Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour

Crispy, savory fritters bursting with aromatic spices, these pakoras offer a delightful crunch with a tender interior. Perfect for sharing, they are a flavorful and satisfying gluten-free appetizer.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 15 min Total: 35 min Serves: 8

At a glance: This medium party and appetizers recipe yields 8 servings in about 35 minutes (20 min prep, 15 min cook). It uses 12 ingredients — including chickpea flour, rice flour, ground cumin — and walks through 6 steps. Updated October 24, 2026. Browse more party and appetizers recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Shop links in the ingredient list are affiliate links and do not change the recipe.

Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour: When preparing this party and appetizers recipe, when preparing this recipe, always use clean utensils and surfaces. Be mindful of cross-contamination from gluten-containing ingredients in your kitchen, especially when handling flours and spices. Always verify that all packaged ingredients, including spices and flours, are gluten-free. In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour: This recipe relies on chickpea flour and rice flour, which are naturally gluten-free. Ensure all added spices and ingredients are also gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Instructions

1 In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, rice flour, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Ensure all the dry spices are well combined for even flavor distribution.
2 Add the thinly sliced onion, chopped spinach, and chopped cilantro to the dry ingredients. Toss them gently to coat the vegetables with the flour mixture.
3 Gradually add the water, about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until a thick batter forms. The batter should be thick enough to coat the vegetables but not too watery; aim for a consistency that will hold its shape when fried, about 2-3 minutes of mixing.
4 Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches about 350°F (175°C). You can test the oil by dropping a tiny bit of batter; it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
5 Carefully drop spoonfuls of the pakora batter into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the pakoras are golden brown and crispy on all sides. They should sound crisp when gently prodded.
6 Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried pakoras from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve hot with your favorite chutney or dipping sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

153

Calories

Protein

19g

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

311mg

Sodium

Tips & Notes

Buy chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour labeled gluten-free. Besan in particular is often milled on equipment shared with gluten grains, so an unlabeled bag can undo an otherwise gluten-free batter.
After tossing the onion, spinach and cilantro with the flour mixture, let it sit about 10 minutes before adding water. The salt pulls liquid from the onion, so you may need well under 1/2 cup, and a thick batter that just clings to the vegetables fries up crisper.
Fry in fresh oil, or oil used only for gluten-free foods, and let it come back to 350°F between batches. Oil that has fried breaded food carries gluten into the pakoras, and oil that cools down makes them greasy.

Common questions

What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour?

Check chickpea flour, rice flour, ground cumin before they go into Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour. When preparing this recipe, always use clean utensils and surfaces. Be mindful of cross-contamination from gluten-containing ingredients in your kitchen, especially when handling flours and spices. Always verify that all packaged ingredients, including spices and flours, are gluten-free. In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.

Which gluten-free swaps does Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour use?

Gluten-Free Indian Pakora with Chickpea Flour relies on 1/4 cup rice flour. Keep those gluten-free-labeled products in place of a gluten-containing flour or sauce.

Learn More

Hidden Sources of Gluten You Never Knew Existed

Discover surprising foods and products that contain hidden gluten.

Share on X Save to Pinterest

Gluten Free Recipes team

Editorial team for Gluten Free Recipes

Pages on Gluten Free Recipes are published under the byline "Gluten Free Recipes team". That is the name of the site's editorial team. Recipes are written with AI tools and automation, and the team reviews flagged items. We check each page before it is published. How we make our recipes.

Recipes and images on this site are AI-assisted. They pass automated checks, and the team reviews flagged items.