The word cutlet is a reference to the French word “Cotelette”. This refers to thinly sliced meat that is breaded and fried. The potato cutlets in this recipe are a vegetarian version that is also known by the name aloo tikki or potato patty. Call it whatever you will, it’s a delicious recipe that I highly recommend trying at least once. I love to pair my cutlets with some tawa fry beef keema, lentil curry with tamarind, and basmati rice for a delicious meal.
Why you’ll love this potato cutlet recipe
Great way to use leftover mashed potatoes - I love using leftover mashed potatoes to create this recipe. No one ever guesses they’re eating leftovers. Lots of menu pairing options - These potato cutlets taste good with about anything. Try them with tandoori grilled lamb chops, hot and sour soup, easy eggplant curry, or chicken pulao. Customizable recipe - Perfect for a vegetarian diet, you can make a Vegan or Gluten-free version as well. Both methods are provided in the recipe card. No complex ingredients required - The ingredients to make the potato cutlet are fairly simple and easy to source. The only one you may have trouble with is Anardana and that isn’t essential.
Ingredients notes
Red potatoes - I like to use red potatoes for their creamy texture in this recipe. Due to their waxy nature, they are firm. This makes them crack less easily than russets when shaped into patties. Green onions - I like the fresh light taste of these onions much more than regular ones. Feel free to try the recipe with regular onions if you prefer. Amchur powder - This is a spice I love to use in most of my vegetable recipes. Made from sour green mangoes, it adds a nice tang to the potatoes. Amchur is becoming increasingly popular and is easily available in stores. Anardana - These are dried pomegranate seeds and are popular in South Asian recipes. Anardana is tangy and crunchy, adding both flavor and texture to the cutlets. If these are difficult to source, simply omit them, but I highly recommend trying them at least once in this recipe. Panko crumbs - I like to use Panko versus regular bread crumbs for the coating as this yields a super crispy texture.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
Meat-Filled cutlets - There’s a version of this potato cutlet that my grandmother used to make, with spicy cooked ground beef as a filling in the center. The filled cutlets have an egg-like shape and are an entire meal in one. Add cheese or shredded chicken - Add some shredded chicken along with mild cheddar or mozzarella to the potato cutlet for some protein. Add lentils - Add some boiled and mashed lentils and turn this into a bun kabab patty. Make a sandwich and enjoy it with some tamarind dipping sauce and some cilantro mint chutney.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Place the boiled and peeled potatoes in a flat tray and use a potato masher to break them up. Add all the spice powders and continue to mash the potatoes till they’re all well distributed. Second step - Add in the anardana (pomegranate seeds) and cumin seeds next and mix by hand to distribute it evenly throughout the potatoes. Third step - Add all the chopped greens and mix well. Fourth step - Shape the potatoes into patties, making sure to seal any cracks.
Fifth step - Set up a station to breadcrumb the potato cutlets. Flour, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs are placed in containers that are wide enough to comfortably dip each potato cutlet in. Sixth step - First coat the potato cutlet in the flour. This serves 2 purposes; it dries out any residual moisture and also helps the eggs stick to the aloo tikkis. This helps the panko crumbs stick to the potato cutlet, resulting in a crispy coating. Seventh step - Proceed to coat all the cutlets in the egg and breadcrumbs and lay them out to fry. Eighth step - Preheat some oil in a wide frying pan and place the cutlets in it, a few at a time.
Ninth step - Flip after a few minutes to brown and crisp both sides evenly. The sides may be lighter than the top and bottom of the cutlets depending on how thick they are, but should still crisp up. Tenth step - Dip the cooked potato cutlet in some chutney or ketchup and enjoy!
Expert Tips
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
