Pakora (Vegetable Fritters with Kale)
by Sommer Collier — on Jul 25, 2025 These veggie Pakora are made with fresh chopped kale and fragrant spices, combined with a gluten-free batter and deep fried to crispy, crunchy perfection. Enjoy homemade Indian vegetable fritters with yummy dipping sauces for a delightful appetizer, main dish or snack!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
I spent several months in my youth in India, where I developed a genuine passion for food and refined my cooking skills. And I especially fell in love with Indian snacks! In fact, several Indian-inspired snack recipes are frequently on the menu, like spicy roasted chickpeas, sweet mango lassi popsicles, curried apple turnovers, Indian Ice Cream (Kulfi), and traditional roti. But we are SUPER crazy over Pakora, AKA Indian fritters.
We have a fabulous chicken Pakora recipe on the site, inspired by one of our favorite local restaurants. However, this vegetarian Pakora recipe is just as enticing! We’re making vegetable fritters with kale, so they’re thin, crispy, and irresistible, yet packed with fiber and nutrients.
Why You’ll Love Veggie Pakora with Kale
- Gluten-free recipe – Like most Indian recipes, the batter for frying Pakora uses gluten-free chickpea flour.
- Amazing flavor – Kale has an earthy, lightly sweet flavor that is delicious with the fragrant combination of Indian spices. Pakora fry up into perfectly savory, crunchy fritters that you just can’t stop eating!
- Delightful for dipping – The deep veggie flavor and fried goodness make Pakora perfect to dip in all kinds of creamy, cool/, bright, or zesty sauces. We prefer both!
Bonus: This recipe is also versatile! Use kale or other veggies to make the dish, and serve as an appetizer, side dish, or party snack with any number of dipping sauces (more on that later).
Ingredients and Tips
- Kale – Hearty Tuscan kale (AKA lacinato or dinosaur kale) or curly kale are the best options to make Pakora.
- Chickpea flour – This gluten-free flour made with garbanzo beans is also called gram flour or besan flour.
- Spices – The flavorful batter is seasoned with salt, ground cumin, ground Kashmiri chile (or 1 tsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne), garlic powder, onion powder, garam masala, ground ginger, and ground turmeric.
- Egg whites – Using just the whites is what makes the batter light and the Pakora fry up super crisp. But you can use the yolks to make delicious Vietnamese egg coffee, orange curd, or mango pie!
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is always best!
- Oil for frying – I prefer peanut oil for its clean flavor. However, any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point will work well for frying kale Pakora, such as vegetable, sunflower, or canola oil.
Recipe Variations
- Veggies – You can use this method to make any sort of Vegetable Pakora recipe! Swap the kale for other hardy greens like spinach or cabbage, sliced onion, carrots, eggplant, sweet potato, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, zucchini, or sliced bell peppers.
- Vegan – Make a vegan version of this recipe by swapping egg whites with 1 “flax egg” or “chia egg”. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Let it rest for 15 minutes to thicken, then add to make the batter.
- Spicy or mild – As-is, this recipe includes Kashmiri chile powder, which is not terribly spicy. You can leave it out for a mild version, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to make it even spicier.
How to Make Vegetable Pakora
Tip for Success – Get perfect Pakora by using a cooking thermometer, AKA a candy thermometer, to get the fry oil to just the right temperature. Oil that isn’t hot enough will make the fritters soggy, but it will burn the fritters quickly if it’s too hot.
Find the full Vegetable Fritter recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Vegetable Pakora with Kale
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups packed kale with stems removed and cut into 1-2-inch pieces
- 1 cup chickpea flour gram or besan flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground kashmiri chile or 1 tsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 egg whites
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- oil for frying I like peanut oil for this recipe
Instructions
- Separate the kale: remove the stems and cut the leaves into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Pack into measuring cups.
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Add the chickpea flour, salt, and all spices. Mix well. Then stir in the egg whites, lemon juice, and water. The batter should be thick.
- Mix the kale pieces into the pakora batter, making sure they are well-coated.
- Meanwhile, set a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot. Then pour in 1 1/2 – 2 inches of high-heat cooking oil. Wait until the temperature rises to at least 350 degrees F.
- While the oil heats up, use a blender to make the dipping sauces.
- When the oil reaches 350-360 degrees F, set out a holding plate lined with paper towels. Working in small batches, carefully drop the coated kale pieces in the hot oil, one at a time. Use a spider skimmer to immediately flip each piece over so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Fry the kale pakora for 2-3 minutes until it reaches a rich golden-brown color. Use the skimmer to move the vegetable pakora to the holding plate. Then repeat with the remaining batches.
- Serve warm with dipping sauces.
Notes
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- Dipping Sauces – Serve Pakora with Raita Sauce and/or Green Chutney.
- Storing Leftovers – Keep fritters in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheating – The best way to reheat veggie pakora is in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes on a lined baking sheet. Flip halfway through cooking to get them nice and crispy again.
Nutrition
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Keep fritters in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheating – The best way to reheat veggie pakora is in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes on a lined baking sheet. Flip halfway through cooking to get them nice and crispy again.
Serving Suggestions
Pair warm, crunchy vegetable fritters with traditional homemade raita sauce (creamy Indian yogurt sauce) and bright, flavorful green chutney made with cilantro and mint.
They are delightful for a snack or appetizer, or as side dish with savory mains. Like our tandoori chicken skewers, paneer tikka masala, and mung daal recipes!
Or make it the main star of the meal and serve alongside fresh and flavorful Indian kachumber salad and fluffy Indian rice or basmati rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pakora are crispy fried fritters made with veggies, while samosas are pockets of fried dough filled with starchy veggies. These are entirely different, but both totally tasty, traditional Indian dishes.
Look, nothing that is deep-fried is ever going to be “good for you.” But there’s kale in there, which is super nutritious – so I guess this is a not-terrible-but-not-good-for-you food.
