Our Veg Cutlet Recipe

Veggies get a bad rap. Not only are they delicious, but they’re super healthy, too, so it’s a shame that they’re often an afterthought when preparing a meal for many families.

As a plant-based family, we love vegetables, and we understand how, with a little creativity, they can be transformed into something really special.

And that’s where our veg cutlet recipe comes in.

Easy to make (and even easier to eat!), these Indian veg cutlets make for a hearty snack between meals or as part of a filling feast. 

They’re crispy on the outside and lovely and soft on the inside, sort of like a hash brown but much, much better for you.

There are also a few different ways to cook them, so no matter what equipment you have handy, you’ll be able to whip some up and give these moreish treats a try!

Hungry yet? Let’s get started!

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

• Cuts down on waste — While we’re suggesting the use of certain vegetables in this recipe, you can use whatever you have around the kitchen. Any veggies that will otherwise go to waste can be thrown into the mix.

• Make veggies more appealing — We all know some veggie dodgers, but they won’t be so quick to avoid these crispy, golden-brown beauties!

• Awesome party food — The terms “healthy” and “party food” are often at odds, but these veg cutlets merge them elegantly together.

Making Our Veg Cutlets At Home

Ingredients

• 2 medium-to-large potatoes (400g)

• 2 carrots (at least 12g)

• ½ cup green peas

• 2 cauliflower florets

• 1 bell pepper (diced)

• ¾ cup green beans (chopped)

• 1 tsp fresh ginger (chopped or grated)

• 1 fresh green chili (finely chopped)

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp garam masala

• ½ tsp cumin powder

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp salt (more to taste if necessary)

• 1.25 cups panko breadcrumbs (divided — half for mix, half for coat)

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup water

• 4 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable, coconut, or avocado oil is best)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Peel potatoes. Chop them into small ½” chunks.

2. Chop carrots into small pieces (we cut them into rounds).

3. Chop beans.

4. Dice bell pepper.

5. Cut cauliflower into small chunks.

6. Throw veggies in steamer. Use a steamer basket if available, and cook for 2 minutes. If using the stovetop, cook for an additional 2 minutes or so.

7. While veggies steam, chop or grate ginger root and finely chop fresh green chili.

8. Return to veggies. If tender, remove them from the steamer and place them in a large mixing bowl.

9. Mash with a potato masher until the mix will hold a shape if molded.

10. Add your spices — black pepper, garlic powder, cumin powder, garam masala, ginger, green chili, and salt.

11. Pour half your breadcrumbs into the mix.

12. Using your hands or a spoon, work the spices into your mashed veg mix.

13. Split the mix into 9 equal portions. A cookie cutter can help keep things even or produce interesting shapes, such as hearts or stars.

14. Mix cornstarch and flour in a small mixing bowl.

15. Pour in ½ cup water and mix to form a paste.

16. Pour the rest of the breadcrumbs onto a plate.

17. Dunk the cutlet into the paste, then roll it in breadcrumbs, ensuring all surfaces are coated.

18. Repeat this process with the remaining cutlet portions.

19. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.

20. Cook as many cutlets as will fit in the pan on each side for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.

21. Repeat this cooking process for cutlets that didn’t initially fit in the pan.

Veg Cutlets Serving Suggestions

These cutlets can be served as part of pretty much any spread, but of course, they work especially well with some Indian morning staples such as cilantro or tamarind chutney.

For a more Westernized breakfast experience, you could try replacing your hash browns with veg cutlets, as they’re much healthier, tastier, and more filling.

Pair them with some of your favorite dips, and they’re a fantastic between-meal snack food as well, especially when paired with a refreshing cup of chai.

We’d also suggest using them in a sandwich context for lunch or dinner. For example, you can use them as burger patties or to fill out a grilled cheese.

Pro Veg Cutlet Tips

If you really enjoy spicy food, you can increase the heat of these cutlets by adding a second finely chopped green chili or by adding some red chili powder. Don’t forget the flavor impact of these ingredients, though.

Red chilies are ever so slightly sweeter than their green counterparts, while green chilies are ever so slightly smokier than their red counterparts.

No breadcrumbs? No problem! Powdered poha will do just fine in a pinch. This is lightly roasted and ground rice. It still comes out nice and crispy, with a mouthwatering golden brown coloring.

For a gluten-free variation of this recipe, simply switch out the all-purpose flour used to make the paste for some rice flour.

If you want a real treat, sprinkle some of your favorite cheese into the cutlet mix. It adds an extra satisfying gooeyness to each bite. Granted, cheesy cutlets aren’t quite as healthy, but they sure go down easy!

Should you be after a more complex flavor in your veg cutlets, we’d recommend tearing up some mint and cilantro leaves and throwing them in the mix, too. 

Another way to make a more indulgent veg cutlet is to mash the potatoes separately and add butter, salt, white pepper, and cream — Not so much that the potato won’t hold its shape when molded, but enough to taste. 

If you’d rather avoid cooking oil, you can cook these veg cutlets in your oven or in an air fryer.

Final Thoughts

These tasty veg cutlets aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Indian food, but they’re an incredibly popular snack across the whole nation, especially for Sunday breakfast.

As mentioned earlier, they’re an awesome way to use up any veg you’ve got leftover in your fridge that will otherwise go to waste. Whatever you’ve got, throw it into the mix, and it’ll be delicious.

Take it easy on the spices at first, as going too hard on that front is really the only way these cutlets can go wrong. But feel free to be more adventurous with your flavorings on your second or third attempt.