Veg Hara Bhara Kabab is a delicious North Indian appetizer or snack made using spinach, potatoes, and a few spices. Serve them with a cup of masala chai, green chutney, and ketchup (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are some more appetizer recipes: Hariyali Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Soya Chaap, Moong Dal Pakoda, Goli Baje, and Onion Pakoda.
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About Hara Bhara Kabab
Hara Bhara Kabab is a popular North Indian vegetarian snack or appetizer made using spinach, peas, potatoes, and spices.
Hara Bhara means green in Hindi. This kabab is green in color and hence the name.
It is served at most Indian restaurants along with green or dahi chutney.
These veg kababs are soft from the inside and have a crunchy crust. These are super easy to make at home and come together quickly.
Hara Bhara Kabab recipe is also vegan and gluten-free. You can easily double or triple it too.
Ingredients
You will need sugar, spinach (palak), green peas (matar), cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), green chilies, fresh ginger, boiled potatoes, chickpea flour (besan), cornstarch, bread crumbs, salt, dry mango powder (amchoor), and garam masala powder.
I like to decorate the kababs with halved cashew nuts, but it is optional.
Use any vegetable oil to fry the green kabab.
You can use fresh or frozen peas to make these.
Adjust the green chilies as per your liking. You can use any variety of green chilies.
If you don’t have dry mango powder, add lime juice (or lemon juice) to the mixture.
You can add other green leafy vegetables like fenugreek, amaranth, etc., to the kabab. Carrots, beans, and capsicum can be added too.
Add some grated paneer to make these rich in protein.
How To Make Hara Bhara Kabab
Blanch The Spinach And Peas
Heat 2-3 cups of water in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the water comes to a boil, add 2 teaspoon sugar and stir until it dissolves.
Add 1 cup of chopped spinach (packed, rinsed) and ½ cup of green peas (fresh or frozen) to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and strain the spinach and peas in a fine-mesh strainer.
Run them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Drain well.
Make The Green Paste
Add the blanched spinach and peas to a blender, along with
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon peeled and chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
and blend to make a smooth paste.
Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.
Make The Kabab Mixture
Transfer the green paste to a medium mixing bowl.
Add
- 1 cup of grated boiled potatoes
- 2 tablespoon chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon dry mango powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
and mix well.
Take a small lime size mixture and shape it to make a smooth ball. Gently press the ball and press a cashew half in the center.
Note – Apply oil on your palms if the mixture sticks while shaping.
Shape all the kababs in the same manner.
Fry The Kabab
Heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
Drop 5-6 kababs in the hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown, flipping a few times in between.
Drain on a plate lined with kitchen tissues.
Fry the remaining kabab in the same manner. Serve hot.
Pro Tips By Neha
The mixture to make the green kabab should neither be too tight nor loose. If it’s too tight, the kabab will turn too dense; if it’s too loose, you will not be able to shape them.
If the mixture looks tight, add a splash of water; if it seems loose, add some more breadcrumbs.
You can shallow fry these kababs instead of deep frying them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes or raw bananas to make these kababs without potatoes.
Replace potatoes with raw bananas and skip adding ginger to make a Jain version of these kababs.
Add some minced chicken to the kabab mixture. Adjust the seasoning and make the kababs.
Preheat the oven to 360 f (180 c). Arrange the kabab on a baking sheet in a single layer and spray it with oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the kabab, and bake for 5-10 minutes until they are nicely browned.
To make these in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer. Then arrange the kabab in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray or brush with oil. Air fry for 10 minutes. Then flip and air fry for another 5-10 minutes until nicely browned.
Serving Suggestions
These vegetarian kabab tastes best when paired with tomato ketchup or coriander mint chutney.
However, you can be adventurous and serve them with peri peri sauce or spicy mango chutney.
Instead of serving them as is, you can put them in buns to make burgers or sandwiches.
You can dunk this kabab in gravy and make a main course. Both red tomato-based creamy gravy and a green Palak Paneer-style gravy go well with this kabab.
Storage Suggestions
Hara Bhara Kabab tastes the best when served right of the pan – hot and crisp.
However, if you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat them in an air fryer or a pan over the stovetop.
You can also make the kabab in bulk and freeze them for up to 2 months.
When you want to eat these, take them out and thaw them at room temperature for an hour, then fry them.
The best way to freeze them is to arrange them in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze them. Then collect and keep in a zip lock bag and freeze.
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Recipe Card
Veg Hara Bhara Kabab Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup chopped spinach (palak) (packed, rinsed)
- ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon peeled and chopped ginger
- 1 cup peeled and grated boiled potatoes
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan, gram flour)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 6-7 cashew nuts (halved)
- oil for frying
Instructions
Blanch The Spinach And Peas
- Heat 2-3 cups of water in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
- Add spinach and green peas to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and strain the spinach and peas in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Run them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Drain well.
Make The Green Paste
- Add the blanched spinach and peas to a blender, along with cilantro, chilies, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of water, and blend to make a smooth paste.
- Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.
Make The Kabab Mixture
- Transfer the green paste to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add potatoes, chickpea flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, salt, dry mango powder, and garam masala powder, and mix well.
- Take a small lime size mixture and shape it to make a smooth ball. Gently press the ball and press a cashew half in the center.
- Note – Apply oil on your palms if the mixture is sticking while shaping.
- Shape all the kababs in the same manner.
Fry The Kabab
- Heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
- Drop 5-6 kababs in the hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown, flipping a few times in between.
- Drain on a plate lined with kitchen tissues.
- Fry the remaining kabab in the same manner. Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!