Fajita Samosas
Fajita Samosas are one of those ideas that sounds a bit mad but absolutely works. We took everything we love about a smoky, spiced fajita filling and wrapped it up in crispy, golden samosa pastry, and honestly we haven't looked back since. You get that punchy fajita marinade, sweet peppers, and a satisfying crunch in every bite. They're brilliant as a side, a snack, or just something to impress people at a gathering without spending hours in the kitchen. Make these tonight, trust us on this one.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- 2x large baking trays lined with parchment paper
- Microplane or fine grater (for garlic)
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 ½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
- 1 lime
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 bell peppers
- 2 red onions
- 600g king oyster mushrooms
- 6 flour tortillas
- 100g plant-based cheese
- 1 portion of guacamole
Method
First, make the Fajita Marinade
- Peel and finely grate the garlic
- Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl
- Add all the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix with a fork to form a smooth marinade, add a splash of water if your marinade is too thick
Now, prepare the Fajita Vegetables
- Trim, halve, core and slice the peppers
- Peel, halve and cut the onion into slices
- Cut the caps off the mushrooms and slice
- Pull strips off the stems of the mushrooms until they’re well shredded (the strips should look like pulled chicken)
- Add the mushrooms to a bowl, pour over half the marinade and toss to coat
- Transfer the marinated mushrooms to the baking tray, put the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through
- While the mushrooms are in the oven, put the peppers and onions in the bowl, pour over the remaining marinade and toss to cover
- Put the peppers and onions on a tray, put the tray in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes stirring halfway through
Now, make the Fajita Samosas
- Take a tortilla and lay it out on a clean work surface
- Spoon one-fifth of the fajita vegetables (peppers, onions and mushrooms) and place it in the centre of the tortilla
- Put one-fifth of the dairy-free cheese on top of the fajita mix
- Shape the filling roughly into triangles with your hands, making sure the triangle is in the middle of the tortilla and reasonably well packed
- Brush around the edges of the tortilla with water (this will act as a glue to stick the Fajita Samosas together)
- Fold the edges of the tortilla into the middle to form a triangle
- Turn the samosa upside down and put them on a lined baking tray, fold side down
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients
- Put the tray in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the samosas are crisp to the touch
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately with guacamole for dipping (recipe in BISH BASH BOSH!)
Tips & Variations
- Get ahead with the filling: You can make the fajita filling the day before and keep it in the fridge. It actually tastes even better the next day once the flavours have had time to get to know each other.
- Seal them well: Make sure you press the pastry edges together firmly and use a little water or plant-based milk to help them stick. There's nothing worse than a samosa that falls apart in the oven.
- Add some heat: If you like things spicy, Ian always adds a chopped fresh chilli or a pinch of cayenne to the marinade. It gives them a proper kick that works really well against the sweetness of the peppers.
Why This Works
The trick is getting the fajita vegetables properly coated in that marinade before they go into the pastry. It really lets those smoky, citrusy flavours develop and means every bite is packed with flavour rather than just the outside tasting good. Getting a good colour on the samosas in the oven or fryer is also key, that golden crisp shell is what takes it from good to great.