Poha and Oats Cutlets

Food gives you energy. Yes, but food also gives you happiness! Agree? You surely will!

These lip-smacking Poha and Oats Cutlets promise you health, flavors, and loads of happiness. Make these golden charmers in advance and surprise your guests at your next potluck. 

I bet your guests will love these exquisite delicacies till the last bite. You can serve them with dips and chutneys of your choice.

What is Poha and Oats Cutlets

Poha is the Hindi name for flattened rice or rice flakes. Rice is parboiled, pressed, flattened, and then dried to turn into flakes. These flakes are rectangular with rounded and uneven edges.

Rice flakes are quite bland in taste but make an attractive and delicious dish when cooked with veggies and spices.

Poha is rich in iron and is an excellent source of carbohydrates and antioxidants, besides essential vitamins and minerals. Poha is eaten as a light and healthy breakfast option in most Indian households. 

Poha forms the main ingredient of this fantastic recipe. Besides poha, rolled oats are used in the recipe to add nutrition and structure.

These ingredients also lend texture to the cutlets, making them irresistibly delicious. Boiled potato and cornflour help bind the dough together to attain the best shape.

Reasons You’ll ♡ Poha and Oats Cutlets

This Poha Oats cutlet is a kids-friendly and family-approved dish that forms a delicious snacking option any time of the day. You will love this recipe as it is —

• Quick and easy recipe
• Uses a few common ingredients
• Flavorful and superbly textured
• A perfect make-ahead recipe
• Scalable and storable for later use, and
• A great lunch box option!

The best part is that these Poha and Oats cutlets are perfect for busy mornings or as a healthy after-school snack. Plus, they can be made in large batches to serve a gathering. 

And since these are shallow pan-fried, they are not too greasy and will delight every taste bud with their succulent interior and crunchy crisp exterior. 

Poha and Oats Cutlets Ingredient List

Poha — Rice flakes/ beaten rice/ Poha is the star ingredient of this recipe that gives the cutlets their structure and texture, besides a significant amount of nutrition. This recipe can use both thick poha and thin poha varieties. 

Oats  — Rolled gluten-free oats are used in this recipe for their health benefits and texture. 

Potato — Boiled potato is added to the mixture as a binding agent. It also delivers creaminess and structure to the cutlets.

Onion — Chopped onions are added to the recipe for flavor and crunch.

Green chili — Brings hotness to the Oats and Poha Cutlets.

Cumin powder — The warm and earthy flavor of cumin powder hypes the overall taste of the recipe.

Chili — Chili powder gives a punch of hotness to the tasty cutlets. 

Chaat Masala — Boosts the flavor of the cutlets.  

Cilantro leaves — For adding a fresh flavor and aroma to the recipe.

Lemon juice — Adds tang to the Oats Poha Cutlets recipe and uplifts its flavor.

Cornstarch — Helps the mixture to bind properly by soaking up the extra moisture.

Oil — For brushing the cutlets while cooking.

Poha and Oats Cutlets Recipe Tips and Variations

Add raw or sautéed onions — This recipe uses raw onions, making them crunchy and flavorsome. However, if you are not a fan of raw onions, you may sauté the chopped onions in the oil and then add them to the mixture. 

Add a dose of nutrition — You may bring more health and nutrition to this recipe by adding veggies to the cutlet mixture. Some of the best add-ons to this recipe are- red bell pepper, fresh spinach, shredded carrots, green beans, etc.

Thick or thin Poha? This recipe is prepared using thick Poha, but thin poha also works perfectly. You can use either of them. However, when using thin poha, take care not to rinse it under tap water for an extended time. Remove it quickly and squeeze the water out. Any retained water will turn the mixture sticky. Now, use it as directed.

Substitute for potato — The boiled potato is added to the cutlet dough for better binding of the other ingredients. However, you may use sweet potato (boiled) instead of boiled potato. This would be a healthier alternative to potatoes. 

Substitute for poha — Poha is the star ingredient and delivers structure, texture, and taste to the recipe. However, you may substitute poha with homemade breadcrumbs and cornflour if poha is unavailable. ½ cup of breadcrumbs and 3 tbsp of cornflour is an ideal replacement for poha here.

But when adding cornflour to the mixture, ensure the potato dough is not hot or warm; otherwise, the mixture may turn sticky and difficult to shape. Oats flour, finely crushed cornflakes, or crushed peanuts added to the dough are also great alternatives for poha. 

Tips for frying the cutlet — Setting the oil temperature right when frying the cutlets is essential to the recipe’s success. If the temperature is higher and the oil is hotter than required, the cutlets will turn darker and crispy from the outside while the inside will remain raw. And if the temperature is low, the oil is not hot enough for the cutlets to fry properly. The cutlets will soak up the oil rapidly and turn soggy or may even fall apart and mess up the entire oil.

Do not allow the potatoes to rest for long  — Potatoes lose their moisture content when exposed to salt. If the boiled potatoes are allowed to rest in the salty mixture for a long time, they will lose their moisture and turn the dough soggy. Therefore, do not let the potatoes rest for too long; otherwise, shaping and cooking the cutlets will become challenging. 

Chill the potatoes before adding — Freshly boiled potatoes may turn mushy and alter the texture of the dough. The trick is to boil the potatoes in advance and then refrigerate them. When needed, mash them with the other ingredients and make the perfect dough for the cutlets. The cold potatoes’ starch helps keep the shape intact and prevents the cutlets from falling apart. 

Prepare in advance — This perfect make-ahead recipe can be prepped a day in advance and devoured the next day. Prepare the mixture/ dough and spread it in a greased bowl. Now stack this bowl in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve the next day, cut it into the desired shapes and pan-cook till perfectly golden. Serve with your fav dip/ chutney. 

Scale the recipe as per your requirement  —This Poha and Oats cutlets recipe yields 12 medium-sized cutlets. However, you can scale the recipe up or down depending on your preference by referring to the recipe card.

Like it spicier? This Oats Poha cutelt recipe is perfect for you if you prefer moderate spicy food. But if you like it spicier, you may add more chili powder to adjust its spiciness. 

Let me know what you think!

These healthy and delicious Oats and Poha Cutlets are perfect for feeding your family, and there is no better time than NOW to start the prep!

So if you are ready with the ingredients, let’s start immediately!

Should you make these Poha and oats cutlets, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.

And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

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