Crispy Sabudana Vada (+Air Fryer Option)

Sabudana Vada is a beloved Maharashtrian snack made with tapioca pearls, potatoes, peanuts, herbs, and spices. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, these golden fritters can be deep-fried the traditional way or made as a lighter air fryer version.

This is my mom’s well-tested recipe, which she has been making for years, ensuring perfect results every time. These vadas are vegan, gluten-free, and a delicious choice for fasting days or tea-time snacking.

Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls)

Sabudana is a starchy, carbohydrate-rich food, extracted from the roots of the cassava plant. It is also called tapioca pearls. It is not a grain or cereal, making it ideal for fasting.

It is often referred to as sago, which is made from the pith of sago palm trees. Although they are different, people often use them interchangeably as they look and behave the same way in recipes.

People use sabudana to make festive and fasting foods and snacks such as this sabudana tikki, sabudana khichdi, and sabudana kheer.

Sabudana vada is traditionally prepared for celebrations such as Navratri, Maha Shivratri, Hartalika Teej, and Ganesh Chaturthi.

Sabudana Vada

This is a classic Maharashtrian street snack. Deep-fried patties made with tapioca pearls, potatoes, roasted peanuts, spices, herbs, and seasonings are known as sabudana vadas or sabudana patties. These vadas can also be cooked in the air fryer or appe pan for a lighter version.

The potatoes are first boiled, mashed, or grated, then mixed with the soaked sabudana. The potatoes help hold the patty mixture together, preventing the vada from crumbling or disintegrating while frying. The peanuts add a satisfying crunch, and the herbs and spices add flavor.

This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes if you have the tapioca pearls pre-soaked. These crispy, fluffy sabudana vadas are also delicious for breakfast – my kids love them!

Watch How to Make Sabudana Vada

Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients to create this tasty appetizer:

• Sabudana: This is the star ingredient. Also called sago or tapioca pearls. It is readily available at Indian grocery stores. Use good-quality pearls. You need to soak it before using, so plan ahead.
• Potato: This recipe calls for boiled and mashed potatoes. They bind the sabudana pearls. You can use any potatoes – red, yellow, or Yukon. Make sure they are mashed really well.
• Peanuts: I’ve used crushed roasted peanuts. Make sure you remove the skin. If you have a peanut allergy, skip them or replace them with cashews or pumpkin seeds. Peanuts add a characteristic flavor, crunch, and nuttiness. Peanuts add crunch and nutrition to the vadas.
• Cilantro: Add freshly chopped cilantro leaves for the flavor and aroma.
• Green Chili: This adds spice and heat to the vadas. Adjust according to your taste.
• Salt: Add salt according to taste. But if you are fasting, use rock salt (sendha namak)
• Oil: Use any vegetable oil for deep frying. People who consume these vadas during fasting use peanut oil to fry them.

Variations

• You can add grated ginger to the vada mix for added flavor.
• You can add some lemon juice to the mix to add some tanginess.
• Some people also add cumin seeds and black pepper to the vadas.
• You can use cashews instead of peanuts if you like.
• If you like sweet potatoes, swap them for potatoes for sweeter-tasting vadas.
• If you are not fasting, you can also mix in finely chopped onions and chaat masala.

How to Soak Sabudana? How Long?

Rinse the sabudana thoroughly, about 3-4 times, until the water is clear. Basically, we want to get rid of the starch. Next, soak 1 cup sabudana in 1/2 cup of water for at least 6 hours. I soak mine overnight. Cover and store in a cool, dry place. Soaking time will vary depending on the type of sabudana.

After soaking, they double in size and become fluffy. To check if the sabudana is well soaked, press the soaked pearl between your index finger and thumb. It should mash easily, and the center shouldn’t be hard.

How To Make?

I will share how to make the most amazing sabudana vadas in 3 different ways.

Rinse sabudana thoroughly until the water runs clear, and then soak it as detailed above.

Grate or mash boiled potatoes in a large bowl. Transfer the sabudana to the bowl. Add crushed roasted peanuts, cilantro, green chilies, and salt. You may also add grated ginger or lime juice if you like.

Mix with your hands so it can be bound together to make balls. Divide the mixture into 13-15 equal parts, roll into round balls, and then flatten them a bit.

Method 1: Traditional Deep Frying

• Heat oil on medium-high heat in a kadai or wok. Check that the oil is hot by dropping a single sabudana pearl. It should quickly float to the top.
• Add 3-5 vadas to the oil depending on the size of the kadai; don’t overcrowd the kadai.
• Fry vadas until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
• Serve sabudana vada with chutney, ketchup, or any dip that you like.

Method 2: Air Fryer Sabudana Vada

• Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place vadas in a single layer, leaving space between each. Lightly brush or spray oil on top of the vadas.

• Air fry for about 16 -18 minutes at 390°F. Flip the vadas at about the 10-minute mark.
• Once the vadas are crispy and golden brown, serve them hot with ketchup or green chutney.

Method 3: Sabudana Vada using Appe Pan

• On medium-low heat, heat the paniyaram / aebleskiver pan. To each round section, add a few drops of oil.
• To cook in an appe pan, make small balls from the mixture.
• Place the small sabudana balls and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Turn each ball over and add a few more drops of oil.
• Cook them under cover for 3-4 minutes more or until crisp and golden brown.
• Serve these fritters hot with mint chutney or ketchup.

How to prevent Sabudana Vada from breaking?

Getting sabudana vada right can be tricky – I struggled with vadas breaking in the oil a few times before mastering the recipe. If this happens, it usually comes down to three reasons:

1. Improperly soaked sabudana: If the tapioca pearls aren’t soaked properly, they can burst during frying. Always soak until they are soft and easily mashable (test by pressing a pearl between your fingers). Also, make sure the sabudana is completely drained, as excess moisture can cause the oil to splatter.
2. Moisture and binding issues: If the mixture isn’t binding well or has too much moisture, the vadas will fall apart. To fix this, add more boiled potatoes and/or rice flour. For fasting days, you can substitute with buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta) or amaranth flour (rajgira atta). A little cornstarch also helps absorb excess moisture.
3. Incorrect frying temperature: Frying on low heat causes vadas to disintegrate and soak up extra oil. Always make sure the oil is hot enough: drop in a small ball of the mixture, and if it rises to the surface, you’re ready to fry.

Serving Suggestion

For the ideal breakfast or afternoon snack, serve them with mint cilantro chutney; that’s my favorite combination! You can also serve them with tomato ketchup.

On fasting days, serve sabudana vadas with farali peanut chutney. This is very easy to make. Simply combine yogurt, ground peanuts, sugar, red chili powder, and salt. Whisk it well, and it’s ready.

It also tastes great when eaten with plain yogurt or even sweetened curd. And like any deep-fried food, sabudana vada pairs perfectly with a hot cup of masala chai.

Storage Instructions

It is best to serve sabudana vada while it is piping hot and crispy. You can prepare this vada mixture ahead of time, shape it, and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. However, fry it right before serving to relish the crunch and taste!

In the refrigerator, sabudana vada will keep well for 3-5 days. The vada can also be frozen for up to a month. Before serving, defrost and reheat the vada.

To reheat, you can use an air fryer at 400°F for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, but they will not be as crunchy.

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