Onion Bhaji Burger

I don’t think I’m alone when I say I’m obsessed with onion bhajis. They have to be one of the best Indian starters, along with Punjabi samosa and paneer tikka. The only thing that could make onion bhajis better is serving them in a burger bun with crisp salad leaves, sweet chutneys, and creamy, herby, yoghurt sauce. Yes, you heard me right: an onion bhaji burger.

I already have my signature recipe for gluten-free onion bhaji on the blog. It’s one of my reader’s all-time favourites. But here, I’ve adapted it slightly. This version is flatter, so there’s more surface area to crisp up. And they fit perfectly in the soft, slightly sweet burger buns.

Combine that with the tamarind chutney, which boasts a deep umami-rich flavour laced with caramel sweet overtones and slightly tangy notes, and you have a winner. Plus the mint yoghurt sauce, to cool down the spices in the bhajis.

Need I say more? These bhaji. burgers will definitely become a new mealtime staple. Forget McD’s or KFC. You’ll be craving OMV bhaji burgers! Right, let’s get to it.

🍔 Ingredients

The ingredients you’ll need to make this onion bhaji burger can be split into two categories. Firstly, the components for the burger bun — salad and chutneys. Don’t skip these! They add so much character to the Indian-style burger.

Here’s a shopping list for you (full ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe below):

• Burger buns, of course! I love brioche but feel free to use buns that suit your dietary preferences, e.g. vegan or gluten-free. Indian-style milk bread (pav) would be delicious here too.
• Mixed salad leaves brighten up the bhaji burger. I love baby gem or frisée lettuce leaves, but you could also use grated carrot, beetroot, tomato, red onion, or cucumber.
• BIR (British Indian restaurant-style) yoghurt mint sauce gives the bhaji burger a herby, creamy feel.
• Tamarind chutney or mango chutney add sweetness. Mmm!

Now for that Onion Bhaji Mix …

Secondly, you’ll need the ingredients to make the actual onion bhajis. I already have a gluten-free onion bhaji recipe on this blog, but these are slightly different. Because they’re shallow-fried in a pan to make those semi-flat patties (exactly the right size to go in the burger!) we need a different ratio of ingredients.

Cook Indian food regularly? You’ll have most of these ingredients in your store cupboards. Otherwise, a quick trip to the Asian grocery store or Amazon will set you right!

• Onion is the main ingredient for the onion bhajis. I use sweet white onions.
• Gram flour (chickpea flour or besan) is the traditional gluten-free binding for onion bhajis. It also has a scrumptious nutty flavour.
• Ground spices including turmeric, red chilli, amchoor powder, and salt are all essential. These spices are responsible for the complex and moreish earthy, fiery, and tangy flavor palate in the bhajis.
• Ajwain seeds are my secret for the best-tasting gluten-free onion bhajis. They’re herbal, thyme-scented, and slightly bitter.
• Ginger garlic paste is a must for adding depth. I always use homemade ginger garlic paste.
• Fresh coriander (cilantro for my U.S. readers) mixed through the bhajis provides a bright and zesty interest.
• Water, just enough to bring the onion bhaji mixture together, is essential.
• Oil for shallow frying the onion bhajis. Neutral oil with a high smoke point is preferable.

🌱 Can I Make Onion Bhaji Burgers Vegan?

Absolutely — it’s unbelievably straightforward to make this onion bhaji burger recipe vegan. First, pick a vegan burger bun — these should be available in most grocery stores.

Next, swap out the dairy-based yoghurt in my BIR (British Indian restaurant-style) yoghurt mint sauce for coconut or soy-based yoghurt. That’s it. The onion bhajis and other chutneys are 100% vegan already. Wasn’t that easy?!

Plus, this onion bhaji burger recipe is nut-free and soy-free. It’s even easy to make bhaji burgers gluten-free. The onion bhaji is already gluten-free (we use gram flour/chickpea flour), so all you need to do is find a gluten-free burger bun.

🧑‍🍳 How to Make Bhaji Burgers

Making onion bhaji burgers is a walk in the park. It’s far quicker than meat burgers, vada pav, or bean burgers — and easier, too.

You only need to follow these steps:

1. Whip up the chutneys and set aside.
2. Mix the batter for the onion bhajis by combining sliced onions, gram flour, and spices in a bowl.
3. Shallow-fry the onion bhajis in a large, deep-sided frying pan until golden and crispy.
4. Assemble the bhaji burgers by spooning on the chutneys, adding the lettuce leaves, and layering the onion bhajis.

More detailed instructions with timings can be found in the recipe card below.

💭 Expert Tips

I’ve made onion bhaji burgers more times than I can count, so I know all the secret tips and tricks for success.

The weak point for most people is cooking the bhajis. But fear not — with my recipe, you won’t have any stodgy, uncooked bhajis. These are crispy, golden brown, and full of flavour. But it’s important you follow the recipe precisely and bear in mind these tips:

• Warm the burger buns gently on a tawa. This stops the chutney from soaking into the bread and making it soggy!
• Mix the onion bhaji batter with your hands. Massaging the onions draws out moisture and allows the spices to penetrate the batter. It’s messy but worth it — of course, use clean hands or kitchen gloves.
• Add water slowly to ensure a lump-free batter.
• Spoon into the oil roughly. It doesn’t matter if the onion bhaji patties aren’t evenly round. In fact, it’s those stray bits of onion making the bhaji burgers sooooo tantalizingly crispy. Just look at my photos!

⏳ Prepping Onion Bhaji Burgers (For Parties & Picnics!)

I love taking homemade food to the park for a picnic or sharing it with my friends and family on special occasions — and these bhaji burgers are sure to make a statement!

The various elements of the onion bhaji burgers can be made in advance, ideal for curry nights or parties. Plus, even if you don’t want to heat them, surprisingly, they taste great cold!

You can whip up the chutneys three days in advance (or buy them from the store, but homemade is always better!). Store them in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and spoon them onto the burger buns when ready to serve.

The onion bhaji can be cooked in advance too. Just cook as per the recipe, store in the refrigerator, and reheat in the oven, air-fryer, or a flat pan. I don’t recommend the microwave as you’ll lose all the gorgeously crispy and crunchy texture.

How to Store Bhaji Burgers

I advise assembling only as many as you plan to heat and storing the rest of the components separately: e.g. store the chutneys, burger buns, salad, and onion bhajis in the fridge until ready to assemble.

You can eat the bhaji burgers cold as well. Simply wrap them in sandwich paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

🥗 Serving Suggestions

Is any burger complete without a side of fries? I think not! Hence, I usually serve this bhaji burger with garlic fries, waffle fries, or spicy potato wedges.

A huge side salad wouldn’t go awry here either. Keep the Indian fusion theme up with a more Western salad or stay traditional with methi gholana or kachumber — either option works.

Planning a party or event? Why not serve other Indian street food snacks or starters, like vegetable samosa, dahi puri chaat bombs, or kurkuri bhindi okra fries? Come on, you know you’re tempted!

📝 This Onion Bhaji Burger Recipe Is:

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