A study conducted with 29999 participants of varying religious beliefs revealed that 81% of Indians adhere to some restrictions when it comes to meat consumption. Also, around 31% of individuals describe themselves as vegetarians. If you don’t have the time to cook dinner after a full day’s work, we can help. Here are the 16 best vegetarian Indian recipes for dinner you can try at home. Check them out!
16 Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes You Must Try
Each recipe in this collection is designed to be easy to prepare, making them suitable for home chefs of all experience levels. Our recipes suit a wide range of palates, so you can choose from heavy dishes or light dinners.
5 Light And Healthy Indian Vegetarian Dinners
1. Paneer Tikka
Just a handful of ingredients and spice blends, and you can get restaurant-style food at home! Try this quick and easy paneer tikka recipe.
1 cup paneer chunks ½ cup green bell pepper squares 1 cup red onion squares ½ cup hung curd 2 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons mustard oil 1 teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon chaat masala ½ teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste Salt to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil Cilantro for garnish
2. Low-Carb Daal
Low-carb and high-protein, this daal or dal soup is a true example of traditional lentil recipes meeting new-age cooking.
½ cup red lentil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 teaspoons ghee 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 dry red chili Salt to taste ½ teaspoon turmeric powder Cilantro for garnish ⅔ cup water
3. Nutritious Lauki (Bottlegourd)
Simple and nutritious, this homely lauki curry is for you if you are on a diet. Lauki works amazingly well for weight loss and is also good for your skin. If you are on an Ayurvedic diet and looking for a well-balanced recipe, this is for you.
1 cup cubed lauki (bottle gourd) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 dry red chili ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder A few curry leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup water Salt to taste
4. Pumpkin Stir-Fry
This sweet and savory pumpkin curry is going to blow your mind. Two opposite tastes blend perfectly and hit the right notes in your taste buds.
1 cup cubed pumpkin ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds 1 dry red chili ½ teaspoon turmeric powder 1 small green chili, chopped Salt to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup water Cilantro for garnish
5. Spicy Quinoa Khichdi
Healthy meets spicy in this dish. This khichdi is super quick and fuss-free.
½ cup quinoa ⅔ cup water ¼ cup sweet corn ½ cup cooked black beans (or any other leftover beans that can add flavor and texture to the quinoa khichdi) ½ teaspoon crushed coriander seeds ½ teaspoon cumin powder 1 medium red chili, chopped ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder A pinch of turmeric 2 tablespoons ghee Salt to taste
5 Quick Indian Vegetarian Dinners
6. Baingan Ka Bharta
Smokey and flavorful, baingan ka bharta is an Indian delicacy (also a loved recipe of the Mediterranean region) that takes minimum effort to cook.
1 large eggplant (baingan) 1 medium-sized onion, chopped 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped 2 green chilies, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon ghee 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder Salt to taste Cilantro for garnish
7. Crispy Bhindi Fry
Crispy and flavorful, bhindi or okra fry is loved by almost every Indian. Pair it with roti/chapati/chawal (rice), and you will know why.
1 cup sliced bhindi or okra 2 teaspoons coriander powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder A pinch of turmeric powder 1 green chili, chopped Salt to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil
8. Aloo Palak
Enjoy the goodness of spinach combined with delicate, mushy potatoes. You can savor it with roti, paratha, or chapati.
2 large potatoes 1 ½ cups spinach 2 cloves 1 cardamom ½ inch cinnamon ½ teaspoon garam masala 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 green chili, chopped 1 medium-sized onion, chopped 1 small tomato, chopped ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Salt to taste
9. Patta Gobi Matar
Gobi or cabbage, a cruciferous vegetable, is super healthy. Adding green peas (or matar) to it can take the taste of the simple cabbage fry curry to a different level.
1 cup shredded cabbage ¼ cup frozen peas 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 cloves A pinch of turmeric 2 tablespoons olive oil/rice bran oil Salt to taste
10. Jeera Aloo
Super quick and super delicious. Goes best with paratha or chapati. Serves – 4; Cooking Time – 30 mins
2 large potatoes 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds 1 green chili, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder Cilantro for garnish Salt to taste
5 Main Course Indian Vegetarian Dinners
11. Mushroom Curry
This mushroom curry is loaded with protein and flavors and goes well with rice/roti/chapati.
1 cup diced button mushrooms 1 medium-sized onion, chopped ½ cup canned tomato ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon cumin powder ½ teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder Salt to taste 3 tablespoons rice bran oil ½ teaspoon garam masala Cilantro for garnish
12. Eggplant Yogurt Curry
A popular brinjal curry in India, this one tricks you into thinking that it takes a whole village to make it, which isn’t true!
6-8 small brinjals, cut at the tips 1/2 cup yogurt A pinch of asafoetida 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan) 2 teaspoons coriander powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste ½ teaspoon fennel seeds Salt to taste 3 tablespoons rice bran oil Cilantro for garnish
13. Rajma Chawal
Similar to Mexican kidney beans chili, rajma chawal is one of the most popular foods in the Northern part of India. It can, in fact, rightly be called the “soul food.” Prathy, a food blogger, shares her experience of having rajma chawal for the first time: “I had never cooked or tasted Rajma before my marriage, and I tasted it for the first time at my friend’s place long back and was really impressed with the taste….I must say it is a real killer combo Rajma-Chawal-Chaas, a hearty meal (i).”
1 cup soaked rajma 1 large red onion, chopped 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped 2 green chilies 3 cloves of garlic ½ inch ginger 3 cloves 1 bay leaf ½ inch cinnamon 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon garam masala 2 pods of cardamom 1 teaspoon coriander powder 3 tablespoons rice bran oil or olive oil A little bit of kasuri methi Salt to taste Cilantro for garnish
14. Matar Paneer
Quick and delicious! If you want to go vegan, you can also use tofu instead of paneer. Though it doesn’t have the same paneer nutrition, it is still popular as it tastes best with roti/chapati/paratha.
1 cup cubed paneer ½ cup frozen peas 1 cup water 2 medium-sized onions 2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes 2 green chilies 2 cloves of garlic ½ inch ginger 3 cloves ½ inch cinnamon 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 10 soaked cashews ½ teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon jeera ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon red chili powder 1 tablespoon cream ½ teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons ghee Salt to taste Cilantro for garnish
15. Lemon Rice
Yummy and popular in the Southern part of India, lemon rice is savored during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you have leftover rice, a couple of red chilies, some mustard seeds, curry leaves, peanuts, and lime at home – you no longer need to hunt for dinner ideas.
2 cups leftover rice Juice of a lime 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 10-12 curry leaves 2 teaspoons olive oil or groundnut oil 1 handful of peanuts 2 dry red chilies A pinch of turmeric powder Salt to taste
Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipe For Diabetics
16. Masala Oats
This savory oatmeal porridge is made with wholesome vegetables and aromatic Indian spices. The recipe does not use milk, making it a healthy and delicious dinner recipe for vegans. Serves – 2; Cooking Time – 25 mins Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 green chili, chopped 1 onion, diced 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 1 tomato, chopped 1 cup steel-cut oats 1 ½ cup water 1 cup carrots and peas 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon salt
How To Prepare
Add oil to a pot and bring it to a low-medium flame. Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and let them sizzle. Add green chili, onion, and ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato, mixed vegetables, and all the spices. Saute for 2-3 minutes and add oats and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat. Serve hot with curd.
What do Indian vegetarians eat for dinner? Rajesh Chotalia, a health and wellness consultant, says, “Most Indian vegetarians eat some sort of dal or soup, which is liquid, and some sorts of cooked, steamed, or raw vegetables, grains like rice, wheat, and barley are included. We often drink smoothies made from fruits and some vegetables, eat beans and legumes, and consume some dairy products like milk.” Is all vegetarian food healthy? No, all vegetarian foods do not count as healthy eating. Vegetarians also eat fried foods loaded with unhealthy fats and sugar. Chotalia suggests eating healthy, whole foods and plant-based meals, which include water, fiber, and micro and macro-nutrients. He adds, “We can make all of this tasty by adding spices and different seasonings.” What is the most popular Indian vegetarian dish? Chickpea dishes like chana masala, malai kofta, vegetable biryani, tandoori paneer dishes, samosas, pakoras, and aloo gobi are some of India’s most popular vegetarian dishes. What is a typical Indian meal? A typical Indian thali meal includes rice dishes, chapati, salad, lentil, and vegetable curries, yogurt, and pickle. Non-vegetarian Indian meals also include curries containing meat, chicken, seafood, or eggs, with Indian egg recipes for dinner being a popular and delicious option. How do vegetarians get protein? Vegetarians can gain protein from various plant foods, including certain grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and soy products.
Illustration: Easy Yet Tasty Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes To Try
