Gluten Free Onion Bhaji, Indian Restaurant Style
Thinly sliced onions are mixed with crushed ajwain, warm spices, zesty coriander, and nutty, gluten free chickpea flour, then fried until golden brown and crispy. Nothing compares to this recipe for gluten free onion bhaji — not even restaurants.
Onion bhaji are the number one most popular appetizer ordered at Indian restaurants, beating the likes of Punjabi samosa, seekh kebabs, or dahi puri.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a number of bad experiences with store-bought or restaurant onion bhaji. Far too often they’re a complete let-down, being either too greasy, too bland, soggy, or even raw on the inside. It’s not an easy recipe to get right.
When you follow this recipe, though, they’re a divine treat. There’s almost nothing better than perfectly spiced, earth-shatteringly crispy, gluten free onion bhaji. It’s easy to eat a whole batch without even realising it!
My recipe will teach you to make the BEST gluten free onion bhaji every time. It’s considerably cheaper than ordering out and much tastier, too.
In just 15 minutes, you could be sprinkling these beauties with chaat masala, dunking them in a gorgeously fresh green chutney, serving them as part of a curry night feast alongside a handful of scrumptious curry recipes and eggless naan, or throwing them in an onion bhaji burger.
So, get ready to make the best onion bhaji of your life! A big claim, but I’ll stick by it …
💚Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Onion Bhaji
❓What is Onion Bhaji?
No familiar with Indian recipes? Onion bhaji are a savoury snack best described as onion fritters. It combines sliced onions, chickpea flour, and spices — simple, but delicious.
Because onion bhjai are made with chickpea flour, they’re naturally gluten free. Chickpea flour is the traditional base for Indian pakoras, so, if you’re avoiding gluten, there’s no compromise needed here; just deeply savoury, golden-brown and crunchy fritters that happen to be coeliac-friendly.
But … what is the difference between onion pakora and onion bhaji?
Great question! Technically, onion pakora and onion bhaji are the same thing. In reality, they’re made differently.
Onion bhaji is a British name for onion pakora. The name was popularised by BIR (British Indian Restaurant) curry houses, and probably adapted from either the original Marathi name (kanda bhaje) or Gujarati (bhajiya).
In the U.K., onion bhaji are usually squeezed into small round ball shapes, in contrast to the more loosely formed Indian onion pakora/pyaaz pakoda.
Both are delicious. Today, though, we’re here to learn the BIR way!
🧅What is Onion Bhaji Made Of?
- Onion: I’ve made gluten free onion bhaji with red and yellow (brown) onions, but the flavour and appearance of yellow onions wins every time.
- Chickpea flour: Also known as besan in India and garbanzo bean flour in the U.S., this naturally gluten free flour is made from chickpeas, so boasts a wonderfully nutty flavour.
- Ginger garlic paste: Make at home — shop-bought is too acidic. Punchy when raw, but mellows down into buttery savouriness.
- Green chillies: Thin green Indian chillies (like jwala) provide a sharper, fruitier flavour than red chilli powder, adding depth to the heat.
- Spices: You’ll need an array, including turmeric powder (for colour and earthiness), red chilli powder (for bolder fiery spice), cumin powder (sweet, warm, and rich), chaat masala (bold, tangy, salty, and tart), and ajwain (fragrant, thyme-scented, and slightly bitter).
- Fresh coriander: This fresh herb (cilantro) brings a zesty, citrusy hint to the onion bhaji.
- Water: My recipe uses less than most, and that is KEY to the crispiness you see! No soggy insides here.
DON’T use plain flour! I’ve seen a lot of recipes online for onion bhajis with plain flour (all-purpose [AP] flour). I get it — plain flour is way more accessible than chickpea flour. But it’s worth a trip to buy some (it can be used in many more recipes too, from crepes, curries, Italian flatbreads, and more!). Plain flour only makes onion bhajis heavy, stodgy, and seriously lacking in flour.
Variations, Substitutions, and Adaptations
Add more greens. I love adding a handful of roughly chopped spinach to the batter. Its sweet earthiness complements the spices beautifully, and it makes these fritters just a smidgen more healthy!
However, be careful not to add too much spinach, as it can throw off the recipe ratios. If you like the idea of spinach in pakoras, you might like my palak patta chaat.
Adjust the spiciness. These gluten free onion bhaji are perfectly spiced — warm and aromatic, without being tongue-tinglingly hot.
If you prefer milder dishes, skip the whole green chillies and replace standard chilli powder with Kashmiri chilli powder (milder) or paprika (completely non-spicy).
Conversely, you can make the onion bhaji spicier by adding more chilli powder, or serving a spicy chutney on the side (a great option if you have a group with diverse spice preferences).
Gluten free onion bhaji are naturally 100% vegan, soy free, and nut free. It’s the perfect starter/snack for anyone!
When you order onion bhaji from a takeaway/restaurant, the dish will likely include eggs as a binder (strange, but true!), making them non-vegan friendly. Making my recipe at home eliminates this risk. Plus, eggs aren’t aren’t necessary.
🧑🍳How to Make Onion Bhajis Like a Takeaway (Step-by-Step Photos)
Surprisingly, making onion bhajis like a takeaway is an easy process. It takes less than five minutes to do all the prep, and then a few minutes to cook them until golden and crispy.
I’ve included some step-by-step photos so you can see how each stage should look.
One: Slice onions, cutting them neither too thin nor too thick.
Two: Add the onions to a bowl along with ginger garlic paste, turmeric, chilli, and cumin powder, chaat masala, and fresh coriander. Crush ajwain between your palms before adding to the same bowl.
Three: Add chickpea flour and salt.
Four: Massage the mixture with your hands, ensuring all the onions are coated in the spices and aromatics. This also helps onions release water.
Five: Add the water and massage again. The batter should be minimal and sticky, not flowy.
Six: Use your hands to squeeze small amounts of the batter into golf ball-sized rounds.
Seven: Add the gluten free onion bhaji to hot, preheated oil.
Eight: Fry until golden brown on all sides, then remove from the oil and drain.
As usual, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!
Can you Air-Fry or Bake Onion Bhaji?
Yes! But I have a disclaimer … there’s truly nothing quite like deep fried onion bhaji. Neither air-frying nor oven baking will achieve the same levels of crispiness.
However, if you want a great compromise between great flavours and health, then it might be the way to go:
To air-fry onion bhaji, preheat an air fryer to 200°C. Grease the air-fryer basket and carefully place your onion bhaji balls inside. Space them out well! Brush or spray the tops with oil and air-fry for 10 minutes, rotating half-way.
To bake onion bhaji, preheat your oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Add the onion bhaji balls, spray with oil, and bake for 25 minutes. Check halfway and spray more oil if necessary, or cover if they get too brown.
Some readers have had success with baking onion bhaji in muffin trays, so they’re more likely to keep their shape. I think it sounds like a great hack! Let me know if it also works for you.
⭐Tips to make the best Onion Bhaji
- TRUST the recipe! I can’t overstate this enough. I’ve had some readers ask if the quantities are correct as it’s so different from others they’ve seen online, and yes, it is correct — minimal water and an ultra-sticky batter (as opposed to a wet, runny batter) is what makes this recipe jaw-droppingly great.
- Oil temperature matters. Too cold, and your gluten free onion bhaji will absorb too much oil, becoming greasy; too hot, and they’ll have burnt outside and raw insides. It’s best to invest in an oil thermometer to avoid either situation.
- Fry the onion bhaji in small batches. Similar to the above. Overcrowding your fryer/pan makes the oil temperature drop, leading to soggy, greasy bhajis.
- Make small onion bhajis. Although many takeaway and restaurant-style onion bhaji tend to be quite large, I recommend making them much smaller at home. This has multiple benefits: First, it ensures that the onions, batter, and spices inside the onion bhaji will be thorough cooked. Second, it means you’ll have to use less oil. Win-win!
How to make onion bhaji crispy … might be the number one frequently asked question.
Many recipes suggest using rice flour in the batter. I’ve tried this — I won’t deny it does make a small difference, but not enough to warrant suggesting people go out and buy it.
The second suggestion is baking powder or soda, with the suggestion that it makes onion bhaji lighter. In my experience, again, this is unnecessary.
The number one secret to crispy onion bhaji is not using much water. It’s as simple as that!
🎛️How to Store Gluten Free Onion Bhaji
While you can’t store uncooked onion bhaji, it’s easy enough to keep leftovers for later. Here’s what you need to know:
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat the gluten free onion bhaji in an air-fryer or oven to crisp up. Avoid the microwave, as it compromises on texture (although a tawa will do just fine!).
And if you’re wondering “can you freeze onion bhaji?” The answer is yes, you can freeze onion bhaji! Firstly, flash-freeze on a tray (to ensure the bhaji don’t stick together), then store in a freezer bag for up to three months.
Reheat frozen onion bhaji directly from frozen, in an oven or air-fryer.
🌟If you’re making the gluten free onion bhaji especially for freezing, it’s best to slightly undercook them, so they finish cooking when they’re reheated.
🍛Serving Suggestions
There are endless ways to serve gluten free onion bhajis!
Whether you want to enjoy the fritters as a tea-time snack (understandable) … or transform them into a wholesome and nourishing meal, I’ve got a list of ideas that covers it all!
- With dips: The classic combo. Choose from all the favourites — zesty green chutney, sweet and tangy tamarind chutney, mango chutney, or cooling raita (mixed raita or mint yoghurt raita are my picks!). Crispy fried treats always need a condiment, and onion bhaji are no exception!
- Monsoon combo: Pakora and chai are the monsoon snack. Crispy garam garam (hot) onion bhaji laden on a humble steel plate, with a glass of steaming hot tea? Heavenly.
- Add to wraps and salads: Tuck the crispy fritters into a roti, paratha, or tortilla wrap with yoghurt, salad, and pickles. Or add to a bed of fresh greens or rice salad for a healthier twist.
- Start an Indian feast: Gluten free onion bhaji are the perfect appetizer for Bollywood-themed curry nights, parties, or a more traditional Indian thali. Serve with an array of other dishes. Opt for crowd-pleasers like palak paneer and chana masala, or go more authentic with bharli vangi, jwarichi bhakri, and thecha.
- Street food style: Spread green chutney and dry garlic chutney on a soft, fluffy, gluten free bun. Next, stuff plenty of these gluten free onion bhaji inside to make the ultimate Mumbai street food: kanda bhaji pav. Want a more classic burger? I’ve got just the recipe for you … onion bhaji burgers!
Now I’ve given you so many ideas about how to serve your gluten free onion bhaji, tell me which one you’re most excited to try!
If you tried this gluten free onion bhaji recipe — or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!
Gluten Free Onion Bhaji, Indian Restaurant Style
Ingredients
- 250 g white onion finely sliced
- 2 green finger chillies finely chopped*
- 6 stems fresh coriander, stems and leaves cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala**
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ¾ teaspoon ajwain
- 5 tablespoons chickpea flour besan/garbanzo bean flour
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 litre oil to deep fry
Instructions
- Preheat 1 litre oil in a deep kadai/saucepan/deep-fat fryer to 180℃ (356℉)***.
- Add 250 g white onion (finely sliced), 2 green finger chillies (chopped), 6 stems fresh coriander, stems and leaves (chopped), ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon chaat masala**, and 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste to a large mixing bowl.
- Crush ¾ teaspoon ajwain between your palms and add to the same bowl.
- Next, add 5 tablespoons chickpea flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well using your hands, so all the spices and flour evenly coats the onions. Massage the mixture for a minute, to release extra water.
- Add 2 tablespoons water and mix well with your hands. The "batter" should be minimal; just enough to stick to the onions.
- Take a small piece of the batter and squeeze into golf-ball sized pieces.
- Once the oil comes to temperature, gently add the onion bhaji. Repeat the shaping process and add these too. Don't overcrowd your fryer.
- Fry the gluten free onion bhaji until golden and crispy, turning halfway. Carefully remove with a frying spoon and drain any excess oil. Repeat the process for any remaining bhaji.
Onion Bhaji are my favourite Indian takeaway treat but these came out way better, thank you! They were really nice and crispy, will be making these with my curries every time I fancy a takeaway now x
Such fantastic feedback, thank you — They really are better than a takeaway, aren’t they! Please do also check out my curry recipes when you fancy an Indian fakeaway at home 🍛
Your recipe for gluten-free Onion Bhaji is a total winner! I tried it out and the Indian restaurant-style taste was spot-on. Thanks a bunch for sharing this delightful dish with easy-to-follow instructions. Can’t wait to impress my friends with these flavorful bites!
It’s so wonderful to get such fantastic feedback, Moni! Thank YOU so much for trying my onion bhaji recipe. I hope your friends love the Indian restaurant-style taste as much as you do 🙂
What a delicious dish.
Thanks, Logan! I’m glad you approve of the recipe and I hope you’ll make many more.
Interesting that you can create gluten-free onion Bhaji with an air fryer. I’m always looking for a new air fryer recipe.
I can’t wait for you to try it and give me your feedback, Debbie!
This onion bhaji recipe works better than most in an air-fryer because it has so little water. That means that the batter actually sticks to the onion bhaji, rather than flowing off.
I love the taste of Onion Bhajis! I’m not the best at cooking them, but your detailed instructions will give me just the guidance I need to try them once again! I hope mine turn out as good as yours!
I’m 100% sure yours will turn out just as delicious, Ebony. Once you taste them, you’ll wish you made them earlier, I’m sure 😆
Such an interesting dish. I’ve never heard of Onion Bhaji before and it sounds delicious. Nice to have some interesting recipes to try.
Gluten free onion bhaji definitely are delicious, Marysa! Everyone here in the U.K. is absolutely obsessed with them, and once you try the recipe out, it will be easy to understand why. I can’t wait to find out what you think 🙂
Never tried the BIR version of this recipe but it seems interesting. Would take a try and see how it taste. Thank you for sharing!
I love both the traditional pakora and this more BIR-style of onion bhajis, and I’m sure you will too! They are both unique and equally scrumptious in their one way. I hope you’ll be blown away 😍
Nice recipe. I’m not a big fan of onions. but this seems yummy so I might try it.
Don’t let not liking onions put you off, Richard!
I know it sounds counter intuitive, since this is an onion-focused dish. But I’ve met many people who hate onions, yet can’t stop snacking on onion bhaji.
I think it’s because most of the flavour comes from those aromatic spices and nutty chickpea flour. The sweetness of the onions just melds perfectly with the other elements. And texturally? It’s so crispy!
Thank you for sharing this information about onion bhaji! As someone who is not familiar with Indian food, it’s great to learn about the different names and variations of this tasty street food. As for the recipe, it was a delightful savoury snack!
You’re more than welcome, Sonia! As someone who loves Indian food and has dedicated so many time to learning the regional differences, it’s lovely to hear that someone else finds interest in learning about the nuances. Plus, I’m loving that you tried and liked my recipe 🙂
as of right now these onion bhaji are officially on this evenings menu. This recipe looks delicious!
Pleased to hear it Karletta! Once you’re done cooking, send me a photo on one of my SM handles so I can see how your finished bhajis come out 😀
Ooohhhhh….alright then! These look too good! Let me look for the chickpea flour first and then, get back to making this bhaji!
Haha, I love the enthusiasm! Have fun cooking, Ntensibe!
Never made bhajias before and don’t deep fry very often so approached this recipe with some trepidation! I need not have worried, it’s easier than I thought it would be although it’s a bit messy lol.
Very pleased with the results, will tweak the spices and then batch cook a load and then freeze them to save time and money.
Woohoo! Thank you heaps for trying my recipe and sharing your feedback with the rest of my readers, Chris.
I’m so, so glad it was a success for you. Spice ratios are such a personal thing so do feel free to play around with the quantities. And I hope the mess was worth it! 😅 It’s going to be such a treat to have homemade onion bhajis whenever you fancy them, straight from the freezer. I think I should do the same!
These gluten-free onion bhajis look amazing! The tips for perfecting the batter and frying technique are so helpful—can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks, Kayla. They taste as good as they look! I’m sure you’ll have no issues cooking up a storm 😀
Delicious! I’m so pleased with myself, thank you, your recipe gave me the confidence to try. They got snaffled up almost instantly so I definitely need to make some more, soon!
Oh, there’s no better feeling that when you’ve outdone yourself in the kitchen, is there! Thank you for trusting me enough to try my recipe, Bobbi. And above all, I’m so glad you and your fellow diners loved the onion bhajis! Don’t forget that they do freeze well, so they’re great for batch cooking.