Stuffed with lentils, nuts, raisins and a mélange of spices, dry mini samosas are a crispy accompaniment to your shaam ki chai.
With so many brands available in the market, we’re on the hunt for the best dry mini samosa in India. After tasting samosas from four popular brands, we chose Chaayos as our Top Pick for its flavor and crunch.
More information about our Top Pick and other contenders discussed in our Best Mini Samosa review.
Our Review Factors
To find the best mini samosa, we set the following parameters:
1. Taste
Mini samosas have a dry filling, often a combination of nuts and lentils. We looked at the overall seasoning to evaluate the taste. We also checked for any stale or undesirable flavor of fat, nuts, and raisins, if any.
2. Texture
Our checklist includes the following:
- Is the exterior shell crisp?
- Is the stuffing too dry?
- What is the thickness of the outer shell?
- Is the ratio of filling to outer shell appropriate?
3. Supporting Parameters
The packaging, pricing, shelf life and ingredients were some other parameters we observed and recorded.
We found The Tastiest Veg Mini Frozen Samosa.
Our Review Process
We only picked brands that were easily available online and offline.
The Best Mini Samosa – Detailed Review
1. Chaayos – Mishry Top Pick
Our Experience
Chaayos is our Top Pick for two reasons: it was the crunchiest and most flavorful of all the brands we tried. These are bite-sized flavor bombs that are generously stuffed from end to end with no noticeable empty pockets.
The texture of the filling is not crumbly, as is typical of most dry samosas. The nuts – raisins and cashews – add a nice variation to the overall texture. We loved how well seasoned these are.
The best part was that the samosas retained their freshness even after 3 to 4 days. This is a plus because such snacks are usually not consumed all at once.
Product Details
Chaayos mini samosas come in a premium-looking cylindrical yellow color carton. A 150 gm pack is priced at Rs. 139. The product has a 6-month shelf life.
Its main ingredients are – Refined Wheat Flour, Refined Palmolein Oil, Sugar, Interesterified Vegetable Fat (Blend of Palm Oil Palmolein Oil and Sesame oil), Gram Flour, Salt, Green Gram, Cumin, Coconut, Cashew, Raisin, Iodised Salt and Fenugreek Leaves.
- Freshness is retained.
- Generously stuffed.
- Crunchiest and most delicious of all.
- The nuts add a good texture contrast.
If you are looking for a flavorful and crisp dry samosa, Chaayos Mini Samosas is the best option to buy.
2. Jabsons
Our Experience
In comparison to our Top Pick, Jabsons Mini Samosas had a slightly thicker outer covering that was difficult to bite into. We have no complaints with the taste as the flavors were spot on. The filling is not dry on the inside, nor is it overly spicy.
Product Details
A pack of 160 grams costs Rs. 70. The shelf life is 6 months. It comes in an orange resealable pack.
The main ingredients – Refined Wheat Flour (Maida – 45%), Bengal Gram, Refined Palm Oil Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Green Gram Splits, Cashew Nuts, Raisins, Fennel Seed, Coriander, Iodised Salt, Sugar, Red Chilli, Dry Mango Powder, Clove, Cumin, Nutmeg, and Anistar.
3. Bikaji
Our Experience
First and foremost, the samosa’s outer shell has a desirable crispness. The filling of the samosa was comparatively lesser than expected. When it comes to the flavor, it is dominant on the heat of the spices – pepper, mace, clove, and ginger. Overall, it has a dominant khatta flavor followed by a warmth of spices. So why did it not win? In a comparative situation, this did not taste as good as our winner.
Product Details
Bikaji’s Samosa is priced at Rs. 100 for a 400 gm quantity. It has a 5 month shelf life. The outer pouch pack is pink in color.
The main ingredients are: Refined Wheat Flour (50%), Edible Vegetable Oil (Palmolein Oil), Split Green Gram, Gram Flour, Potato Flakes, Cashew, Raisins, Sugar, Coriander, Ground Spices and Condiments (lodised Salt, Red Chilli, Dried Ginger, Clove, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Long Pepper, Cardamom, Asafoetida, Cumin, Mace, Cinnamon, Fennel Seed, Bishop’s Seed, Dry Mango Powder, Black Salt, and Acidity Regulator (INS 330)).
- The outer shell is crunchy. Thumbs up!
- The filling is less in quantity.
- It is not as flavorful as other contenders.
If you do not like a khatta meetha dry samosa, this may be a good choice to try.
4. Haldiram’s
Our Experience
Haldiram’s Mini Samosa was the least favorite among others. This received a low rating primarily due to two factors: first, the outer covering was not crunchy. Second, the filling was less in quantity as compared to our winner.
Without a doubt, the stuffing had desirable flavors, with a pleasant warmth from mace and clove. This was also the only brand that included a pouch of tamarind sauce.
Product Details
These mini samosas by Haldiram’s are priced at Rs. 65 (for a 200 gm pack). It has a non-resealable pouch packaging. The shelf life is 6 months. The pack also includes a small pouch of tamarind sauce.
Here are the main ingredients: Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Refined Palmolein Oil, Split Pulse Moong (Moong Dal), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Vanaspati), Refined Sugar, Potato Flakes, Bengal Gram Flour (Besan), Edible Common Salt, Cashew Nuts, Raisins Cumin, Red Chili Powder, Dried Mango Powder, Fennel Seed, Black Salt, Coriander, Black Pepper, Dried Ginger Powder, Clove, Bay Leaves, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Acidity Regulator (INS 330) & Asafoetida.
The ingredients for the tamarind sauce are: Refined Sugar, Tamarind, Dates, Edible Common Salt, Black Salt, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Cinnamon, Acidity Regulator (INS 330), Preservative (INS 211) & (INS 202) & Thickener (INS 401).
Our Top Picks & Recommendations
Chaayos Mini Samosa had the crunchiest exterior and the most delectable filling. The texture was not crumbly, as is seen in many other dry samosas. We also liked how the nuts – raisins and cashews – add a pleasant texture diversity.
Related Read : McCain Mini Samosa review.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to eat Haldiram mini samosa?
You can enjoy Haldiram’s mini samosa with pudina chutney, tamarind sauce or ketchup.
2. How to order Bikaji samosa?
Bikaji mini samosas are available and can be ordered from online portals such as Amazon, BigBasket, flipkart. Additionally, these can also be purchased from Bikaji official website.
3. Are these dry mini samosas a vegetarian food item?
Yes. All the above four brands are vegetarian.
4. Can these samosas be paired with tea or coffee?
Yes, absolutely! These can be enjoyed with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
5. Are these mini samosas healthy?
No, these samosas cannot be labeled as healthy.
Final Verdict
What is your favorite teatime dry snack?
