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Punjabi · Indian

Laccha pyaz

Vegetarian

लच्छा प्याज़ · lachchhā pyāz

Thin rings of onion soaked in iced water until crisp and mild, then tossed with lemon, chilli powder, chaat masala and coriander. The standard salad on a Punjabi dhaba plate.

Laccha pyaz is a Punjabi salad from India, ready in about 25 minutes and made with red onion and lemon juice. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of a spiced onion salad in a brass bowl, garnished with sumac and herbs, on a vibrant table setting.
Photo: Muhammad Khawar Nazir / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
20

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Peel the onions and slice them crosswise as thinly as you can, then separate the rings.

    An onion being chopped on a board
    How it looks · Photo: Christina & Peter on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Soak the rings in a bowl of iced water. This makes them crisp and softens their raw bite.

  3. Step 3

    Drain well and pat dry with a clean cloth, then toss with the lemon juice (opens in a new tab), chilli powder, chaat masala (opens in a new tab), salt, coriander and green chilli (opens in a new tab). Serve within 30 minutes.

    • 3 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Punjab, India · Commonly attributedClosely associated with Punjabi dhaba and tandoor cooking, though eaten throughout North India and Pakistan.Also popular in PakistanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Side dishes
Cooking method
No-cook, Raw
Taste
tangy, fresh, spicy (chilli heat), savoury
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Red onion · Lemon juice · Cayenne / chilli powder · Chaat masala · Coriander leaves

Allergens

  • May contain: Wheatfrom chaat masala
  • May contain: Glutenfrom chaat masala

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

20 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 62 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 87%
  • Fat 4%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy20 kcal33 kcal
Protein0.5 g0.9 g
Carbohydrate4.8 g7.7 g
Net carbohydrate4.1 g6.6 g
Sugars2.9 g4.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.7 g1.2 g
Fat0.1 g0.2 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium151 mg243 mg
Salt equivalent0.4 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
80 mg
Calcium
14 mg
Iron
0.2 mg
Magnesium
6 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
4 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: ice, green chilli.
  • Chaat masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in for the tangy blend of amchur, black salt, cumin and pepper; real chaat masala also carries a lot of salt, so sodium is understated.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • A mandoline gives evenly thin rings in seconds — use the guard.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the drying step: wet onions dilute the dressing and the spices clump.

Serve with

  • Serve with tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs, dal makhani or chole bhature, with lemon wedges and green chutney.

Storage

  • Best within an hour; the onions soften as they sit in the lemon.

Variations

  • Sirke wale pyaz style: Use vinegar in place of lemon for a sharper, pickle-like edge.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Dry spice blend

    Chaat masala

    This recipe uses ½ tsp (1.2 g for 4 servings).

    Make Chaat masala

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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