Hara Bhara Kabab (Spinach Peas Patties) Recipe

(Updated on March 08, 2023)

Hara Bhara Kabab, also known as Spinach & Peas Patties, is a famous and delicious pan-fried kabab from North India. It gets ready in under 35 minutes and will satisfy your evening cravings.

True to its name, this easy hara bhara kabab recipe is loaded with the goodness of green veggies that also give it its signature colour. It features fresh spinach, green peas, and mashed potatoes with a mix of common Indian spices and seasonings – enticing, nutritious, and completely irresistible.

These hara bhara kababs have a crispy outside with a melt-in-your-mouth interior and are sure to woo your tastebuds. They are great for teatime snacks, lunch boxes, after-school noshes, or as a starter for house parties.

Learn how to make Hara bhara kabab at home with our easy and simple recipe:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes.

Cooking Time: 25 minutes.

Serves: 2 people. (10 kababs).

Course: Snack, Appetizer.

Cuisine: North Indian.

Ingredients:

• 250 gm spinach.
• 2 cups of water.
• Salt as per taste.
• ¾ cup of green peas.
• 4 tsp Besan.
• 5 boiled potatoes.
• ½ tsp of Zilli's Ginger Powder.
• ¼ tsp red chilli powder.
• 1 tsp amchur (dry mango) powder.
• ½ tsp black salt.
• ½ tsp cumin powder.
• 2-3 finely chopped small green chillies.

How to Make Hara Bhara Kabab:

Blanching the Spinach and Peas:

1. Heat some water in a pan or bowl.
2. Add salt and spinach leaves to the pan. Make sure that the spinach is completely submerged and soaked.
3. Blanch till the water comes to a boil. Switch off the flame and remove the spinach leaves using tongs.
4. Add peas to the leftover water and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Preparing the Kabab Mixture:

1. Heat a tawa or pan and add besan (gram flour). 
2. Dry roast the besan on low-to-medium flame till it turns light brown and releases a nutty aroma. Transfer it to a small plate and set aside to cool.
3. Add the blanched spinach and peas to a blender or mixer jar and grind it to a medium coarse paste.
4. Take boiled potato chunks in a large mixing bowl. Add this spinach and peas paste.
5. Add the dry roasted besan flour, salt, red chilli powder, chopped green chillies, cumin powder, amchur powder, black salt, and Zilli’s Ginger Powder to the bowl.
6. Mash this mixture using a potato masher. Mix it very well till it forms a nice firm dough.

Making the Kababs:

1. Divide this mixture into ten equal portions. Take each portion and shape it into round patties.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a tawa or a skillet. Grease the entire surface well.
3. Place your kababs on the tawa and let them roast on medium to high flame till golden brown.
4. Flip each kabab and roast the other side well. Spoon some more ghee if required. Transfer to a serving plate with ketchup or chutney on the side.

Your Hara Bhara Kababs are ready to serve and enjoy!

Bonus Recipe – Hara Bhara Kabab Chutney:

Make a yummy chutney for hara bhara kababs with just a handful of ingredients within 5 minutes.

Steps: 

• Add ½ cup of mint leaves, 1 cup of coriander leaves, ½ cup of curd or yoghurt, 2 chopped green chillies, ½ tsp Zilli’s Ginger Powder, ½ tsp Zilli’s Garlic Powder, and ¼ tsp roasted cumin to a blender jar.
• Grind to a fine paste, transfer to a bowl, and serve. 

Tips and Variations for Hara Bhara Kabab Recipe: 

Do not deep-fry or shallow fry the kababs as they are light and may break apart in the oil.

No amchur powder? Use Zilli’s Tamarind Powder or Lemon Powder as a substitute.

Instead of roasted besan, you can use rice flour, maida, cornflour, crushed cornflakes, poha, or oats. 

For a crispier exterior, coat the kababs in breadcrumbs before frying.

Replace the potatoes with boiled sweet potatoes to make them healthier. 

You can make hara bhara kabab with paneer by adding 100g of crumbled paneer to the mixture.

Fan of cheese? Level up the decadence by adding cheese filling into the mixture to make a cheesy hara bhara kabab. 

Variations of Hara Bhara Kabab:

• Hara Bhara Kabab in Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C, brush the kababs with oil and place them in the basket, and air fry for 10 minutes on each side.
• Chicken Hara Bhara Kabab: Add shredded chicken to the kabab mixture and make this recipe of hara bhara kabab more scrumptious. 
• Hara Bhara Kabab without Spinach: This recipe is quite versatile. You can blanch and add hara chana, broccoli, and a few sprigs of coriander leaves in place of spinach and enjoy your own version of healthy deliciousness!
• Hara Bhara Kabab Chaat: You can make a delicious chaat by topping your hot kababs with green chutney, tamarind chutney, sev, chopped onions, tomatoes, chaat masala, chilli powder, and whisked curd. 

Serving Ideas: 

Hara bhara kababs taste the best served right out of the pan when piping hot and crispy.

You can serve the hara bhara kababs restaurant-style with homemade mint and coriander chutney (recipe mentioned above), curry leaves dahi chutney, or even tomato ketchup.

Enjoy these with hot coffee or masala chai in the evenings.