Air Fryer Vegetable Patties (Crisp Outside, Soft Inside)
Mixed vegetable patties with besan and warm spices, air fried until crisp outside and tender inside. Squeeze grated vegetables well before shaping for the best crust.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Box grater or food processor
- Muslin or thin tea towel for squeezing
- Mixing bowl
- Oil spray or pastry brush
Ingredients
For the patties
- 1 medium carrot finely grated
- 8 to 10 green beans finely chopped or grated
- 1 heaped cup cabbage finely shredded
- 1/4 cup green peas or sweet corn optional, chopped small
- 1 small potato optional; boiled, peeled, mashed
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 to 2 green chilies to taste; finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- Fine salt, divided (for draining veg and seasoning mix)
- 4 to 6 tablespoons besan gram flour; more as needed
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs or powdered roasted poha optional; use besan for GF
- Neutral oil, for brushing or spray
To finish
- Lemon wedges, chaat masala, chopped fresh coriander
- Mint chutney or ketchup, for serving
Instructions
Prep and drain
- Grate or finely chop carrot, beans, and cabbage to similar texture. Mix with peas or corn if using. Toss with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and rest 10 minutes in a colander.
- Squeeze the vegetables in muslin until very dry.
Mix and shape
- In a bowl, combine squeezed vegetables, mashed potato if using, ginger, green chili, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and salt to taste.
- Add besan in two stages, mixing then lightly kneading, until the mixture forms a smooth ball and flattens into patties without sticking to your hands. Add breadcrumbs or poha powder if using. If too dry and cracks, add a teaspoon of water at a time. If too wet, add more besan.
- Shape into 8 to 10 patties about 1 cm thick and 6 to 7 cm wide. Smooth edges. Chill 10 to 15 minutes if the mix feels soft.
Air fry
- Preheat the air fryer if required by your model. Lightly oil the basket.
- Arrange patties in a single layer with space between. Lightly brush or spray tops with oil.
- Air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 10 to 14 minutes, flipping once halfway, until golden with firm centers. Optional: finish 1 to 2 minutes at 200°C (390°F) for extra color, watching closely.
- Serve hot with lemon, chaat masala, coriander, and chutney or ketchup.
Notes
Squeezing the grated veg is the main crisp-crust step; skipping it causes steaming in the basket.
For vegan and GF, omit breadcrumbs and use besan or certified GF besan.
A second batch may cook slightly faster because the cavity is already hot.
Store cooled leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in the air fryer to restore crunch.
Freeze shaped patties in a single layer, then stack with parchment; air fry from frozen at slightly lower heat first, then finish at normal heat, flipping once.
For vegan and GF, omit breadcrumbs and use besan or certified GF besan.
A second batch may cook slightly faster because the cavity is already hot.
Store cooled leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in the air fryer to restore crunch.
Freeze shaped patties in a single layer, then stack with parchment; air fry from frozen at slightly lower heat first, then finish at normal heat, flipping once.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!