Aloo Paratha (also called potato roti) is a delicious Indian flatbread dish that you won’t want to miss! Traditionally, this roti stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes is served with pickles and chili sauce as either a one-dish meal or a side.

I love recipes that use simple ingredients, come together quickly, and produce savory results. That’s why I love this traditional Indian aloo paratha recipe. It’s also referred to as potato roti, aloo roti, or simply potato-stuffed flatbread!

As the simple name suggests, Aloo paratha is a homemade flatbread stuffed with potatoes and spices as a filling. The base recipe makes it easy to mix in a variety of different toppings that suit your taste. Traditionally, this dish is served with pickles and chili sauce. You can also try it with a pat of butter or with other pickled vegetables and yogurt.

If you’re no stranger to this blog, then you know how much I love flatbread! This 2-ingredient sweet potato variation, as well as this classic garlic naan bread, are a few of my favorites. Oh, and I can’t forget this 1-ingredient (and gluten-free!) potato bread!

The potato roti recipe ingredients

You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to put my aloo paratha recipe together, and you likely already have most of them at home.

• Flour, Salt, & Water: this is the base of the dough. You’ll need to let it rest after mixing so that the gluten in the dough develops.
• Potatoes: the best type for boiling is Yukon gold or red potatoes. However, you can use any type of potato (choose your preference). You can also feel free to use any leftover boiled potatoes in this recipe (or even baked potatoes). No need to warm them up, but do make sure they are at room temperature.
• Lemon Juice: it’s best to add fresh lemon juice to the potato filling. It pairs nicely with the other ingredients.
• Green or Spring Onions: the onion adds a bit more spice to the filling and compliments the lemon juice and chili powder. You can use either green onions or spring onions – just be aware that spring tends to be a bit sweeter than green.
• Chili Powder & Salt: you need to add a bit of spice and seasoning to an otherwise bland aloo roti! Without these additions, you’ll end up with a potato and dough mixture that lacks a little (or a lot!) of something.
• Olive oil: I chose to use olive oil and keep this recipe naturally vegan, but you could also use butter or ghee if prefered when pan-frying the roti. Or choose another neutral vegetable oil.

Optional add-ins

• More spices: feel free to add more dried spices to your filling. Some ideas include ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander, or even dried pomegranate seeds (called anardana powder).
• Fresh flavors: you can also add some fresh finely chopped spices into the filling. Cilantro, parsley, or mint comes to mind, but you can also get creative! Fresh, chopped onions are also yummy. You can also mince a couple garlic cloves.
• Cheese: cheese and potatoes are a great match! This is one flavor combination that we all know and love. Add some to the filling. If you want to keep this recipe as traditionally Indian as possible, use paneer.
• Vegetables: add a bit more substance to your aloo roti by adding carrots, broccoli, pepper, peas, or your preference to the filling.
• Serving: as mentioned, my recipe goes well with pickles and chili sauce. Take things up a notch by adding some creamy yogurt, pickled red onions, and pickled jalapeños on the side!

How to make aloo paratha

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

Mix the flour, salt, and water in a large bowl and knead the dough. Cover the mixture with a damp towel and let it rest for about 1 hour so that the gluten can develop.

Step 2: Make the Aloo Stuffing

If you have any leftover boiled potatoes, you can use them for this recipe. No need to warm them up, just make sure they are at room temperature.

If you don’t have any boiled potatoes, you need to cook them while the dough is resting. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of water and bring them to a boil. Cook them for about 15 minutes on high heat, or until the potatoes are tender. Then drain the water and let the potatoes cool down so you can peel them.

Finely chop the green onions as the potatoes cool. Then, mash the potatoes and onion with a fork, a potato masher, or a potato ricer. Mix together with the spices until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps in the potato mix.

You can taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking adding a bit more spice or salt if needed.

Step 3: Assemble the Aloo Paratha

Divide the dough into 10 balls of the same size. You can use a balance if you want to be precise but it’s not necessary.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten 2 of the dough balls with a rolling pin to about 5-6 inches (13-15 cm) in diameter. They don’t have to be perfect but make sure the 2 circles are roughly the same size.

Place about ⅕ of the filling in the center of one of the flattened dough circles. Place 1/5 of the potato stuffing on top of one of the rolled-out dough balls. Cover it with the second one and “seal” it with the rolling pin – flatten and stretch the potato roti to about 8 inches (20 cm).

Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling!

NOTE: You will have 5 roti of about 8 inches each (20 cm).

Step 3: Cook the Potato Roti

Place one of your potato roti on a cast-iron skillet or a large frying pan that has been heated to high. Flip in 1 minute and then drizzle or brush some olive oil onto the cooked part.

Cook for a few minutes, then flip again and add oil to the other side. Toast for a couple of minutes on each side, flipping 1-2 more times to allow even cooking of both sides You want to see small golden brown spots all over the outside of your dough.

How to serve

I love serving the potato roti with pickles and chili sauce, straight from the pan while they are still hot. They are also great when you serve them with a knob of butter to melt over them.

Other types of pickles go great with the aloo paratha as well – I love them with pickled jalapenos, but you can choose more traditional sides like mango or lemon pickle. Some other ideas include mayonnaise, chutney, fresh onions, other veggies, or even meat.

The potato roti is a great snack option that can also be served alongside homemade mango lassi or hot tea.

How to make ahead and store

Make ahead: You can prepare the dough and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week before cooking. Make sure to wrap it tightly in a damp towel (or plastic wrap) and place it in an air-tight container. Let it come to room temperate for about 30 minutes before continuing with the recipe steps.

You can also prepare the stuffing in advance and keep it for 1 day in an air-tight container in the fridge. Let it come to room temperate for about 30 minutes before stuffing the roti.

Store: Any leftover roti can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure to wrap them well and place them in an air-tight container or reusable ziplock bag.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing them.

Reheat: You can warm the paratha in a pan over medium heat. Flip it a couple of times to allow it to warm evenly.

FAQs

More ways to enjoy potatoes

• Easy Mashed Purple Potato
• Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Crispy Parmesan Potato Stacks
• Lebanese Spicy Potatoes
• Healthy Patatas Bravas
• How To Make Potato Chips

If you try this aloo paratha recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!