Vanessa, I like to serve them with a squeeze of lemon and a yogurt dipping sauce. A simple cucumber raita is good or you could try my recipe for tomato, cucumber and onion raita.
  Reply
- Glo
  April 06, 2021 at 6:44 pm
  Hi Corina. I recently got an
  Air fryer. Would it be OK to air fry bhajis ? and if so, any idea at what temp & how long ?
  Reply
  - Corina Blum
    April 06, 2021 at 9:11 pm
    Hi, yes bhajis would work in the air fryer. I haven't experimented with them in it to be completely sure but I would suggest 8 minutes at 180C. Put them on a layer of baking paper and flip them over half way through.
Nyra Jones
August 27, 2019 at 5:45 pm
Hi Can I make these with GF flour instead of rice flour. Also can you freeze them . thankyou in advance
Reply
- Corina Blum
  August 28, 2019 at 10:55 am
  Hi Nyra, these are made from gram flour which is made from chickpeas and so are naturally gluten free. You can make them in advance and freeze them. When you want to eat them, just pop them straight in the oven at about 180C for about 5 minutes so they defrost and crisp up again.
  Reply
  See Also
  21 Easy Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery
October 25, 2018 at 8:22 pm

You really can't beat a lovely homemade bhaji and these look lovely!
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 26, 2018 at 6:26 am
  Thanks Midge!
  Reply
Mayuri Patel
October 24, 2018 at 10:06 pm

Yummy, haven't made onion bhajis in a long time. I love your idea of adding chopped cashew nuts and curry leaves. Awesome flavors.
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 25, 2018 at 6:19 am
  Thanks Mayuri! The cashew nuts do add a lovely texture to the onion bhajis.
  Reply
Jhuls
October 23, 2018 at 7:29 am
I am sure I would love these as I love onions. 😀 These would make a perfect appetizer or snack. Thank you for sharing, Corina. x
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 23, 2018 at 8:11 am
  Thanks Jhuls! I'm sure you would love them - they are incredibly moreish! x
  Reply
Recipes Made Easy
October 22, 2018 at 6:18 pm
Love onion Bhajis and these look so good Corina. If I made them I would probably scoff the lot!
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 23, 2018 at 8:11 am
  Haha! It is hard not to! I would definitely advise anyone to make a double batch when they do make these!
  Reply
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
October 17, 2018 at 9:09 pm
I can honestly say that these are unlike anything I have eaten before—let alone cooked. But I can practically taste the crunch from these gorgeous photos. And if I can use them to get my kids to eat more veggies? WIN. Thanks for linking up with #cookblogshare!
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 18, 2018 at 10:08 am
  We almost always get them if we're being lazy and ordering an Indian takeaway but actually they are so easy to make that I'll also make them at home more from now on too! And yes, they are a great way to get kids to eat their veggies. Well, one of mine did! Little Miss Spice loved them but Master Spice wouldn't try them even though he's the one who normally likes onions!
  Reply
All That I'm Eating
October 16, 2018 at 3:10 pm
These have come out just the perfect colour, they look SO good. Would love to give them a try!
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 17, 2018 at 9:09 am
  Thanks so much! I have to admit I was really pleased with how they turned out so do let me know if you try them.
  Reply
Monika
October 15, 2018 at 10:54 pm
These look fabulous, I adore onion bajhis. By the way, apparently deep frying is not as unhealthy as we might think, as long as the oil is very hot it doesn't get inside the food. Read it somewhere.
Reply
- Corina Blum
  October 16, 2018 at 7:55 am
  I'll have to remember that and not apologise for deep frying in future! I'm so pleased you like them though.
  Reply
joyinthearts
October 27, 2012 at 1:08 am
Can you please excplain:
What is the difference between Onion pakoras & Onion Bhajis? Thank you for your WONDERFUL site!
Reply
- Corina
  October 27, 2012 at 7:13 am
  I think pakoras is the general name for this type of fried snack. You can make pakoras with lots of different vegtables. When they are made with onion they are usually called onion bhajis.
  Reply
Katerina
October 17, 2012 at 2:27 pm
I have never made or seen these onion bhajis. They look so delectable!
Reply
Jacqueline @How to be a Gourmand
October 16, 2012 at 2:54 pm
I love onion bhaji and I would never have known you add cashew nuts to the recipe. Doubly delicious!
Reply
Shelley C
October 15, 2012 at 7:04 pm
Oooh - those look super interesting and super tasty. What a great choice!
Reply
Rebekah
October 15, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Those sound so interesting! I haven't tried much Indian food, but I bet I would really like these.
Reply
Gluten Free A-Z
October 15, 2012 at 5:58 pm
So glad to have this recipe. I love Indian food too, but never have a clue how to make it.. These onion Bahjis look amazing. Thanks
Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

FAQs

Why are my onion bhajis falling apart? ›

Do you need any special ingredients to make these Onion Bhajis? You don't need anything unusual to make this recipe – it's really easy and simple to make. The onion in this recipe should be sliced very thinly. If it's not you may find that the Onion Bhajis tend to fall apart and not really hold their shape.

Know More ›

What is an onion bhaji made of? ›

Finely sliced onion smothered in a simple, fragrantly spiced batter and fried to crispy perfection. This recipe uses gram flour – which is a flour made from chickpeas. This means they're also naturally gluten free!

Get More Info ›

What is the difference between onion bhaji and onion pakora? ›

The differences come in the ingredients that are deep fried and the spices that are added to the flour. If you're interested in a spicier version that can also include meat, then opt for pakoras. If you want a traditional onion fritter, then bhajis might be best for you.

Learn More ›

Do you eat onion bhajis hot or cold? ›

Gently fried onion fritter spiced with cumin, turmeric and coriander. Can be eaten cold or reheated in the oven.

Explore More ›

How healthy are onion bhajis? ›

It also contains fiber, manganese, nutrient B6, potassium, copper. Onion bhajia are very low in calories one more valid justification is to eat it as a guide to weight loss, likewise known to assist with killing microbes that might cause colds and other nasties throughout the cold weather months.

Get More Info ›

What do we call bhaji in English? ›

borrowed from Hindi, Marathi or Gujarati bhājī "fried greens, greens, vegetables," going back to Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrit) bhajjiā- "fried vegetables," derivative of bhajjia- "fried," going back to Sanskrit bharjita-, verbal adjective from the root of bhṛjjati "(he/she) roasts"

Learn More ›

Do onion bhajis contain lentils? ›

directions. Soak lentils for a few hours and wash. Blend into a paste (without cooking them). Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and roll into golf ball size balls (the lentils should hold the onions together, if not add more lentils or try adding an egg) Deep fry until golden brown.

Tell Me More ›

What is the Indian substitute for onions? ›

Asafetida powder is a ground powder from the gum of giant fennel, and is often used as a garlic and/or onion substitute in cooking -- especially for those who's diets may not allow garlic or onion consumption.

Keep Reading ›

Why are onion bhajis not vegan? ›

Traditionally, yes, onion bhajis are suitable for vegans. They're made from a batter comprising of flour, baking powder, lemon juice and a variety of spices, not forgetting the onions themselves.

Tell Me More ›

What does pakora mean in Indian? ›

Pakora (pronounced [pəˈkɔːɽa]) is a fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold by street vendors and served in restaurants in South Asia. It consists of ingredients, often vegetables such as potatoes and onions, coated in seasoned gram flour batter and deep fried.

View Details ›

Do onion bhajis contain eggs? ›

In short, it depends! Most onion bhaji recipes seem to contain egg or milk or BOTH, but not these. My onion bhaji recipe is completely vegan! I use psyllium husk powder as a "binder" but see below for my substitution suggestions if you don't have any to hand.

Read On ›

Where does onion bhaji come from? ›

Onion bhaji originated in the South Indian state of Karnataka and is a teatime favourite for the locals that quickly became the go-to snack when you welcome guests to your home.

Show Me More ›

Which part of the onion do I not cut? ›

Try to leave the root end intact and only remove the skin from the section of the onion you're slicing. According to The National Onion Association, “the root end has the highest concentration of sulphuric compounds that make your eyes tear.” As you cut, it's best to cover or move the exposed parts of the onion.

Discover More Details ›

Why do my onion rings fall apart? ›

If the oil isn't hot enough, the dough will absorb the oil, creating soggy onion rings that may fall apart. Also, for the best onion rings ever, be sure not to overcrowd the frying vessel: Give your onion rings room to move around.