Easy Samosas Dipping Sauce
Samosas are an incredibly delicious and versatile snack you can make for lunch, dinner, or parties. But, these treats are sometimes a little bit dry or lack a bit of flavor. This is where dipping sauces come in!
These dips will bring juiciness to these deep-fried treats, add a ton of delicious flavors, and can even help hide some off-putting ones. They’re also a fantastic opportunity to play around with different textures and flavor combinations.
What is an example of an easy samosa dipping sauce? The best samosa dipping sauces are often a chutney or yogurt-based dipping sauce. They can be spicy if you want, but if your samosa is already very spicy, leave the chilies out of your dipping sauce.
Today, we will explore exactly what the best types of sauces are for samosas, but also look at eight specific types you have to try — we love fruit-based or herb-based chutneys, which also elevate the savory flavors of the filling.
Even more exciting, we have developed and included a delicious recipe for a Minty Green Chutney Sauce!
What Are Samosas?
Samosas date back all the way to the 9th century and are an incredibly popular treat in Indian cuisine!
These savory treats are made with a fried or baked pastry stuffed with a savory filling.
They are easily recognizable by their unique triangular or pyramid shape. However, they can also be shaped into cones or half-moons depending on the region they’re found in.
Samosas can be served as appetizers, snacks, or entrées.
They have become extremely popular around the world and a ton of countries have begun putting their own twist on these treats. You can now even find sweet dessert samosas!
Samosa Pastry
The pastry used for making samosas varies depending on the region you are in. A lot of areas create a thick dough using maida flour (Indian all-purpose flour) and water. This dough is then wrapped around the filling and deep-fried or baked.
However, many regions also use phyllo dough as the outer layer. These sheets are wrapped around the filling a few times to create an uber flaky crust once it has been baked or fried.
Samosa Fillings
When it comes to the fillings used in samosas, there is virtually an endless amount of options and flavors to choose from — you can even go completely vegetarian!
In general, however, they all usually contain onions, potatoes, peas, a kind of ground meat, and a ton of spices. You can choose ground beef, lamb, chicken, or even fish.
But, as we have mentioned, there are a ton of traditional vegetarian options available too!
Samosa Spices
The spiciness of these snacks also varies from virtually no spice at all to an extreme level of spice! This is also an excellent opportunity to create unique homemade spice mixes or new flavor combinations.
You can use curry powder if you’d like, as it is easier to use if you are making samosas from scratch at home.
What Do Samosas Taste Like?
The flavor of samosas depends entirely on the filling that has been used.
What does stay unchanged however is that authentic samosas have quite a flavorful and (dare we say) spicy filling.
The pastry is also always very crispy and crunchy — these snacks are always served hot to preserve the crispy pastry layers surrounding the filling.
Now, as we have mentioned, there are a ton of regional varieties of samosas.
Samosas from India are arguably the most authentic because they originated within this cuisine! A ton of these samosas have a chicken or lentil filling — rarely beef, due to their cultural and religious beliefs.
In Bangladesh, samosas are called “shingara,” which also contain nuts and sometimes beef liver. Nepal has its own version called “singadas” and so does Pakistan.
Now, here comes the twist. Almost all samosas are served with some kind of dipping sauce or accompaniment. This will further change the entire flavor profile of the item, while simultaneously creating more versatility!
Types Of Dipping Sauces For Samosas
There are many dipping sauces that are regularly served with samosas — this includes a wide variety of chutneys, yogurt dips, and thick saucy pastes.
But, as with the fillings themselves, there is virtually no limit to the variety of dipping sauces you can serve with samosas!
Chutney
Chutney is a popular type of dipping sauce that also originated in India — mango chutney might be one of the most famous varieties.
For samosas, green chutneys are specifically very popular. They are made using fresh greens including mint, coriander, or even cucumber. They also often make cucumber chutney which is quite refreshing.
A green chutney will bring some much-needed relief to spicy samosas — yogurt-based chutneys will also be a great option!
Yogurt chutneys differ from regular yogurt dips as they often contain a lot more sugar and are generally much thicker in consistency.
But, if you are making your very own samosas at home that aren’t spicy, you may want to consider trying some other types of chutney.
Tomato chutney is extremely easy to make and can also have varying levels of spiciness.
Making the dip spicy (and not the samosa) will allow everyone to enjoy these tasty snacks. This way, if they want spicy, they can add it separately!
Then, we are also big fans of a refreshing coconut chutney that contains peanuts and lemons too. It is slightly spicy, but you can of course remove the chilies entirely.
Yogurt Dips
Yogurt dips are very popular in India, but you can also pull some inspiration from Mediterranean cuisines. These dips are much runnier as compared to a yogurt chutney and often have a much simpler flavor profile.
The sole purpose is to add a fresh flavor to extremely rich and savory samosas. These dips pair best with spicy samosas, but will make a great addition to any really!
The most popular Indian yogurt dipping sauce for samosas is raita.
Raita is made using a combination of Dahi (Indian yogurt) and raw vegetables. The most well-known recipe includes cucumber, mint, yogurt, and sometimes buttermilk.
These sauces aren’t meant to be spicy, but you can easily add some freshly chopped chilies.
You can also try your hand at making Tzatziki, which is very similar but comes from Mediterranean cuisine.
Tzatziki contains cucumbers, garlic, yogurt, and lemon juice or vinegar. It is also often served with dill, mint, coriander, thyme, or parsley. This sauce has a much tangier flavor thanks to the acidic addition.
The Best Dipping Sauces For Samosas
Below, we have made a list of some of our favorite dipping sauces for samosas. You can most likely buy these at a grocery store or Asian food market, but we highly recommend you try making these at home!
1. Fresh Coconut Chutney
Coconut chutney is made from fresh coconut shavings or coconut pulp, tamarind paste, salt, freshly chopped green chilies, and fresh coriander.
It is a deliciously thick dipping sauce that will add a fresh flavor to rich samosas. You can adjust the consistency using some coconut water, milk, or cream.
2. Green Herb Chutney
Green chutney is often made using fresh deseeded green chilies. However, you can make a completely non-spicy version to pair with already spicy samosas.
These chutneys contain a combination of fresh herbs, mostly mint, and coriander. Cumin is also a popular addition that adds a more savory note to the sauce.
3. Tomato Chutney
We love serving tomato chutney or tomato relish with beef or lamb samosas. Usually, these samosa recipes don’t contain a ton of additional ingredients, besides the meat and some spices.
By adding a delicious and flavor-packed tomato chutney, you are adding much-needed juiciness with a sauce that balances out any salty flavors.
Serving samosas with tomato chutney or relish is also a great way to elevate bland or dry samosas. It will completely hide their flaws!
4. Dahi Chutney
Dahi chutney is made from strained yogurt, freshly chopped mint, and onions. This sauce is very refreshing, yet has a slight spiciness to it from the onions.
What we especially appreciate about this dipping sauce is that you can make it with homemade plain yogurt.
Always use plain yogurt, though, as it otherwise may add odd flavors that don’t pair with the samosas. Alternatively, just strain some Greek yogurt, also known as double-thick yogurt or full-fat yogurt.
5. Blatjan
This isn’t necessarily an authentic Indian sauce, but it has Indian origins. This sauce is a popular South African sauce, specifically originating from the Cape Malay cuisine there.
Blatjan is a thick chutney made from a combination of dried fruit, chilies, vinegar, and some sugar. The sweetness helps add an incredibly unique flavor to otherwise salty samosas.
Apricots, which are also extremely common in that region, are often used as the staple fruit for these products.
This chutney is a great way to use nearly expired fruit or when you have an excessive amount left. And, this sauce is also one that can last a couple of weeks, if not months!
6. Papaya Chutney
If you are looking to add a tropical twist to your samosas, then this one is a must-try! This chutney follows a similar concept to blatjan, but is still completely different.
Papaya chutney is made using green papaya (unripe papayas) cooked in sugar and water. Sometimes, chopped cashew nuts or raisins are added to the sauce.
The reason this sauce doesn’t use ripe (orange) papayas is that they are far too sweet and will completely overpower the flavors in the samosas themselves.
This is still a quite sweet dipping sauce, but it pairs very well with super spicy samosas, lamb samosas, and extremely dry or salty samosas too.
7. Imli Chutney (Tamarind Chutney)
Imli is another name for tamarind, in case you were completely thrown like we initially were.
Imli (or tamarind) chutney is made using tamarind paste, ripe bananas, and some spices. It is quite unique and is a common Indian accompaniment served with loads of dishes — it is even commonly used as a filling!
If you have pretty neutrally-flavored samosas, then this chutney will make a great dipping sauce. Personally, we don’t like serving it with fish samosas, but that’s us.
8. Mango Chutney
If you ever Google mango chutney, you will see that there are also quite a few varieties that come up!
We love green mango chutney, which is made from unripe mangoes. You can add some spices to the mixture, herbs, and even yogurt; however, many people simply like cooking it up with some lemon juice and sugar.
Then, you also get an authentic mango ginger chutney, which doesn’t actually have mango in it at all.
This version is made with mango ginger, a variety of ginger that has a less ginger-like flavor. The name comes from the extreme mango flavor that this ginger species has!
Once blended, it is mixed with some tamarind paste before being served.
Minty Green Chutney Sauce Recipe
We absolutely love a refreshing dipping sauce for samosas, and what could be better than a minty one? This recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make, delightfully green, and extremely versatile!
We’ve also included some ideas for ways you can customize this chutney for your specific needs.
Ingredients
- 20 grams fresh mint leaves, washed
- 10 grams coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- 1 deseeded green chili, optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Scales
- Blender
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
Instructions
- First, combine all of the ingredients into a blender, except for the Greek yogurt. Then, blend these ingredients together until a uniform mixture is formed.
- Add 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt to the mixture, then continue blending. You should get a fine and smooth paste.
- Next, remove the green base from the blender and whisk it into the mixing bowl with the rest of the yogurt. Make sure you have a smooth consistency that doesn’t have any large chunks or lumps.
- Finally, you can adjust the salt and lemon juice amounts if you’d like. You can also add more chilies, but make sure they are finely chopped before you add them.
- Serve this green mint chutney immediately with your favorite samosas — it will pair beautifully with almost any kind!
Notes
- Do not blend all the yogurt with the other ingredients — it will thin out the mixture way too much and it won’t create that luscious and creamy texture that we want! This is why the herb mixture is blended separately and then whisked into the yogurt.
- If you don’t like the often bitter flavor of herb stalks, you can remove them before blending the herbs — just add more herb leaves to get to the needed weight. Have a look at our top choices for herb stripping tools, which are all available online.
Substitutes
- While this recipe is vegetarian, it isn’t lactose-free or completely vegan. So, you can substitute the regular Greek yogurt with a lactose-free dairy option or a plant-based yogurt instead.
- There are many delicious flavors available — just make sure they still pair well with the samosa filling you are using.
- For an alternative to plain yogurt, try an unsweetened coconut-flavored thick yogurt — coconut flavors also pair well with this sauce (and samosas in general). Or, you can completely substitute the yogurt with thick coconut cream.
- You can substitute the sugar for a healthier alternative, like honey. It adds another delicious flavor and makes it more interesting.
- Instead of coriander, you can use parsley leaves and even add a bit of thyme. They are all refreshing and delicious.
- You don’t have to add chilies at all if you don’t want to. But, you can also add a lot more to make this dipping sauce very spicy.
Minty Green Chutney Sauce Recipe
We absolutely love a refreshing dipping sauce for samosas, and what could be better than a minty one? This recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make, delightfully green, and extremely versatile!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 20 grams fresh mint leaves, washed
- 10 grams coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- 1 deseeded green chili, optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Scales
- Blender
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
Instructions
- First, combine all of the ingredients into a blender, except for the Greek yogurt. Then, blend these ingredients together until a uniform mixture is formed.
- Add 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt to the mixture, then continue blending. You should get a fine and smooth paste.
- Next, remove the green base from the blender and whisk it into the mixing bowl with the rest of the yogurt. Make sure you have a smooth consistency that doesn’t have any large chunks or lumps.
- Finally, you can adjust the salt and lemon juice amounts if you'd like. You can also add more chilies, but make sure they are finely chopped before you add them.
- Serve this green mint chutney immediately with your favorite samosas — it will pair beautifully with almost any kind!
Notes
- Do not blend all the yogurt with the other ingredients — it will thin out the mixture way too much and it won’t create that luscious and creamy texture that we want! This is why the herb mixture is blended separately and then whisked into the yogurt.
- If you don’t like the often bitter flavor of herb stalks, you can remove them before blending the herbs — just add more herb leaves to get to the needed weight. Have a look at our top choices for herb stripping tools, which are all available online.
Substitutes
- While this recipe is vegetarian, it isn’t lactose-free or completely vegan. So, you can substitute the regular Greek yogurt with a lactose-free dairy option or a plant-based yogurt instead.
- There are many delicious flavors available — just make sure they still pair well with the samosa filling you are using.
- For an alternative to plain yogurt, try an unsweetened coconut-flavored thick yogurt — coconut flavors also pair well with this sauce (and samosas in general). Or, you can completely substitute the yogurt with thick coconut cream.
- You can substitute the sugar for a healthier alternative, like honey. It adds another delicious flavor and makes it more interesting.
- Instead of coriander, you can use parsley leaves and even add a bit of thyme. They are all refreshing and delicious.
- You don’t have to add chilies at all if you don’t want to. But, you can also add a lot more to make this dipping sauce very spicy.
