If there's one Indian street food I can never resist, it's Samosa Chaat - a restaurant-style, crowd-pleasing chaat you can easily make at home. Think flaky, golden samosas topped with spicy chana (chole), cooling sweet yogurt, zesty chutneys, plus crunchy onions and sev. This easy samosa chaat recipe delivers the perfect balance of spicy, tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors using simple pantry ingredients and samosas.
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This Samosa Chaat is one of those recipes that instantly takes me back to India! The vibrant streets, the aroma of freshly fried samosas, and that first bite that's equal parts chaos and comfort. Over the years, I've perfected this version in my own kitchen, blending authentic flavors with simple, modern shortcuts that make it totally doable on busy days.
It's my signature because it brings together everything I love about Indian food - bold spices, balanced flavors, and that irresistible contrast of crispy, creamy, tangy, and sweet. I've tested it countless times with homemade samosas as well as storebought samosas (and my family happily volunteers as taste-testers every single time!). Whether I'm making it for a cozy weekend snack, a festive Diwali spread, or a casual dinner with friends, this chaat never fails to disappear fast.
If you love dishes that are bursting with flavor, fun to assemble, and guaranteed to impress, this Samosa Chaat is the one to make. It's as simple as layering golden, potato-filled samosas - homemade or store-bought frozen for busy days - with spiced chickpeas (chole), sweetened yogurt, cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and a generous sprinkle of sev and pomegranate.
It's comfort food meets celebration - perfect for chai time, weekend treats, or festive gatherings. Love homemade chaats? Don't miss my Ragda Patties and Dahi Puri recipes!
Let's Talk Ingredients (and a Few of My Shortcuts!)
- Samosas (store-bought or homemade): You can absolutely use frozen samosas from your local Indian grocery store. Deep Punjabi Samosas are my go-to, but honestly, most brands taste great. When I have time, I love making them from scratch (I've got you with a recipe for that too!). Whichever route you choose, air-fry or bake them until they are extra crispy! That golden crunch makes all the difference once you pile on the chutneys and chole.
- Chole / Chana Masala: I almost always use dried chickpeas since I keep them stocked in my pantry; it's just a matter of soaking them for 4 to 6 hours before cooking. That said, canned chickpeas work beautifully when you're short on time. Pro tip: Make the chole a day ahead as the flavors deepen overnight, and the consistency becomes perfect for chaat.
- Chutneys (make-ahead magic): A good chaat needs both Cilantro-Mint Chutney and Tamarind Chutney. Make them a couple of days in advance, or even freeze a batch for later-you'll thank yourself when the craving hits!
- Yogurt (cool + creamy): Don't skip the yogurt! It balances all the bold flavors. I whisk it with a pinch of salt and a little sugar so it's smooth, lightly sweet, and perfectly cooling against the spicy chole.
- Toppings I love: I go all in with finely diced red onion, fresh cilantro, pomegranate arils (especially when they're in season), and lots of thin sev for that signature crunch. Then comes my favorite finishing touch: a sprinkle of chaat masala and Kashmiri red chili powder for color and kick.
- Make it your own: Add green chilies for extra spice, lime juice for tang, or even a drizzle of extra chutney if you like it saucy. I keep everything separate until serving, so those perfectly extra-crisp samosas stay crunchy until the very last bite!
How to Make Samosa Chaat
Start by making chana masala (chole) in the Instant Pot with my easy and mostly hands-free recipe.
Next, make the samosas extra crip by warming them up in the oven or airfryer. And get ready to assemble.
You're going to love this Samosa Chaat because it brings authentic street-style flavor right to your kitchen. It's make-ahead friendly; you can prepare the chole, chutneys, and toppings ahead of time, and it's completely customizable, so you can adjust the spice, sweetness, and crunch to your liking. Best of all, it's perfect for entertaining: set everything out and let guests build their own chaat bowls for a fun, interactive meal!
My Tips
- Use store-bought samosas or air-fry frozen ones for convenience.
- If you're feeding a crowd, keep everything separate and let guests build their own chaat bowls.
- Want more heat? Add chopped green chilies or sprinkle extra red chili powder.
- Keep leftover chole refrigerated up to 4 days; it tastes even better the next day!
Recipe
Samosa Chaat
Equipment
- Air Fryer To reheat samosas
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 8 medium or 4 large samosas homemade or store-bought
Chana Masala (Chole)
- 1 cup dried chickpeas or 2 cans cooked chickpeas
- 3½ cups water divided
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup tomato purée
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon kasoori methi
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
Toppings
- 1 cup plain yogurt dahi
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cilantro mint chutney
- ½ cup tamarind chutney
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup thin sev
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- 2 teaspoons chaat masala
Instructions
Make the Chana Masala
- Soak chickpeas: Rinse and soak for 4 hours or overnight. Drain.
- In the Instant Pot on Sauté (High), heat oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds, then onion, and cook until golden.
- Stir in ginger, garlic, tomato purée, coriander, salt, chili powder, and turmeric.
- Add chickpeas and 1½ cups water (use ½ cup of water if using canned). Cook for 30 minutes (soaked chickpeas) or 5 minutes (canned chickpeas).
- Let pressure release naturally. Stir in garam masala, kasoori methi, and cilantro.
- The chole should be thick and saucy, not watery. Mash a few chickpeas to thicken it naturally.
Crisp up the Samosas
- If you're using store-bought samosas, cook or bake them as per the package directions. This can be done a few hours before serving, but for the best results, always re-crisp them right before serving. To bring back that flaky, crunchy texture, reheat the samosas in an air fryer at 330°F for 5 to 7 minutes or in the oven at 350°F for about 8 to 10 minutes. This final warm-up helps revive the outer layers so they stay perfectly crisp under the chutneys and chole.
- If you're hosting a party, you can make or heat the samosas upto 4 hours ahead and keep them uncovered on a wire rack at room temperature (or in a low oven at 200-225°F) to stay warm. When ready to serve, give them that final re-crisp in the air fryer or oven. Pro tip: place them on a wire rack while reheating in the oven, this allows air to circulate evenly and keeps the bottoms from getting soggy. Avoid covering with foil, as trapped steam will soften the crust.
Prepare the yogurt
- Add sugar and salt to the yogurt and whisk it until smooth and creamy.
Assemble Your Samosa Chaat
- Break one to 2 samosas into bite-size chunks on a plate or bowl.
- For the next steps add as much or as little toppings as you like!
- Spoon hot chana masala on top of the samosas.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of sweetened dahi.
- Layer over tamarind chutney and cilantro mint chutney
- Sprinkle onions and sev generously for texture.
- Top with chopped cilantro, pomegranate arils, and a sprinkle of chaat masala.
- Serve immediately and watch everyone's faces light up!
Natty says
Delicious & easy to follow recipe! Will definitely be making these again as my husband loves the crunchy heat! Thank you for posting this recipe.
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you for the lovely feedback.