22 Yummy Oil-Free Snacks For A Healthy You (With Recipes)

The average daily intake of snacks has doubled over the last three decades (1), (2). These foods form a significant part of our total calorie consumption. Given this situation, it is important that we eat more no-oil snacks to stay healthy and fit. So, which oil-free snacking items are good for your health? And how do you prepare them at home? In this article, we answer all your queries and guide you in limiting your oil intake. Knowing the importance of consuming oil-free snacks is essential not just for the health-conscious but for anyone looking to reduce excess calories and maintain a balanced diet. These snacks may aid weight management, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Keep reading to learn more!

Why Choose Oil-Free Snacks?

Consuming oil-free snacks is important for your health. Research shows that eating fried foods frequently may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart failure, obesity, and high blood pressure (3).

Frying food in hot oil makes it tastier and more appealing, but also increases its calorie content and alters the oils used. This can result in a loss of healthy fats while adding unhealthy trans fats and other harmful compounds (4)

In short, there is strong evidence linking fried food consumption to a higher risk of chronic diseases in adults. By choosing oil-free snacks, you can help lower these risks and maintain a healthier diet. Here are a few yummy oil-free recipes for you to try.

22 Yummy Evening Snacks Recipes Without Oil

1. Oil-Free Besan Flour Snack (Gujrati Khandvi)

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 30 min; Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 cup gram flour/garbanzo bean flour/besan
• 1 cup yogurt, preferably sour
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon heeng/asafoetida
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons desiccated fresh coconut
• 2 tablespoons shredded carrot (optional)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

For Tempering

• 1/2 teaspoon heeng/asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 green chilies: 2 chilies split, and 1 chili very finely chopped

How To Prepare

1. To make oil-free khandvi, you need a heavy bottom pan and butter paper so that the batter doesn’t stick to the pan.
2. Combine curd and 1 ½ cups of water in a deep bowl and whisk thoroughly. Keep it aside.
3. Combine besan, curd-water mixture, asafoetida, lemon juice, turmeric powder, ginger-green chili paste, and salt in a deep nonstick pan and whisk well until there are no lumps and you obtain a smooth mixture.
4. Cook the batter on low heat for 10 minutes. Check its thickness. It should neither be too watery nor very thick.
5. Spread spoonfuls of the batter on the butter paper-wrapped pan and spread them evenly in thin layers.
6. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes and roll them up tightly.
7. For tempering, dry roast mustard seeds along with a pinch of asafoetida.
8. Pour the tempering along with grated coconut, coriander leaves, and green chilies over khandvis, and savor this homemade snack.

2. Broccoli Balls

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 25 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups grated broccoli
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds, soaked in water
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 400^o F.
2. Sauté the onions.
3. Add the grated broccoli and salt to the pan and cook until the moisture evaporates. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the spices, breadcrumbs, and almond meal. Stir well.
5. Add the soaked chia seeds and mix well.
6. Divide the mixture into 10-12 balls.
7. Place the balls on a lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.
8. After 15 minutes, turn the baking sheet around and bake for 10 minutes more.

3. Savory Herb Whole Grain Crackers

Prep Time:

15 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 30 min; Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs like oregano and basil

How To Prepare

1. Make a stiff dough with the ingredients and water.
2. Roll it out into thin chapatis and cut it into strips.
3. Bake at 450° F for 10-15 minutes until they are crisp.
4. You can easily make this low-fat whole grain snack anytime.

4. Momos

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Total Time: 50 min; Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• Water to make a dough
• Salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 head of broccoli, finely shredded
• 1 cup bean sprouts, chopped

How To Prepare

1. Make a smooth and pliant dough with flour and water.
2. Roll it out into small thin chapatis.
3. Add the filling made by mixing broccoli, bean sprouts, salt, and pepper. Bring the edges together to form a small pouch.
4. Place the momos in a steamer and steam until they are cooked.

Quick Tip

Don’t overfill your momos to prevent them from breaking. You can spread a little bit of water on the sides before sealing the momos. Water will help to seal the dough easily.

5. Daal Ki Chaat

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 25 min; Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow moong dal, parboiled
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup grated carrot
• 1/4 cup pomegranate
• 1/2 cup chopped raw mangoes
• A mixture of coriander and mint leaves, chopped
• Chaat masala, as required
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice

How To Prepare

Mix and toss all the ingredients together for a scrumptious chaat/ moong dal salad.

6. Bengal Gram Tangy Chatpata Snack

Prep Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 30 min; Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bengal gram soaked overnight
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped tomato
• ½ cup chopped cucumber
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped raw mango
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chopped green chili
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

How To Prepare

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl to enjoy this tangy and spicy vegetable-based snack.

7. Oats And Palak Dhokla

Prep Time:

20 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats powdered in the mixie
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1/4 cup fresh yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon green chili paste
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon fruit salt
• ¾ cup water

How To Prepare

1. Make a batter with oats, semolina, curd, green chili paste, salt, and water.
2. Add the spinach and two tablespoons of water for a smooth batter.
3. Just before steaming, add the fruit salt and mix gently.
4. Pour the batter into a thali and steam for 7-8 minutes.
5. Cool and cut into diamond-shaped pieces.

8. Hariyali Paneer Snacks Without Oil (Paneer Tikka)

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 35 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200 g paneer/cottage cheese
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• ¼ cup coriander leaves
• 1 green chili
• ¼ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 tablespoons thick curd
• Seasonal vegetables
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• A pinch of black salt
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• Salt as needed

How to Prepare

1. Prepare a fine paste of green chili, coriander, and mint leaves along with lemon juice without adding any water.
2. In a bowl, add cubed paneer along with the green paste, ginger garlic paste, chaat masala, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, black salt, and thick curd.
3. Mix well so that each paneer cube is fully covered with the paste. Marinade the cubes for 4-6 hours in the fridge.
4. Insert each paneer in a bamboo skewer, followed by baked vegetable cubes, and grill on a nonstick tawa or baking tray (180^o C for 15-20 min), rotating each side.
5. Serve with mint yogurt chutney or sweet tamarind chutney, and relish.

9. Oil-Free Hummus And Carrot Sticks

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 35 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 6 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and blend into a smooth paste.
3. Serve it with carrot sticks, and dig into this nutritious snack.

Bryanna, a blogger, shared the importance of research and trial and error in her quest to make yummy, no-oil hummus, except a little extra virgin olive oil on top. She writes, “I have been making low-fat hummus for many years, and I have been constantly researching, experimenting, and testing in order to make delicious homemade hummus without using a lot of oil. I wanted to make the best-tasting, creamiest hummus possible (i).”

10. Chicken Poppers

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken, cubed
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 8 cups crushed Rice Krispies
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Whisk the eggs with a tablespoon of water.
2. Mix flour, chili powder, paprika, salt, and dried oregano in a shallow bowl.
3. Roll the chicken pieces in the flour, dip them into the egg mixture, and roll them in the crushed Rice Krispies or crispy rice cakes.
4. Place them in the air fryer and cook them at 180o C for 10 minutes. Then enjoy this non-fried snack.

11. Rainbow Fruit Kebab

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 25 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 6 thick slices of kiwi
• 6 strawberries, halved
• 8 black grapes
• 8 cubes of watermelon
• 6 pieces of peach
• 4 blueberries
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon drinking chocolate powder

How To Prepare

1. In a bowl, mix yogurt, almond milk, vanilla extract, and chocolate powder.
2. Skewer the fruits to make roasted snacks.
3. Drizzle the yogurt dip on top of the fruit kebab sticks, and fill your tummy with fruits as snacks!

12. Steamed Dahi Vada

Prep Time: 4 hrs; Cooking Time: 30 min; Total Time: 4 hrs 30 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 150 g urad daal, soaked for 4 hours
• 150 g moong daal, soaked for 4 hours
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• A pinch of asafoetida
• ½ teaspoon Eno
• Salt to taste
• 500 g yogurt
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sweet tamarind chutney
• ½ cup dhaniya chutney
• Cooking spray

How To Prepare

1. Use a food processor to grind the urad daal and moong daal.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add asafoetida, ginger, Eno, and salt to it. Mix well.
3. Grease an idli maker with cooking spray.
4. Take one spoon of the mixture and spread it on one level of the idli stand. Level the mixture with the back of a spoon.
5. Place the idli stand in a pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes without the whistle.
6. Let the vadas cool. Place them in four bowls.
7. Add two to three teaspoons of yogurt.
8. Top with coriander chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
9. Sprinkle roasted cumin powder on top.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and relish this delicious protein snack.

13. Honey Yogurt Stuffed Raspberries

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Total Time: 20 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 10-15 raspberries
• ½ cup yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of nutmeg

How To Prepare

1. Mix yogurt, vanilla extract, honey, and nutmeg in a bowl.
2. Transfer the yogurt mixture to a piping bag and attach a thin nozzle.
3. Fill the raspberry pits with yogurt mix and pop them into your mouth. Enjoy this snack alternative that is better than any sugary sweets.
4. You can also add a trail-mix to this sugar-free snack for a bit more crunch.

14. Daal-Based Pandoli

Prep Time:

20 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup moong dal
• 1/4 cup fresh curd (dahi)
• 2 teaspoons paste made with ginger and green chili
• Salt as required
• 2 teaspoons fruit salt like Eno (unflavored)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

How To Prepare

1. Grind the soaked dal with a little water to make a smooth paste. Mix in the yogurt and all the spices.
2. Add fruit salt just before steaming and beat well.
3. Steam the mixture in idli molds or on a muslin cloth tied over the vessel. Cover this with a lid. Steam this for 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Serve this tummy-filling snack for weight loss with chutney.

15. Apple Crisps Savory

Prep Time:

10 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 25 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala
• A pinch of pink Himalayan salt

How To Prepare

1. Mix the spices with the apples.
2. Bake in an oven at 450°F for 10-15 minutes, and savor these baked snacks.

16. Air Popped Cilantro Lime Popcorn

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Total Time: 25 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup popcorn kernels
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

How To Prepare

1. Place the popcorn kernels in a pressure cooker and cover it with the lid upside down. You can also use a microwave instead.
2. Transfer the popped kernels to a large bowl.
3. Add lime juice, cilantro, salt, and cayenne pepper.
4. Toss well before eating this amazing popcorn (without oil) snack.

17. Gluten-Free Portobello Mushroom Snack

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 50 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• Salt to taste
• Cooking spray

How To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 350^o F.
2. Spray the baking tray with cooking spray.
3. Add a spoonful of fire roasted tomatoes to the mushroom caps.
4. Top it with grated cheese, oregano, chili flakes, and a little salt.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, and relish this gluten-free snack.

18. Potato Crisps

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 30 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 thinly sliced potato
• ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Mix the spices with the potatoes and bake in a microwave in 30-second increments until they are properly cooked.
2. Cool them. Your crispy snack is ready!

Quick Tip

You can also parboil the potatoes before mixing them with spices to make crispier chips.

19. Spicy Pineapple

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 3 min; Total Time: 18 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup thinly sliced juicy pineapple
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• ⅙ teaspoon cinnamon powder

How To Prepare

1. Toss the pineapple slices with lime juice, black pepper, pink Himalayan salt, and cinnamon powder.
2. Now, dig into this scrumptious high-fiber snack.

20. Oil-Free Vada Pav

Prep Time: 45 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 65 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

For Vadas

• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 2 teaspoons ginger-green chili paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 7-8 curry leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida

For Coating

• 1/3 cup gram flour
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• A pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Combine the ingredients for the vada and make a soft dough-like mix.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the coating in a shallow bowl.
3. Roll the vadas in the coating mixture.
4. Fry them in an air fryer at 180^o C for 15 minutes.
5. Serve it with pavs (bun).

21. Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Squares

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder
• ¾ cup gluten-free rolled oats
• ¾ cup almond flour
• ½ cup pecan nuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

How To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 350^o F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Beat the pumpkin and sugar together.
3. Add the vanilla extract and soaked flaxseed powder and mix well.
4. Add baking soda, cinnamon powder, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well.
5. Add oat flour, rolled oats, arrowroot, almond flour, and chopped pecan nuts. Combine the ingredients together.
6. Spread this mixture onto the baking tray and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes until it becomes golden brown.
8. Place the tray on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
9. To enjoy this vegan snack, use a knife to cut square snack bars that are easy to munch on!

22. Coriander Vadis

Prep Time:

20 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Total Time: 30 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped coriander
• 1 cup gram flour
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander-cumin seeds powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger-green chili paste
• 1 teaspoon yogurt
• Sugar and salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Mix all the ingredients to make a smooth dough.
2. Shape it into rolls and steam for 5-10 minutes on a steamer.
3. Cool and cut into slices. Your yummy vadis are ready!

These are the easy oil-free snacks you can prepare at home. However, if you are not a fan of cooking or simply don’t have the time for it and would like to buy some snacks instead, here are some tips to help you pick the right ones.

Choosing The Right Oil-Free Snack

• Check the ingredients list to ensure the snack is oil-free and doesn’t contain any unhealthy additives.
• Choose snacks made from whole foods, like fruits, nuts, or whole grains, for better nutrition.
• Avoid snacks with high sugar content, even if they are oil-free, as they can still be unhealthy.
• Snacks that include protein and fiber keep you fuller for longer and provide more energy.
• Avoid buying too many snacks and needlessly storing them for months, as this may affect their quality.
• Look for air-popped popcorn or baked chips as alternatives to fried snacks.
• Even healthy snacks can add up in calories, so keep an eye on serving sizes.

Infographic: 4 Delicious Oil-free Evening Snacks

Evening snacks are a great way to satisfy those evening cravings, but they are not very good for you.

Check out the infographic below to know which are the 4 most delicious evening snacks you can munch on without fear of putting on those pounds.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the healthiest bedtime snack?

Berries, pistachios, oatmeal, dark chocolate, yogurt, and eggs are some healthy low-calorie snacks for bedtime.

What should I eat at night to burn fat?

Yogurt, walnuts, almonds, and avocado are good additions to your dinner as they may help improve your metabolism and help you burn fat in your sleep (5), (6), (7), (8).

Are there any packaged or store-bought oil-free snack options?

Yes, there are various packaged or store-bought oil-free snack options. Always read the ingredients label and choose a snack that has no added sugar or preservatives and contains natural ingredients.

What are some common hidden oils in packaged snacks?

Common hidden oils include vegetable oils like soybean and canola, palm oil, and hydrogenated oils, which may contain unhealthy trans fats and are even known to cause allergic reactions. Sunflower and soybean oils are also frequently used in many snacks. Always check ingredient labels to spot these oils.

Are there any oil substitutes that can be used in recipes to maintain flavor and texture?

Fruit purees (commonly used in the vegan diet), apple sauce, butter, yogurt are a few alternatives that can be added to snacks to add moisture and flavor.

Illustration: Yummy Oil-Free Snacks For A Healthy You (With Recipes)

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Alexandra DusenberryMS, RDN

   

Alexandra Dusenberry is a registered dietitian nutritionist and a certified personal trainer based in San Diego, California. She has 6 years of experience and works with clients around the world to help them reach their health and fitness goals.

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Priyanka SadhukhanNutritionist, CDE

 

Priyanka is a nutritionist and a Certified Diabetes Educator. She has over 8 years of experience in nutrition and dietetics with a strong research background. She is passionate about science and how it can be applied to one’s daily lifestyle.

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Arshiya SyedaCo-Editor-in-Chief

Arshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.

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Sindhu KogantiSenior Health & Wellness Writer

Sindhu Koganti is a Certified Health and Nutrition Life Coach and has over 6 years of experience in writing on health and wellness topics. She has a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, and a diploma in nutrition from Fab Academy.

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