Stuffed Aloo Tikki
Zero-oil air-fried aloo tikki stuffed with a tangy chickpea filling
This is my version of aloo tikki — made without oil and cooked in the air fryer instead of shallow or deep frying. Soft potato tikkis are stuffed with a lightly spiced chickpea filling, then finished with yogurt, meethi chutney, onion, tomato and coriander for that familiar chaat-style flavour.
The outside turns golden in the air fryer while the centre stays soft, with the chickpeas adding texture and a fresh, tangy contrast.
Recipe Highlights
- Zero-oil air-fryer version
- Stuffed with spiced chickpeas
- Crisp outside, soft inside
- Fresh chaat-style toppings
- Simple everyday ingredients
- Serves 3
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Servings: 3
Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition & Macros
Complete recipe
- Calories: 306 kcal
- Protein: 10 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
Per Serving — 1 of 3 tikkis
- Calories: ~102 kcal
- Protein: ~3.3 g
- Fat: ~0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: ~21 g
Nutrition values are approximate. Garnishes and the quantity of yogurt or chutney used may change the final values.
Ingredients
For the Aloo Tikki
- 300 g potato
- Salt — to taste
- Black pepper — to taste
For the Chickpea Filling
- 20 g chickpeas
- Salt — to taste
- Red chilli powder — to taste
- Roasted jeera powder — to taste
- Green chilli — finely chopped, to taste
- Lemon juice — to taste
- Coriander leaves — chopped
For Serving & Garnish
- Chopped onion — as required
- Tomato or cherry tomato — for garnish
- Yogurt — as required
- Meethi chutney — as required
- Fresh coriander leaves — for garnish
- Remaining seasoned chickpeas — for serving
Method
1. Prepare the Chickpeas
Soak the chickpeas overnight.
The next day, boil them until cooked, then drain and transfer to a bowl.
Add salt, red chilli powder, roasted jeera powder, chopped green chilli, chopped coriander and lemon juice.
Mix well and keep aside.
2. Prepare the Potato Mixture
Boil the potatoes only until cooked through.
Do not overcook them — they should remain firm rather than becoming waterlogged or mushy.
Cool completely, peel and grate or mash until smooth with no large pieces remaining.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Divide the potato mixture into 3 equal portions.
3. Stuff the Tikkis
Take one portion of the potato mixture and flatten it gently in your palm.
Place some of the seasoned chickpeas in the centre.
Bring the potato mixture up around the filling and seal it completely.
Shape gently into a thick tikki.
Repeat with the remaining potato mixture and filling.
4. Air Fry
Preheat the air fryer at 180°C for 10 minutes.
Place the tikkis in the air-fryer basket, leaving a little space between them.
Air fry at 180°C for approximately 20–25 minutes, turning if required, until the outside becomes nicely golden.
No oil is required.
5. Assemble & Serve
Spread the remaining seasoned chickpeas onto the serving plate.
Place the air-fried tikkis on top.
Finish each tikki with:
- yogurt
- meethi chutney
- chopped onion
- tomato
- coriander leaves
Serve immediately while the tikkis are still warm.
Ippitizer Tips
Don’t overboil the potatoes. Excess moisture makes the mixture difficult to shape and can cause the tikkis to soften too much.
Let the potatoes cool completely before shaping.
Keep the chickpea filling relatively dry so it doesn’t break through the potato shell.
For better browning, leave enough space around each tikki in the air fryer instead of overcrowding the basket.
Add the yogurt and chutney only at serving time so the outside stays golden rather than turning soggy.
Ippitizer Note
Traditional aloo tikki is usually pan-fried or deep-fried, but I wanted the same comforting potato-and-chaat experience without adding oil.
The chickpea centre makes the tikki more interesting than a plain potato patty, while the yogurt, meethi chutney, onion and coriander bring back that familiar sweet, tangy and spicy chaat finish.
Same idea, different cooking method — and still unmistakably aloo tikki.
