Cozy, warming, and perfectly spiced, these potato and pea samosa wraps are a great choice for chilly days or simply when you want a tasty, convenient meal on the go.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
If you’re like me, you probably have a few frozen vegan convenience foods on hand for those days you just don’t feel like cooking. One of my freezer favorites is Amy’s Samosa Wraps: they have all the yumminess of samosas in a convenient burrito-style wrap. This recipe is my take on them, with tofu added for protein and a range of spices for well-developed flavor.
Ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes: These potatoes have very thin skin, so there is no need to peel them before cooking them. Bonus: most of the nutrients are in the skin.
- Fresh ginger: Ginger adds a strong, distinctively spicy taste. Often referred to as a superfood, raw ginger, used here, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Garam masala: A blend of ground spices used in South Asian cooking. It is commonly found in well-stocked grocery stores. The contents of the spice blend vary based on the manufacturer, but garam masala typically brings a warmth and depth of flavor to any dish.
- Ground cumin: Cumin brings a warm flavor to this dish. It is also a good source of antioxidants.
- Ground coriander: Adds fragrance and rounds out the flavor.
- Garlic powder: Adds depth of flavor and helps support healthy blood pressure.
- Turmeric: Adds a touch of golden color, along with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Red pepper flakes: For added heat. Feel free to omit if you like less spice.
- Peas: I typically use frozen peas for convenience; unlike some other vegetables, they maintain their flavor and texture well when frozen. Peas contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamins C, E, and zinc.
- Super-firm tofu: This is tofu that has most of the water already pressed out. As a result, it has a firm texture that holds up well in recipes. It’s typically sold in a large block that is not packaged in water. There is no need to press it before using it in recipes. If your store does not carry super-firm tofu, use extra-firm tofu instead. Just press it for 15 to 30 minutes before grating it to remove some of the excess water (see FAQ for details on pressing tofu).
- Large whole-wheat tortilla wraps: I prefer the larger, burrito-sized wraps for this recipe, but smaller soft-taco-sized wraps will work just as well (and may be preferable if you will be sharing this dish with children).
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Add the potatoes to a large pot. Fill with water to cover, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook the potatoes over medium-low heat for 13 minutes, or until a fork slides through the potatoes easily, with no resistance.
- Step 2: Drain the cooked potatoes with a colander and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Step 3: Add the ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to the bowl of cooked potatoes. Stir well.
- Step 4: Mash about half of the potatoes with a potato masher or a fork. Leave some lumps and large chunks for texture.
- Step 5: Add the grated tofu and peas to the bowl.
- Step 6: Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Step 7: Spoon the mixture into a line in the center of a whole-wheat wrap.
- Step 8: Fold in the left and right sides, then roll the side closest to you over the filling and away from you. Tuck it under to make a burrito-like shape.
Serve the potato and pea samosa wraps seam-side down so they hold together better. Enjoy them warm—either plain, or with a side of your favorite chutney or other dipping sauce.
Variation: Instant Pot version
Potato and pea samosa wraps are easy to make in an Instant Pot. You’ll need all the ingredients listed above, plus 1 cup of water.
- Add the potatoes, ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to an Instant Pot, along with 1 cup of water. Stir well.
- Lock the lid. Set the Pressure Release knob to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook on High pressure for 8 minutes.
- After the 8 minute timer beeps, allow a natural pressure release.
- When the Float Valve drops, signifying that all pressure has been released, open the Instant Pot and stir the cooked potatoes.
- Using a potato masher, mash about half of the potatoes in the Instant Pot.
- Add the grated tofu and peas to the Instant Pot and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to suit your preferences.
- Spoon the mixture into the wraps. Fold in the left and right sides, then fold the side closest to you over the filling and roll until it resembles a burrito. Serve with the seam side down. Enjoy plain or accompanied with your favorite chutney.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Grater
- Large bowl
- Potato masher
Storage
Store any leftovers in the fridge. Best used within 4 days. Alternatively, freeze leftovers for up to a month.
FAQ
Just like the extra-firm tofu you know and love, except with most of the water already pressed out so you can skip that step. As a result, it has a firm texture that makes it particularly suitable for more hearty dishes.
If you don’t have super-firm tofu at your grocery store, the more readily available extra-firm tofu is an easy substitute. Because extra-firm tofu is packed in water, you’ll want to press it first to avoid watering down the contents and flavor of the samosa wraps.
The easiest way to press tofu is with a tofu press—an inexpensive gadget that does this one job very well. If you don’t have a tofu press, you can achieve comparable results with a clean tea towel and a heavy object.
Simply place the tofu block on a baking sheet with a rim, cover the tofu with a tea towel, and place something heavy on top (I usually use a heavy cookbook, or a pan weighted down with a couple cans). Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, or ideally, 30 minutes. Most of the moisture will be squeezed out and you’ll be left with a dense block that is easier to grate.
I do not recommend doing so. Their water content is too high and they have a creamy texture that doesn’t work well in these wraps.
Garam masala is a blend of ground spices used in South Asian cooking. It is a quick and easy way to enhance dishes with warmth and depth of flavor.
Samosas are fried pastries containing savory meat or vegetables. This dish is a healthier alternative because the wraps are not deep fried.
Related
Looking for other main courses? Try these:
Potato and Pea Samosa Wraps
Equipment
- large pot
- colander
- grater
- large bowl
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), scrubbed, eyes removed, roughly diced (see Note)
- 1 inch fresh ginger minced
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 8 ounces super-firm tofu grated (see Note)
- 6 large (burrito-sized) whole-wheat tortilla wraps (or 8 soft-taco-sized wraps)
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a large pot. Fill with water to cover (leave about an inch of water above the potatoes). Bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with a lid and continue to cook the potatoes over medium-low for 13 minutes. At 13 minutes, lift the lid and carefully spear a piece of potato with a fork to check for doneness; the fork should slide through easily, with no resistance. If the potato is too firm, re-cover and continue to cook the potatoes for another 2 to 5 minutes, checking periodically for doneness. Once the potatoes are soft enough for a fork to pierce them easily, drain them with a colander and transfer the cooked potatoes to a large bowl.
- Add spices: Add the ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to the bowl of cooked potatoes. Stir well.
- Mash the potatoes: Using a potato masher or large fork, mash about half of the potatoes. The goal is not to make them perfectly smooth; leave some lumps and large chunks for texture.
- Add the tofu and peas: Add the grated tofu and peas to the bowl and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to suit your preferences.
- Make the wraps: Spoon the filling mixture into a line in the center of the whole-wheat wraps. Fold in the left and right sides. Then, holding those down, fold the side closest to you over the filling and roll it away from you. Tuck it under to make a burrito-like shape. Serve the wraps with the seam side down (this helps them hold together better). Enjoy the wraps plain or with a side of your favorite chutney or other dipping sauce.
Notes
- Because the skin on Yukon gold potatoes is so thin, there is no need to remove it before cooking, unless you prefer to do so.
- Grate the tofu on the largest holes of a box grater (or other grater) as you would a block of cheese. The result should be a combination of shreds (resembling shredded cheese) and crumbles.
