How To Reheat Samosas – I Test 5 Methods [Pics]

This article was updated on 9th August 2023 for clarity and freshness.

We’ve all been there, ordering more samosas than we can realistically eat in one sitting. Or maybe you’ve agreed to cook an obscene amount of samosas for a party and are now thinking of them the night before.

But is it possible to reheat samosas without ending up with a soggy mess? To save you from this, I’ve tested 5 different ways to reheat samosas to find the best one. 

In a rush? The best way to reheat samosas is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and place the samosas on a wire rack. Heat them uncovered for 7-10 minutes. If the samosas are really big, microwave them for 10 seconds first to help warm the middle.

How I tested reheating samosas

I cooked several dozen samosas to store in the fridge overnight.

(Don’t worry, I made extras to eat too. I wasn’t going to pass up fresh samosas!)

The following day, I reheated the samosas using five different methods to discover which approach resulted in the best taste and texture. I tested:

• The oven: The best method overall.
• The air fryer: Great if you have one.
• The stove: Moist filling, but less crispy outside.
• Deep frying: Too much effort.
• The microwave: Soggy samosas.

In the taste test, I was looking for crispy pastry and a delicious-tasting filling that wasn’t too dry.

Reheating samosas in the oven

Time: 7-10 minutes
Rating: 9/10

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) (375°F if your samosas are frozen).
2. Optional: microwave your samosas for 10-15 seconds to heat the inside.
3. Place your samosas directly onto a wire rack or a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
4. Heat in the oven for 7-10 minutes (15-20 if they’re frozen).
5. If they’re on a baking sheet, flip the samosas halfway through heating to ensure even crisping.
6. Take them out of the oven and let them sit for a minute before serving.

The exact cooking time will vary, depending on the size of your samosas, how dense the filling is, and how crispy you like them. Toaster ovens will be quicker than traditional ovens.

The microwaving step is optional, but I recommend it for big samosas to give the middle of the samosa a head start. If you have densely filled samosas, the middle can take ages to heat up in the oven, meaning the outside will dry out. 

I prefer using a wire rack to heat my samosas because they crisp up evenly without the need to flip them during heating.

Results: The oven is an easy, accessible heating method that works almost perfectly. The samosas crisped up on the outside, although they weren’t as crispy as the just-fried version, and the inside was warm throughout. Another plus of the oven is that you can reheat loads of samosas at once.

Reheating samosas in the air fryer

Time: 3-5 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Set the air fryer to 350°F (180°C) (390°F for frozen samosas).
2. Optional: lightly spray the samosas with oil.
3. Place the samosas in the air fryer basket and heat for 2 minutes and then open the basket and give it a shake.
4. Heat for another 1-2 minutes before testing one samosa for doneness. Heat for another few minutes if required.

Because of how the air fryer works, you can end up with very dry samosas if you don’t keep an eye on them. If you have big, dense samosas, I recommend using a slightly lower temperature (around 320°F) to make sure the middle heats up before the outside burns.

Adding oil helps the outside crisp up, but if your samosas already seem oily, you can skip this step.

Results: The air fryer required little effort and produced very crispy samosas. They were noticeably crispier than the oven, so if you don’t have one, put it on your birthday list! One downfall is that you’re limited on the number of samosas you can reheat at any one time.

Reheating samosas on the stove

Time: 5-7 minutes
Rating: 7/10

1. Heat a skillet, non-stick pan, or a heavy Tawa on low heat.
2. Put your samosas in the pan and cover them loosely with foil or the pan’s lid, making sure to leave a gap.
3. Heat the samosas for 5-7 minutes, turning often to ensure even heating. 

Never completely cover the samosas, or they’ll steam, which will render them soggy. 

For some extra-crisp, lightly oil the pan before adding the samosas, and remove the cover towards the end of the heating.

The low heat allows the inside of the samosa to heat up without burning the outside.

Results: This method was relatively slow, and the coating wasn’t overly crispy, but the filling was nice and moist. I didn’t use any oil, so I’m sure the samosa would have been crispier if I did. 

Reheating samosas in the microwave

Time: 60-90 seconds
Rating: 5/10

1. Equally space your samosas out on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Heat in 30-second intervals, rotating the samosas at each interval.
3. Optional: To crisp the skin, put the samosas under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
4. Once the samosas are hot enough, let them rest for 30 seconds before serving.

If you’re reheating particularly oily samosas, line the plate with a paper towel to absorb any excess grease.

Always err on the side of caution when it comes to the microwave to avoid overheating the samosas. Over-microwaved samosas will be dry and cardboard-like. Also, aim to eat the samosas as soon as possible once they’re out of the microwave because they’ll go stale quickly as they cool down.

Results: Microwaving the samosas was my least favorite reheating method. Fried foods never fare well in the microwave! You either end up with a soggy outside, an over-cooked inside, or both. My samosa filling was okay, but the outside was a wet mess.

Reheating samosas by deep frying

Time: 5 minutes (including oil heating time)
Rating: 5/10

1. Fill your deep frying vessel with oil.
2. Heat the oil to 375°F (190°C).
3. Using kitchen tongs or a fryer basket, carefully place the samosas in the oil.
4. Watch carefully for between 1-2 minutes and remove the samosas when they turn golden brown.
5. Rest the samosas on a paper towel for 30 seconds before serving.

Ideally, you need to measure the oil temperature with a thermometer. If you don’t have one, you can use a wooden spoon to approximate the oil temperature. Stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil, if small bubbles immediately form near the surface the oil is up to temperature.

If no bubbles appear or they’re slow to appear, the oil is too cold. If the oil bubbles vigorously, the oil is too hot. Oil that’s too hot will burn the samosas, and if the oil’s too cold, the samosas will soak it all up and become very greasy.

Results: If this method goes right, you get super crispy samosas – almost as good as new! But if it goes wrong, you get a greasy mess. It also takes ages because you have to wait for the oil to heat up. Overall, I think it’s too much effort.

How to store samosas

To store samosas, first let them cool to room temperature. Then line an airtight container with paper towel and arrange the samosas in a single layer. The samosas will last 3-5 days in the fridge. For an extra layer of protection against moisture loss, wrap the samosas in foil or plastic wrap.

The samosas must be completely cool before you seal the container. Otherwise, condensation will render them soggy. The paper towel will soak up some moisture, but it’s best to avoid creating any in the first place.

Before reheating them, do the smell test. If they smell slightly off, it is better to discard them rather than risk food poisoning.

Can you freeze samosas?

Samosas freeze well. You can freeze both cooked and uncooked samosas for up to 6 months. After that, the quality will start to deteriorate, but they’ll still be safe to eat. Packaging them properly helps to prevent freezer burn, which can impart a funny taste.

How to freeze samosas

1. Let the samosas cool to room temperature and pat them with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the samosas out on the tray, making sure none are touching.
3. Place the tray in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the samosas are frozen solid.
4. Once solid, remove the samosas from the freezer.
5. Transfer them into an airtight freezer ziplock bag, and squeeze all the air out before sealing.
6. Place the bag of samosas in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

This process is known as flash freezing and means you can freeze all the samosas in one bag without the risk of them sticking together. 

To get rid of the air, I use two tricks:

• Suck the air out with a straw.
• Submerge the open freezer bag in water. The water forces all the air out, and you can seal the bag.

Getting rid of as much air as possible is a crucial step because it prevents freezer burn from ruining your samosas. If you have a vacuum sealer, even better! Once the samosas are frozen solid, vacuum seal them. 

An alternative to flash freezing is to wrap each individual samosa in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. However, I find this to be pretty wasteful.

How to thaw samosas

The best way to thaw samosas is to place them (still packaged) in the fridge. Bigger samosas may need to be left overnight, while smaller ones may only take a few hours. For speedier thawing, use the defrost setting on your microwave. 

Keeping the samosas in their freezer bag helps to prevent too much moisture loss during the thawing process. If you aren’t taking all the samosas out of the freezer, simply wrap the ones you are in some plastic wrap before leaving them to defrost.

You can also heat the samosas from frozen.

How to reheat frozen samosas

The best way to reheat frozen samosas is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (200°C) and place the samosas on a wire rack. Heat them for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re warm all the way through. Use a fork to check the middle is soft and hot. You can also use the microwave, but the samosas will be soggy.

How To Reheat Samosas [Tested Methods]

We've all been there, ordering way too many samosas that we can realistically eat in one sitting. But is it possible to reheat samosas without endin up with a soggy mess? I’ve tested 5 different ways to reheat samosas to find the best one. 

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: how to reheat samosa, samosa

Prep Time: 1 minute minute

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 308kcal

Ingredients

• 1 portion samosa

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
• OPTIONAL: microwave your samosas for 10-15 seconds to heat the inside.
• Place your samosas directly onto a wire rack or a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Heat in the oven for 5-10 minutes (15-20 if they’re frozen).
• If they’re on a baking sheet, flip the samosas halfway through heating to ensure even crisping.
• Take them out of the oven and let them sit for a minute or two before serving.

Notes

The optional microwaving step helps give the middle of the samosas a head start.

If you have densely filled samosas, the middle can take ages to heat up in the oven, meaning the outside will dry out. 

Microwaving them for a few seconds first prevents this. 

To test if the samosas are done, stick a fork into the middle and feel how hot the fork is when you take it out. 

If it’s warm, the samosas are ready.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 308kcal