How to Make Hara Bhara Kabab: A Vegetarian Delight

Hara Bhara Kabab is probably the most ordered appetizer at Indian restaurants.  We order it regularly when we go out to eat as a family.  Little green aloo (potato) tikkis taste delicious when dipped in spicy green cilantro/mint chutney. They are surprisingly very easy to make at home. Follow my easy-to-make hara bhara kabab recipe and make it when you have dinner guests or on a special occasion family dinner.  Since this Hara Bhara Kabab recipe has nutritious spinach and peas, they would make a great lunch box option for the kids. Just be sure to adjust the spice level to their liking.

It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get cooking. Try out this easy and healthy hara bhara kabab recipe for your next party or evening snack.

Ingredients to make Hara Bhara Kebab

• 1 cup (packed) boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes
• 1 tablespoon oil, plus more to shallow try the kababs
• 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 1 small green chili, chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala
• ½ teaspoon jeera powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cornflour/cornstarch
• Salt

How to make delicious Hara Bhara kababs at home

1. Heat a saute pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Add green chili and ginger and cook for a minute.
2. Now add the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Add the baby spinach and cook till the spinach completely wilts. 
4. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool. Once cooled add the mix to a food processor jar along with the cilantro and blend. 
5. In a bowl add mashed potatoes, green spinach/peas mix, red chili powder, garam masala, chaat masala, jeera powder, corn flour (corn starch), salt, and lemon juice. 
6. Mix well with your clean hands. Add an extra half a tablespoon of cornstarch if needed to bind the dough. 
7. Heat about ½ cup oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan. We will shallow fry the hara bhara kababs.
8.   While the oil is heating, divide the dough into 10-12 pieces and make flat and smooth patties. 
9. Once the oil is heated, turn the flame to medium and shallow-fry the kababs till golden brown on one side. Flip them over and fry them on the other side. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in 2-3 batches to avoid overcrowding. 
10. Serve hot or warm hara bhara kababs with mint/cilantro chutney.

What you see in the image above:

1. Sauteed spinach and peas mixture.
2. Formed green patties before shallow frying them.

Recipe tips to make Hara Bhara Kebab

• Corn flour (Corn starch) is used as a binding agent in the recipe of hara bhara kebab. If you do not have corn flour, you can use white bread instead (ends removed).
• For this recipe, use 2 slices of white bread and tear it by hand into small pieces.
• Once all the ingredients are mixed well, taste the mixture before cooking. Add any additional spices/seasonings to your liking. 
• I have used frozen and de-frosted peas in this recipe. If you use fresh peas, boil and cook them first before you use them. 
• You can use regular spinach instead of baby spinach. Wash, dry, and chop the spinach and then measure 2 cups to use in the recipe. 
• Hara Bhara Kebab makes for a great Indian party appetizer. On the day of the party, follow the recipe and form the kebabs earlier in the day and place it in the refrigerator. Shallow fry the kebabs right before your guests arrive.

FAQs- Hara Bhara Kabab recipe

Other delicious Indian party appetizer recipes to try

Tandoori Crispy Smashed potatoes

Tandoori Paneer Bruschetta

Recipe Card- Hara Bhara Kabab

Hara Bhara Kabab

A delicious appetizer widely served at Indian restaurants

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Recipe by Divya Jhaveri

5 from 7 votes

Course: AppetizersCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (packed), boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, plus more to shallow fry the kebabs

• 2 cups (packed), baby spinach SEE NOTE

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 1 small green chili, chopped (optional)

• 1 piece piece of fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala

• 1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons corn flour (cornstarch) SEE NOTE

• Salt to taste

Method

• Heat a saute pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Add green chili and ginger and cook for a minute. Now add the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. Add the baby spinach and cook till the spinach completely wilts. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool. Once cooled add the mix to a food processor jar along with the cilantro and blend. You can do this step in a small blender also, but I like the coarser texture of the food processor.
  
• In a bowl add mashed potatoes, green spinach/peas mix, red chili powder, garam masala, chaat masala, jeera powder, corn flour (corn starch), salt, and lemon juice. Mix well with your clean hands. Add an extra half a tablespoon of cornstarch if needed to bind the dough.
  
• Heat about ½ cup oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan. We will shallow fry the hara bhara kababs. While the oil is heating, divide the dough into 8-10 pieces and make flat and smooth patties. Once the oil is heated, turn the flame to medium and shallow-fry the kababs till golden brown on one side. Flip them over and fry them on the other side. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in 2-3 batches to avoid overcrowding.
  
• Serve hot or warm hara bhara kababs with mint/cilantro chutney.

Recipe Video

Tips

• Corn flour (Corn starch) is used as a binding agent in the recipe of hara bhara kebab.  If you do not have corn flour, you can use white bread instead (ends removed).  For this recipe, use 2 slices of white bread and tear it by hand in small pieces.
• Once all the ingredients are mixed well, taste the mixture before cooking.  Add any additional spices/seasonings to your liking. 
• I have used frozen and de-frosted peas in this recipe.  If you use fresh peas, boil and cook them first before you use them. 
• You can use regular spinach instead of baby spinach.  Wash, dry, and chop the spinach and then measure 2 cups to use in the recipe.