Navratri Vrat Recipes in an Air Fryer — Healthy Fasting Food Without Frying

Navratri fasting food has a peculiar challenge: many traditional vrat recipes are deep-fried. Sabudana vada, kuttu pakora, singhara puri — all traditionally cooked in oil. The irony of fasting food that is heavy with absorbed fat is something most households quietly accept.

An air fryer changes this significantly. Sabudana vada with genuine crispness and no oil pool. Kuttu pakora from an air fryer that is lighter on the stomach than the deep-fried version. Singhara chips that are actually healthier than the store-bought kind.

This guide covers the 5 most popular Navratri vrat recipes adapted for the air fryer — with exact temperatures and timings.

What Can You Eat During Navratri Vrat?

Navratri fasting rules vary by region and family tradition. Generally permitted: sabudana (tapioca), kuttu atta (buckwheat flour), singhara atta (water chestnut flour), rajgira (amaranth), sendha namak (rock salt), potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, milk and dairy, peanuts, and most nuts and seeds.

Generally avoided: regular wheat flour, rice, onion, garlic, non-vegetarian food, and regular table salt. All recipes below use only vrat-approved ingredients.

Recipe 1 — Sabudana Vada (Air Fryer)

Ingredients (Makes 10-12 vadas)

• 1 cup sabudana, soaked 4-6 hours until soft

•  2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed

•  Half cup roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed

•  2-3 green chillies, finely chopped

•  Fresh coriander, chopped

•  Sendha namak (rock salt) to taste

•  Lemon juice — 1 teaspoon

•  Ghee for brushing

Method

1. Drain soaked sabudana completely — squeeze handfuls to remove excess water. Wet sabudana makes vadas that don't hold shape.

2. Mix with mashed potato, crushed peanuts, green chilli, coriander, sendha namak, and lemon juice.

3. Divide into 10-12 portions. Shape into flat patties, approximately 1.5cm thick.

4. Preheat air fryer to 180°C for 4 minutes.

5. Brush each vada generously with ghee on both sides.

6. Air fry at 180°C for 12-14 minutes, flipping at 7 minutes and brushing the second side with ghee.

7. Done when golden and firm to touch. Serve with peanut chutney and yoghurt. 

Recipe 2 — Kuttu Pakora (Air Fryer)

Ingredients (Makes 15-18 pieces)

• 1 cup kuttu atta (buckwheat flour)

•  Half cup grated paneer or mashed potato

•  Green chillies, finely chopped

•  Ajwain (carom seeds) — half teaspoon

•  Sendha namak to taste

•  Water to make thick batter

•  Ghee for brushing

Method

Mix kuttu atta with green chilli, ajwain, sendha namak, and enough water to make a thick batter. Fold in grated paneer or mashed potato. Drop spoonfuls onto parchment-lined air fryer basket. Brush generously with ghee. Preheat to 190°C, air fry 12-14 minutes flipping at 7 minutes. Kuttu pakora crisps well in the air fryer because buckwheat flour has less moisture than besan.

Recipe 3 — Aloo Tikki Vrat Style

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes, boiled and mashed

• 2 tbsp kuttu atta or rajgira atta

• Sendha namak, green chilli, coriander

• Ghee for brushing

Mix mashed potato with flour, seasoning. Shape into flat round tikkis. Brush with ghee. Air fry at 200°C for 12-15 minutes, flipping at 8 minutes. Serves with fresh curd and vrat-style green chutney (coriander, green chilli, lemon, rock salt).

Recipe 4 — Singhara Chips

• 2 water chestnuts, peeled and sliced very thinly (2mm)

• Sendha namak, black pepper

• Light ghee or oil brush

Season thinly sliced water chestnuts with sendha namak and pepper. Brush lightly with ghee. Air fry at 160°C for 15-18 minutes, shaking basket every 5 minutes. Done when golden and completely dried out. Cool completely before eating — they crisp further as they cool.

Recipe 5 — Vrat Ki Aloo Sabzi (Quick Reference)

This doesn't need an air fryer but pairs perfectly with the air-fried vadas and tikkis. Boiled potato cubes tossed with cumin, green chilli, coriander, sendha namak, and ghee. Ready in 5 minutes. The simple sabzi makes a complete vrat thali with any two of the above air-fried items.

Best Air Fryers for Navratri Recipes

The Neo Pro 4.5L fits 10-12 sabudana vadas or 12-15 kuttu pakoras in a single batch. The 1300W maintains 180-190°C consistently throughout the 14-minute vrat recipe cook. 10 presets include a snack mode calibrated for this type of cooking.

The Evita 6.5L handles the largest Navratri batches — 15-20 sabudana vadas in one go. For households cooking for extended family during the 9-day festival, the 6.5L capacity means fewer rounds and faster serving. In-built memory saves your vrat recipe settings for repeat use across all 9 days.

Related Guides

→ 5 Diwali Sweet Recipes to Make with a Pressure Cooker

→ Oil-Free Cooking Methods — Healthy Indian Food Without Compromising Taste

→ Air Fryer Pakora Recipe — Crispy Pakoras with Less Oil

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make sabudana vada in an air fryer?

Yes — with ghee brushing on both sides and 180°C for 12-14 minutes. The sabudana vada needs generous ghee for crisping (more than other air fryer recipes) because the tapioca starch needs fat to achieve the golden, crispy exterior. Brush before placing in the basket and again after flipping at 7 minutes.

Is air-fried vrat food as good as deep-fried?

For texture: 85-90% comparable. Sabudana vada and kuttu pakora both come out genuinely crispy in an air fryer with proper ghee brushing. The deep-fried version has slightly more even browning from all-around oil contact. The air fryer version is lighter on the stomach — which is more appropriate for fasting food.

What temperature for kuttu pakora in air fryer?

190°C for 12-14 minutes with ghee brush. Slightly higher than standard pakoras (which use 180°C) because kuttu atta (buckwheat) is denser than besan and needs higher heat to cook through and crisp properly.

Can I make vrat recipes without ghee in an air fryer?

Yes — coconut oil or peanut oil are vrat-approved alternatives. The sabudana vada needs fat for crisping. Rock salt (sendha namak) must be used throughout — table salt is not permitted during Navratri vrat.

How many sabudana vadas can I make in one batch?

Neo Pro 4.5L: 10-12 vadas per batch (single layer). Evita 6.5L: 15-18 per batch. Always in a single layer with small gaps between pieces for air circulation.

Conclusion

Navratri fasting food cooked in an air fryer is lighter, healthier, and genuinely crispy. The sabudana vada and kuttu pakora in particular benefit from the air fryer treatment — the deep-fried version is too heavy for daily 9-day fasting, while the air fryer version provides the crunch without the oil load

Shop Wonderchef Air Fryers
Neo 3.5L | Neo Pro 4.5L | Evita 6.5L — for Navratri and all Indian snack cooking.