A samoosa, also known as samosa, is a savoury pastry snack stuffed with a range of fillings from lightly curried lamb or chicken mince to potato and sweetcorn. Samoosas are a popular snack in South Africa and is usually smaller in size than samoosas (samosas) elsewhere in the world.


The popularity of samoosas in South Africa has resulted in it becoming widely available with chain stores and local supermarkets stocking it as a frozen food. A ready-made samoosa is simple to prepare, requiring only 5 to 6 minutes of pan frying or 2 to 3 minutes of deep frying before it can be served.

Samoosas are also a popular snack manufactured by home based businesses in South Africa, particularly in the Durban area. For the foodie though, the home made samoosa is still unrivalled in taste. Although a time consuming process, making a samoosa from raw ingredients allows you to alter the taste to your own personal preference.

A samoosa is often served as a starter with a saucy chilli dip or mango chutney.

Samoosa Recipe

The Indian Delights South Africa has a three part recipe for making South African Indian samoosas.