Turn Store-Bought Puff Pastry Into Delicious Samosas In Less Time

Samosas, for those of you who may be unfamiliar, are Indian fried pastries with savory fillings, such as veggies and meat. They're the perfect appetizer — satisfying but not overly filling, always delicious, and perfect for dipping into your favorite sauce. While it's always fun to order samosas when you're dining at an Indian restaurant, it's also fun to make your own batch at home. 

Tasting Table has a recipe for air fryer samosas, which are packed with the tasty combination of potatoes, onions, carrots, peas, and spices. By using the air fryer, you're already saving yourself a good amount of time and effort, but there's also another way this recipe saves you time: It uses store-bought puff pastry. Pre-made puff pastry, which you can get at just about any grocery store (either refrigerated or frozen), will work just as well as the homemade version — even Ina Garten says so! 

While puff pastry doesn't necessarily take a ton of time — a typical recipe takes about 30 minutes of prep, as well as at least 30 minutes of chilling — it's something that you want to get exactly right, so, for some recipes, it's best to just get it at the store so that you can focus all of your energy on the other elements of the dish, such as the samosa's filling.

Another good reason to buy your puff pastry is to save yourself time to make your own homemade sauce to go with the air fryer samosas. Samosas are typically served with a chutney, such as cilantro chutney (also known as green chutney), red garlic chutney, or mango chutney — all of which would pair well with Tasting Table's air fryer samosas. For a creamier option, there are also yogurt-based samosa dipping sauces. 

For something similar, Tasting Table has a recipe for an easy yogurt sauce with cardamom. The recipe's developer, Miriam Hahn, says that you can opt for just about any dipping sauce for these samosas and suggested adding sriracha to a simple salad dressing for a sauce with a nice kick. You could also go for a preserved lemon chutney if you're looking for some bright acidity or a tomato chutney for a heartier option.