• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kidgredients logo

  • recipes
  • shop
  • about
  • collaborate
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • recipes
  • shop
  • about
  • collaborate
  • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    home » Recipes » Vegetarian

    Homemade Onion Bhajis, kid friendly!

    Published: Apr 28, 2021. Modified: Apr 28, 2021By:Kylie·This post may contain affiliate links·

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    What homemade Indian feast is complete without onion bhajis? With extra added veggies, in the form of zucchini and a super mild spice blend, these are the perfect starter for your meal and they are naturally gluten free and dairy free. You can make a crispy, delicious, big batch of homemade onion bhajis in only 35 minutes and they are great for keeping in the freezer! The kids LOVE them!

    Homemade Onion Bhajis ina  bowl ready to eat
    Contents hide
    1 Why you're going to love this recipe
    2 What goes into the recipe
    3 How to make this recipe
    4 Expert Tips and FAQs
    5 More recipes with spice for the family
    6 Homemade Onion Bhajis

    Why you're going to love this recipe

    This recipe is designed with kids in mind, because I know that a lot of kids struggle with heavy spices and unusual flavours, but these bhajis are the perfect introduction to delicious flavours that can be created with spices. Here's why your whole family will love this recipe:

    • crispy crunchy exterior and deliciously soft interior
    • mild spices, just enough to give flavour
    • freezer friendly for busy nights
    • great starter (they are even good in the lunchbox)
    • great with a dipping sauce
    • extra veggies for a boost
    • gluten free
    • dairy free

    This recipe is all about introducing kids to spice, and goes perfectly with things like my Beef Mince Curry Meatballs, a veggie-packed family dinner, or Mango chicken curry or Cauliflower and sweet potato curry.

    Serve them with a mint dipping sauce like this one or for something a bit different try this one from Mirchi Tales.

    What goes into the recipe

    Ingredients for Homemade onion Bhajis: besan flour, ground coriander, cumin seeds, onions, zucchini and eggs
    • chickpea or besan flour chickpea flour is the best possible flour for making these. I buy it at the supermarket. Sometimes you'll find it in the "ethnic" (why do they call it that, can't they just call it the "all the awesome things are here" section?) section of the supermarket, but I'm finding it in the flour section locally. If you have no luck, your local indian grocer will be able to sort you out. I have been grinding my own from chickpeas, but I realise for most people that is a bridge too far. If you have to, you can swap for plain flour, but then they won't be gluten free.
    • ground coriander this comes from coriander seed, so swapping for leaves won't work.
    • cumin seed these little seeds pack a flavourful punch and really add a lot to this dish. if they've been sitting ion the back of the pantry for a while, a quick refresh in a frypan will make sure they are at their most flavourful.

    How to make this recipe

    • Peel and chop the onions, top and tail the zucchini. (Image 1)
    • Grate the zucchini and onions. (Image 2)
    • Grate veggies in a colander and put a bowl of water on top as a weight to force out the liquid from the onions and zucchini. Leave to stand for 20 minutes. (Image 3)
    • Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. (Image 4)
    Steps for making Homemade Onionbhajis, chopping veggies, grating veggies, draining veggies, mixing the dry ingredients
    • Add the lightly whisked eggs and the drained zucchini and onion mixture. (Image 5)
    • Mix well to combine, ensuring there are no dry patches. (Image 6)
    • Heat your oil over high heat in a deep saucepan. Grab tablespoonfuls of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. They won't stick to the bottom and will start to quickly brown.(Image 7)
    • Flip them after 2-3 minutes and cook on the other side until golden. Drain on paper towel. (Image 8)
    mixing the wet ingredients into the dry, frying the bhajis

    Expert Tips and FAQs

    The first 500 times I made these I grated the zucchini and onion by hand. Be more sensible than me, get out the food processor. Make sure the zucchini and onion dry out well or you will have stodgy sticky bhajis.

    Can kids eat food with spice?

    Yes! Of course they can, and over time they become more tolerant of it. Introducing it to your kids from a young age helps them to enjoy it. I could happily take my kids out for dinner now at an Indian restaurant and be confident that they would eat ¾ of the menu.

    Where can I find besan/chickpea flour?

    I find it in my supermarket, either in the flour section or the ethnic section, otherwise your local Indian grocer will have it. You can also mill your own from dried chickpeas.

    Can I use plain flour?

    Yes, but they won't be gluten free and they won't have quite the same flavour profile, but in a pinch it can be used.

    How can I dry out the zucchini and onion easily?

    Place them in a colander once grated and place a bowl of water on top to compress them. This helps to push the liquid out of them.

    How can I refresh old spices?

    Pop them into a clean fry pan over medium heat. When the air starts to fill with their fragrance, remove them from the heat and use in your recipe.

    What oil is best for frying?

    Vegetable or canola oil is best for frying and is much cheaper than other alternatives. If you can get rice bran oil in bulk, it is a good alternative. This is not a time for olive oil.

    hand holding a homemade onion bhaji over a bowl of bhajis

    More recipes with spice for the family

    • Curried sausages, the best way to make them
    • Beef Mince Curry Meatballs, a veggie-packed family dinner
    • Mango Chicken Curry
    • Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato
    images of recipes overlaid with: want more family-friendly recipes?

    Why don't you subscribe to my newsletter, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram? If you make something from the blog please tag @kidgredients on instagram- it really makes my day to see what you've been making!

    homemade onion bhajis in a dish

    Homemade Onion Bhajis

    The BEST Homemade Onion Bhajis, with extra veggies- zucchini! The perfect starter for a homemade Indian Feast. Great for introducing your kids to spice.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: Modern Australian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Draining time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 18
    Calories: 226kcal
    Author: Kylie
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 zucchini grated
    • 2 onions grated
    • 120 grams besan flour chickpea flour
    • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
    • 1.5 cups oil for frying
    • 2 eggs whisked

    Instructions

    • Top and tail the zucchini, peel the onions. Grate using your preferred method- I use the food processor.
    • Combine the zucchini and onion in a colander. Place a bowl of water on top to press it. Leave for 20 minutes.
    • Combine the flour, cumin seed and ground coriander in a bowl.
    • Add the zucchini, onion and egg to the dry mixture. Combine the wet and dry, mixing thoroughly to avoid dry spots.
    • Heat 1.5 cups of oil in a deep saucepan.
    • Drop tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil in batches. They won't stick to the bottom and will start to puff and brown.
    • Flip after 1 minute, keep turning until brown on all sides.
    • Drain on paper towel.
    • Serve hot.

    Notes

    Chickpea/Besan Flour- is available from most supermarkets either with the flour or in the ethnic section. Or mill your own from dried chickpeas. 
    Freezing: put them on a tray and freeze until solid.  Then transfer to a container. Reheat in the oven from frozen.

    Recipe video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Sodium: 16mg | Sugar: 2g | Fiber: 2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Calories: 226kcal | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fat: 20g | Protein: 4g | Carbohydrates: 8g
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @Kidgredients or tag #kidgredients!

    « Oatmeal M&M Cookies
    Baked Caramel Pudding »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allyssa says

      May 03, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe! Very delicious and easy to make! Loved it!

      Reply
    2. Jac says

      May 03, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      My kids favourite! Thanks so much 🙂

      Reply
    3. Danielle Wolter says

      May 03, 2021 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      These sound so incredible! Right up my alley. Can't wait to try them this weekend!

      Reply
    4. Katherine says

      May 03, 2021 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      What a great way to introduce kids to new tastes and textures!

      Reply
    5. Rhonda Albom says

      May 03, 2021 at 4:21 pm

      I love these when I go to a restaurant. I was wondering how to make them. Thanks for the recipe. I'm going to make them for a snack tomorrow.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Kylie! What you see on this blog we eat. No smoke and mirrors, just yummy food your whole family will love.
    Read more about me!

    Easy Weeknight Dinners

    • Chicken Taco Rice
    • Curried sausages, the best way to make them
    • The best ever veggie packed chilli con carne- kid friendly!
    • Mango Chicken Curry

    Popular recipes

    • Beef, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
    • Rainbow veggie slice
    • Super simple 3 ingredient scones
    • Super easy 3 ingredient flatbreads, no rising!

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Intellectual Property

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About me
    • Contact
    • Services
    • FAQ

    featured in, kidspot, bounty parents, daily mail, mouths of mums, mumtastic, foodgawker, families magazine, haven, the organised housewife, she does this

    Copyright © 2021 Kidgredients

    382 shares
    • 344