Aloo Paratha Recipe | Potato Stuffed Paratha
Updated: April 28, 2023, By Swasthi
Aloo Paratha Recipe with 3 different ways to stuff & roll. Aloo Paratha are Indian Breakfast flatbreads made with whole wheat flour, boiled potatoes, spices & herbs. These flavorful and delicious stuffed Parathas are a staple in many North Indian homes, Dhabas & restaurants. These are most commonly topped with white butter and served alongside Pickle and Yogurt. In this post I show how to make delicious Aloo ka Paratha with my easy step by step picture guide and video.
About Aloo Paratha
Aloo Paratha are popular Indian flatbreads stuffed with a delicious spiced potato mixture. In Hindi, Aloo means “Potatoes” and Paratha means “Layered Flatbreads”. So Aloo Parathas literally mean parathas that are stuffed with boiled, mashed and spiced potatoes in between the layers.
Firstly a dough is made with whole wheat flour. Next boiled potatoes are mashed or grated and then spiced. This flavorful spiced potato mixture is then stuffed in a small disc of dough and sealed. It is then rolled and pan fried with a generous amount of ghee or oil.
These are made the same way all over India with slight variations in the spices. My recipe to make Aloo Paratha has a unique combination of spices so they are flavorful, delicious and great tasting.
Making Aloo Paratha is easy but needs a bit of practice. In this post I have shown 3 ways to stuff & roll aloo parathas. So if you are new to making these stuffed parathas check out my video and try in smaller quantities.
More flatbread recipes
Gobi Paratha
Tandoori Roti
Paneer Paratha
Soft Chapati Recipe
Butter Naan
Methi Paratha
Photo Guide
How to Make Aloo Paratha (Stepwise Photos)
Make Dough
1. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil and half cup water in a mixing bowl. Begin to mix adding more water as required to form a soft and non-sticky dough. Knead well until really soft and pliable.
2. If you press down the dough, it should dent easily and must be soft. Cover and keep it aside until the stuffing is ready. I always rest my dough for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you prefer to skip the resting time, then knead it a little longer and use it right away.
Make Aloo Stuffing
3. Boil the potatoes just until fork tender without making them mushy or water logged. If cooking in a pressure cooker, place the potatoes in the cooker along with 1 cup water. Pressure cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles depending on the size. If cooking in a instant pot, pressure cook them for 5 to 6 mins and wait for the pressure to drop naturally.
4. When the potatoes cool down, peel them and grate or mash with a fork until it is smooth. There should be no pieces of potatoes left as they tear the aloo paratha while rolling. If your potatoes look sticky or pasty, then don’t overdo the mashing. Instead use your fingers to break the tiny bits. You don’t want a sticky potato filling.
5. Run your fingers through the potato mash and break up any chunks of potatoes. This step is extremely important. Then add
¾ tsp garam masala (adjust to taste)
½ tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
¾ to 1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp chaat masala (or amchur, dried mango powder)
1 green chilli chopped (optional, skip for kids)
¾ tsp ginger grated or paste (or ¼ tsp ginger powder)
½ tsp salt (more if needed)
1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds, skip if you don’t have)
½ tsp fennel powder (saunf powder, skip if you don’t have)
2 tbsps coriander leaves fine chopped
6. Mix all of these and taste test. Then add more salt or spices if needed to suit your taste. Divide the mixture to 8 equal portions.
7. Divide the dough to 8 equal portions.
Method 1 – Roll Aloo Paratha
I have shared 3 ways to roll the parathas (pics below). Take a look first to see which one looks easier to you.
8. Sprinkle little flour on the rolling area. Smoothen a dough ball and dip it in flour. Flatten it and roll to a 4 inch round roti/disc.
9. Place a spiced potato ball in the center and bring the sides up.
10. Press down the stuffing to the center and bring the sides higher giving it a cup shape. If the aloo stuffing is sticky, then smear your fingers generously with some flour.
11. Bring the sides higher by simply rotating the whole thing on your hand in clock-wise direction. The dough gets stretched by itself and comes over the stuffing. (check video)
12. Repeat this step of pushing the aloo inside and bringing the sides higher by rotating until the edges come over to the top.
13. Join all the edges well to ensure no filling is visible. I do not remove any excess dough, instead press it down back to the ball.
14. Dip this ball in flour on both the sides and gently flatten it with your fingers. This is very important so the filling is evenly spread all over the paratha.
15. Place the sealed side down on the rolling area and gently roll it evenly without putting pressure. Do not roll the aloo paratha continuously. Instead rotate in clock-wise direction a little after every 4 to 6 rolls to ensure it does not tear or get stuck.
You can make as thin or thick you like. I make mine thin and about 8 to 9 inches. If you see the filling coming out while rolling, then apply some flour there. Sprinkle flour only as needed and avoid using excess.
Method 2 – Roll
I had shot these pictures in 2015 but never got to share it on the blog. The stuffing I made here is by tempering the spices in oil first and then I added it to the mashed potatoes. It is on the hotter side with more chilli powder.
Place the aloo stuffing in a 5 inch roti. Then make pleats and bring all the edges on top. Gently join them and pinch off the excess dough. Flatten slightly and dip in flour. Flatten it again to a 4 inch disc with your fingers to spread the filling evenly. Then roll it to as big as you can.
Method 3 – Roll
Roll 2 rotis of 6 inches. Spread the aloo mixture on one of the roti as shown below. Wet the edges with little water. Place the other roti on top of it. Press down gently on the sides to seal both the rotis. Then sprinkle flour and roll it evenly as thin as you want. With this method, you will be able to make only 6 large parathas. So divide the dough to 12 and stuffing to 6 parts.
Fry Aloo Paratha
16. After you are done rolling 3 to 4 paranthas, heat a griddle on a medium high flame. When the pan is hot enough, dust off excess flour from the aloo paratha & gently transfer it to the griddle. Within 2 minutes, you will see bubbles. Turn it to the other side.
17. Press down gently with a spatula. You will see the aloo paratha begins to puff. Drizzle some ghee or oil. I add about 1 teaspoon ghee.
18. Turn it to & fro to the other side and drizzle more ghee. Cook pressing down on the edges with a spatula so they cook well. Well-cooked parathas will leave your entire house filled with a great aroma. When you see golden to light brown spots on the aloo paratha, remove to a plate.
19. To fry the next one, ensure the pan is hot enough and not extremely hot. Keep regulating the flame to medium or low as needed so the parathas don’t burn. Place a clean cloth in a container or arrange a cooling rack & Stack the parathas to keep them moist.
Serve Aloo Paratha with pickle or yogurt. You can also top your parathas with butter. We love them with this Mint chutney or Cilantro / coriander chutney.
Pro Tips
Firstly boiling potatoes the right way is the key to make the best aloo parathas. Boil them just until fork tender, meaning they are just cooked and not overcooked. Soggy potatoes will make a sticky and very moist stuffing which is not good to make parathas.
Mashing or grating potatoes properly is also very important. There should be no chunks of potatoes left in the mash as they will tear the parathas. Do not over mash to the extent they become pasty. So you can also grate them rather than mashing to avoid pasty texture.
Stuffing the parathas: The first method of stuffing and rolling I have shown here is the best way to make as it completely locks the stuffing in the dough preventing the stuffing from coming out.
Flattening and spreading the stuffing after sealing the spiced aloo in the dough is what makes the aloo paratha perfect. This avoids the parathas from tearing and spreads the filling evenly.
Lastly frying parathas on a low heat will make them hard. Cook them on a moderately medium high heat so they cook well. Also regulating the flame as needed is very important so they don’t burn.
Ingredients
Potatoes: Choosing the right kind of potatoes to make these parathas is very important. Some kind of potatoes turn too mushy and sticky after boiling. Avoid using such potatoes. Avoid using newly harvested potatoes. Old potatoes, Yukon Gold & Russet are suitable for parathas.
Spices: Most people make aloo paratha with minimal spices like cumin, coriander powder and red chilli powder. The combination of spices I have used here makes the parathas so flavorful that your home will be filled with a delicate aroma while frying.
However if you do not have or don’t prefer any particular spice, then you can simply skip it. You can also increase or decrease the spices to suit your taste.
Ghee: Aloo parathas are pan fried mostly with a generous amount of ghee as it imparts that smoky aroma and flaky texture. If you do not eat ghee then use any regular oil.
Variations
1.You can also temper the spices before adding to the mashed potatoes. To do this, heat 1 tbsp oil or ghee in a small pan. Add ginger and green chilies. Saute for 30 seconds and then add all the spice powders and salt. Turn off and add this to the mashed potatoes.
Even without the tempering the aloo parathas will be great as the stuffing gets steam cooked while frying.
2. Some people also add onions to the stuffing. They are added raw or sauteed in oil until they lose the raw smell.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Aloo Paratha Recipe | Potato Stuffed Paratha
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
For dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (240 grams) (atta)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil (optional, refer notes)
- water as needed for kneading (I used ¾ cup + 2 tbsps)
For filling
- 350 grams potatoes (3 medium potatoes)
- 1 green chilli chopped (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon grated ginger (or ¼ tsp ginger powder)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (very fine chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala (or 1 tbsp lemon juice or ½ tsp amchur)
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds) (optional)
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds powder (saunf powder) (optional)
To pan fry
- 4 tablespoons ghee (use as per preference)
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil potatoes just until fork tender without making them mushy. To pressure cook in traditional cooker, cook for 3 to 4 whistles depending on the size of potatoes. In instant pot I pressure cooked for 5 mins since I used medium sized potatoes.
- While the potatoes boil, make the dough. Add flour,oil and salt to a bowl. Pour half cup water and begin to mix to form a dough. Pour more water as needed and make a soft yet non-sticky dough.
- Knead it well until soft & pliable. If you press down the dough with your finger, it should dent easily meaning it is soft enough. Cover and rest until the filling is ready.
- When the potatoes are done, cool them slightly and peel while still warm. Ensure your boiled potatoes are not mushy or soggy.
- Grate or mash them well until no bits of potatoes remain. Using your fingers break any chunks of potatoes left in the mash otherwise they will tear the parathas. Also do not over mash it as the potatoes will turn pasty and sticky.
- Add ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, kasuri methi and chaat masala. Crush the kasuri methi before adding.
- Optional: Also add the optional ingredients – ajwain and fennel powder.
- Mix all of the ingredients gently and taste test it. Add more salt or spices as per your taste.
- Divide the aloo stuffing to 8 parts. Also divide the dough to 8 parts. Keep the dough covered.
How to Make Aloo Paratha
- Roll a dough ball in your palms to smooth. Lightly sprinkle some flour on the rolling area. Flatten the dough ball and dip it in some flour.
- Method 1– Dust off the excess & roll it to a 4 inch disc or roti. Place a portion of aloo stuffing in the center. Gently bring the sides of the roti up shaping like a cup. Repeat the steps of pushing the stuffing inside with your finger and bringing the dough up until the edges come over the stuffing. (Refer video).
- If the stuffing is sticky, dip your fingers in flour. Bring the edges together over the stuffing and join them to seal carefully. (Refer step-by-step photo or video).
- Method 2 – Roll a 5 inch roti and place the stuffing in the center, hold the edges and make small pleats. Bring all of them on top and join them together to seal the stuffing. Remove the excess dough on top.
- Dip the stuffed ball in flour and flatten it gently to spread the stuffing evenly. This ensures the stuffing does not come out at all. Dust off the excess.
- Sprinkle some flour on the rolling area .
- Place the paratha disc on the rolling area with the sealed side down. Begin to roll evenly all over without putting pressure.
- Do not roll the aloo paratha continuously. Instead rotate in clock-wise direction a little after every 4 to 6 rolls to ensure it does not tear or get stuck. Sprinkle flour as needed and avoid using excess. If you see the stuffing coming out, gently apply some flour to seal it.
- Roll the aloo paratha as thin or thick you like without tearing them. I roll mine to 8 to 9 inches.
- Transfer the rolled ones to a dry area. Once you are done with 3 you can begin to fry them.
- Method 3 – With this method, you will be able to make only 6 large parathas. So divide the dough to 12 and stuffing to 6 parts. Roll 2 rotis of 6 inches each. Spread the aloo mixture on one of the roti. Wet the edges with little water. Place the other roti on top of it. Press down gently on the sides to seal both the rotis. Then sprinkle flour and roll it evenly as thin as you want.
Frying
- Heat a pan or griddle to cook the aloo parathas. The griddle should be hot enough otherwise the parathas will turn hard,
- When the pan is hot, gently transfer a rolled aloo paratha to it.
- With in 2 to 3 mins, you will see bubbles over it. Then flip it to the other side and cook.
- You will see the aloo paratha puffs and cooks well. Drizzle ghee or oil all over and flip it to the other side and cook.
- Smear some ghee on this side as well and press down the edges to cook thoroughly.
- Soon you will see golden to light brown spots on the aloo parathas. Remove to a plate and stack them. This keeps them soft.
- Top aloo paratha with some butter and serve with pickle or yogurt. This coriander chutney or mint chutney also go well.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of spices and herbs to suit your liking.
- Avoid using too much flour while rolling as it makes the parathas hard and dry.
Roll the parathas evenly without putting pressure in one place. - For variation you can use store bought grated paneer or steamed carrots and peas. Ensure you mash the veggies very well.
- You can also saute little methi leaves or spinach leaves until they wilt. Cool and add them to the mashed potato mixture. Also use only the leaves and not stalks of these greens.
- Avoid using new potatoes. Old potatoes are best for this recipe. Boil potatoes just until fork tender and don’t overcook. We don’t want soggy potatoes soaked up in excess moisture.
- Grate or mash potatoes well until you see no bits of potatoes in them. But do not over mash to the extent they become pasty and sticky.
- After sealing aloo in the dough, do not forget to flatten and spread the stuffing. This way the stuffing is well distributed and won’t come out while rolling.
- Do not fry parathas on a low heat. Fry them on a moderately high flame. Keep adjusting the flame while you fry them so you don’t burn the aloo parathas.
Video
Watch Aloo Paratha Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
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About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Omg! This was the first time I ever made a paratha, let alone aloo paratha but my goodness, I cannot express how good it turned out. I always get my Indian recipes from Ur recipes and it has always been a hit! Thank you for making me the best chef in my family 😉
Tasmia, Thank you so much! Feeling honored and you made my day!
You are such a blessing. I finally made the most perfect paranthas thanks to you sharing these nuances to making them. Thank you so much!
Thanks a lot for your kind words Komala. Delighted to read that!
Cooking with your recipes is such a joy! I just started to learn cooking last dec and I have made a lot of delicious dishes. All thanks to you, made these aloo paratha for the second time. Serving them with your mint raita.
Can these be frozen? What about the filling – could that be premade and frozen? (I have guests and want to prepare as much in advance as possible)
Hi Esther,
yes they can be frozen. Fry the parathas partially without ghee/oil, until half cooked. Cool them and place in between parchment papers. Thaw them at room temperature until the paper loosens a bit, for about 15 to 30 mins. Fry/reheat them with ghee, until golden. I wouldn’t suggest freezing the filling but you can refrigerate for 48 hours/ 2 days.
I followed the recipe and got delicious aloo parathas. I also fried little fresh methi leaves in little ghee and included to the aloo mixture. Unique, healthy and delicious. Thank you Swasthi
My kids love all kinds of parathas and these aloo paratha are their favorite. Thank you for teaching me how to make them easily. Now mine are perfectly shaped and so good like yours.
Happy to read that Amrita. Thank you for letting me know
I used half whole wheat & half all purpose flour for the dough. For the filling I used lemon juice instead of chaat masala per recipe & didn’t use kasurimethi, ajwuin and funnel seeds as I don’t have those in my pantry. Regard less it came out really good. My 3 year old said “it’s yummy” and that’s all matters to me 🙂
Does the dough need to be firm or the same as chapatti dough?
Soft, like chapati dough. Take a look at the video where I show the texture
Thank you, they were really nice 😊
Do we need to soak the methi leaves first or can we add them in dry?
Add it dry
Nice recipe 😋
Flavorful and tasty. My go to site for all Indian recipes!
I used yellow potatoes and maybe I should not have. Probably Idaho or baking potatoes would have been better. My potatoes were over cooked and mushy. Even with 6 mins in instant pot. I had to add some potato starch to thicken it up. But didn’t help much. Had trouble rolling them but managed after all!
Thanks for all the recipes… each and everyone comes out absolutely YUM!
Thank you for having such awesome recipes! Your attention to detail is so appreciated! Do you have any tips on how to freeze already made parathas?
Thank you Nisha. Cool them completely on a wire rack and place them in between parchment papers. Place in a air tight container or plastic bag.
I’m trying aloo paratha I love anything potatoes.love indian food thanks ever so much for sharing dj
I have never made aloo paratha but my desi boyfriend really wanted some for breakfast. With some experimentation with the different assembly methods I was able to make 4 passable aloo paratha and 1 that was, well let’s just say it wasn’t winning any beauty awards. The filling was delicious and saved how ugly they were ?
Thanks for the recipe!
Haha! So nice to hear that you were able to make them well at the first attempt. If you have not watched my video, I insist watching that. I have shown the easiest way to make beautiful parathas. It needs some practice but you can easily master that. Thanks for sharing back Elizabeth.
I just made these for my wife for breakfast and she absolutely loved it.
Thanks.
I was really excited to learn making aloo paratha and your recipe helped me. They came out so good, right at the first attempt. I really love the first method but it needs some practice. I tried that watching your video but I was too slow. So followed the third method and it is easy. Thank you for the videos and all your recipes.
You are welcome Vanessa. Glad you could make them. The first method needs practice but once you learn they are really easy and faster than the other methods. Thanks for sharing back
Delicious, authentic and a kids favorite healthy dish..
Thanks Deepti
I made this day before yesterday for dinner and my mom absolutely loved it. Thank you.
Wow! That’s nice to know Sravani! You are welcome!
Thanks for this aloo paratha recipe
I’m looking to make this for a large crowd of around 9 people. Some will eat a lot: What’s your recommendation of how many servings to cook? Or if you know approximately how many parathas is in one serving that would greatly help with planning.
Hi,
Most people will eat only 2 parathas if you have other dishes on the side like rice, curry or raita. But if you are making only these they will be able to eat 3 plus may be some raita and salad. I think 3x recipe should make enough – 24 parathas and I guess you will have other options like rice etc
Hi, Swasthi
I tried your Aloo Paratha recipe and it came out amazing.
Thank you
Hi Jackie,
That’s nice to know! Thank you