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Vegetarian Indian Dinner Recipes | Easy Dinner Ideas

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This post is all about the list of some of the best, quick, and easy Indian dinner recipes for the family. Some of the simple vegetarian and vegan dinner ideas for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. The collection includes the best Indian curry, gravy, stir fry, and rice recipes that will be loved by your family.

Check here for some of the easy and healthy breakfast recipes and Indian roti recipes that can be served for dinner.

quick and easy Indian vegetarian dinner ideas for weeknight or weekend dinner.

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Simple Indian Vegetarian Dinner

I have 100 + traditional and authentic Indian recipes both from North Indian and South India. But in this post, I am sharing the best of the best dinner recipes that are quick and healthy to make, some popular restaurant-style recipes, and some pressure cooker and instant pot recipes that you can use as a guide to plan your weekly menu.

South Indians love to eat white or boiled rice with sambar or rasam, curry, and vegetable stir fry for a healthy meal or to make life easier; some even prepare one-pot rice recipes for dinner, and any leftovers are stored and reheated and packed for the next day lunch too. You can check my rice recipes section for more such recipes.

North Indians eat chapati or roti with sabzi, dal chawal, or khichdi for their meal. When it is a special dinner, chole bhature or makhani gravy is prepared.

Now having said that you will find a family who loves to eat idli and dosa, a popular breakfast item, and even for dinner. So if you belong to this category, check out some of the best breakfast recipes from India.

I have not categorized into North Indian dinner recipes or South Indian Dinner Recipes but have given the popular and top dinner ideas from India - vegetarian only.

While you are here, check out some of the best Indian bread recipes (roti, naan, kulcha, paratha), paneer recipes for any meal, Indian dal, and how to cook it on the stovetop or instant pot.

list of best, easy and healthy vegetarian Indian dinner recipes (Dinner Ideas).

Some popular vegetarian Indian dishes that you can make at home easily with simple steps and basic ingredients - Includes restaurant-style paneer butter masala, healthy palak paneer, Punjabi chole or chana masala, tadka dal, mixed vegetable kadai, biryani with vegetables of your choice, khichdi with millets or lentils (dal) and rice, South Indian lemon rice (chitranna), potato-stuffed flatbread and hotel style sambar recipe.

Paneer Butter Masala garnished with cilantro and a drizzle of cream and served in a white bowl.

Paneer Butter Masala ( Paneer Makhani)

Restaurant-style Paneer Butter Masala or Paneer Makhani is a very popular Indian dish that is rich, creamy and delicious, prepared using basic ingredients like butter, onion, tomatoes, paneer, cashews, and cream. This can be served with any flatbreads like naan, roti, chapati, pita, or along with steamed rice, jeera rice, ghee rice, or pulav.
Check out this recipe.
Dal tadka, restaurant-style (simple & easy garlic dal), served with rice for a vegetarian meal.

Simple Dal Tadka (Restaurant Style)

Lasooni Dal Tadka is a popular restaurant-style Indian dal recipe prepared using lentil (dahl), garlic, ghee, and aromatic spices. Serve this yellow dal tadka with Indian bread (naan, roti, chapati) or rice for a healthy vegetarian meal.
Check out this recipe.
Best simple and easy vegetable biryani served with raita. (Indian veg dum biryani)

Simple Veg Biryani Recipe

Vegetable biryani is a popular, flavorful, and aromatic Indian rice dish made with basmati rice, veggies, herbs, and biryani spices. This biryani recipe I have shared is one of the best simple and easy rice recipes for busy weeknight dinners, weekend family dinners, and holiday meals.
Check out this recipe.
Chana masala recipe | Punjabi Chole Masala | Vegan Chickpea Curry for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Chole or Chana Masala

Chana Masala (Chole Masala) is a popular North Indian vegetarian curry prepared using chickpeas (channa) and aromatic spices. Serve this classic Punjabi chole with bhatura, naan, chapati, paratha, or steamed rice.
Check out this recipe.
How to make veg kadai, kadai paneer, mushroom kadai, vegetable kadai, indian dinner recipes #paneer

Mixed Vegetable Kadai

Veg Kadai or Kadai Vegetable is a popular, spicy, and aromatic Indian vegetarian recipe where mixed veggies like mushroom, baby corn, cauliflower, and capsicum (green bell peppers) are cooked along with paneer in freshly ground homemade kadai masala.
Check out this recipe.
how to make simple & easy lemon rice or south indian chitranna recipe

Lemon Rice or Chitranna

Lemon Rice or Chitranna is a very delicious and flavorful rice with right amount of crunchiness, spiciness, and tanginess. Lemon rice is a comfort food at many homes. If you have left over rice, then this dish can be prepared and served in less than 10 minutes.
Check out this recipe.
Best and Easy Aloo Paratha Recipe | Vegan Potato Stuffed Flatbread for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha is a delicious and popular Indian stuffed flatbread that is crispy on the outside, with soft and flavorful melt-in-mouth mashed potato filling on the inside. This quick recipe is for all bread and potato lovers.
Check out this recipe.
One pot bisi bele bath or masala khichdi in a white serving bowl with tempering.

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi Bele Bath is a healthy, nutritious, flavorful one-pot meal prepared using rice, lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices in less than 30 minutes. This Karnataka-style masala khichdi can be prepared in a pressure cooker or instant pot. 
Check out this recipe.
Dalia Moong Dal Khichdi, One-Pot Lentil Broken Wheat Porridge, Khichri, khichuri Pressure cooker

Healthy Moong Dal Khichdi

Dalia Moong Dal Khichdi is a healthy, wholesome & nutritious, flavorful recipe prepared using broken wheat (bulgar), yellow lentil, and vegetables of your choice.
This khichdi or Khichuri is a satvik no-onion, no-garlic recipe. In the coastal region of South India, we consume this khichdi during fasting days like Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi or Sankashti, or during any vrat or upvas days where there is a restriction on eating food containing onion, garlic, and rice.
Check out this recipe.
best homemade sambar recipe for idli, dosa, rice, how to make sambar

South Indian Sambar

Sambar is a popular and classic South Indian style lentil stew or soup that is packed with protein. Sambhar is my favorite comfort food that is hearty, healthy, and flavorful.
Sambar can be served with idli, vada, pongal, upma, dosa, medu vada, or almost any South Indian breakfast recipe or along with steamed rice (brown or white) for lunch and dinner.
Sambar is prepared mainly using pigeon pea (toor dal), vegetables of your choice, and a unique spice blend known as sambar powder. 
Check out this recipe.

Indian Curry and Dal Recipes

Other than popular recipes, there are some healthy and easy dal recipes and Indian curry made using a combination of vegetables that you make at home for a quick family dinner. It includes mixed vegetable dal, vegetable korma, green pead gravy with mushroom, paneer, or baby corn, restaurant-style mushroom masala, dal makhani, protein-packed low-calorie cauliflower dal, dum aloo, and aloo gobi.

All these popular Indian recipes, along with curry and dal, can be served with Indian roti or chapati, homemade naan, ghee rice, or simple steamed rice.

Mixed Vegetable Dal, Vegetable Curry, Lentil Curry, Indian lentil or dal dish, one pot meal, instant pot lentil curry or dal, pressure cooker lentil, vegan and vegetarian vegetable and lentil curry, plant based protein diet recipes, #redlentil #yellowlentil #greenlentil #Moongdal #lentilsoup #lentilrecipes #indianfoodrecipes #indiancurry #lentilcurry #instantpotvegetarianrecipes #instantpotveganrecipes

Mixed Vegetable Dal

Mixed Vegetable Dal or Vegetable Curry or Lentil Curry is a healthy, nutritious, protein-packed vegetarian or vegan recipe that is a great alternative to the traditional dal. This dish can be prepared in less than 25 minutes and served with any bread like Naan, Roti, Chapati or rice items such as steamed rice, Jeera Rice or Ghee Rice for lunch or dinner.
Check out this recipe.
quick and easy vegetable korma (kurma) in a white bowl served with dosa.

Mix Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable korma or Veg Kurma is an easy-to-make, flavorful, and traditional Indian curry prepared using mixed vegetables and aromatic spices. Kurma can be served as an accompaniment with naan, South Indian dosa, poori, roti, chapati, or flavored rice for a complete meal.
Check out this recipe.
Best Matar Paneer Recipe (Mutter Paneer) | Indian Vegetarian Paneer and Green Peas Curry.

Matar Paneer or Matar Mushroom

Matar Paneer (Mutter Paneer) is a popular & delicious, creamy & flavorful vegetarian North Indian Punjabi dish where paneer and green peas are cooked in an onion-tomato gravy. Serve this restaurant-style paneer matar masala with any Indian bread like Tawa naan, homemade roti, soft chapati, or rice items such as steamed rice, jeera rice, or ghee rice. 
Check out this recipe.
Mushroom Butter Masala, mushroom recipes, Indian dishes

Mushroom Butter Masala

Mushroom Butter Masala is a rich and creamy, delicious Indian dish full of flavors that perfectly accompanies steamed rice or bread varieties like naan, roti, pita bread or even dosas. This gravy can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
 
Check out this recipe.
dal makhani, how to make dal makhani, Indian lentil curry, creamy buttery dal recipe #dal #lentils

Easy Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is a popular classic recipe from Indian cuisine prepared using black urad dal (black lentils), rajma (kidney beans), and some aromatic spices.
Dal Makhani can be served with Indian bread like naan, roti, chapatis, and ghee rice or brown butter rice.
Check out this recipe.
Healthy and easy cauliflower lentil curry (dal) in a white serving bowl.

Cauliflower Dal

Lentil Cauliflower Curry or Cauliflower Dal is a healthy, nutritious, delicious dish prepared using simple ingredients from your kitchen in less than 30 minutes. Cauliflower dal is a perfect recipe for a busy weeknight meal that can be served with steamed rice, any variety of flatbreads, or cooked quinoa.
Check out this recipe.

Quick Dinner Recipes

If you are looking for a quick and easy one-pot meal on the stovetop, pressure cooker, or instant pot, then make protein-packed chana pulao, south Indian coconut rice, or biryani with vegetables of your choice, or make a ragi roti which is also good for your weight loss and diabetic diet or some simple raita using yogurt and okra (bhindi) or aloo.

Some other quick recipes for dinner include onion tomato dal, tadka dal, ginger dal, garlic dal, or dal fry.

hana pulao, one pot chickpea rice pilaf, chana biryani, chole pulav, vegetarian lunch box recipe

One Pot Chana Pulao

Chana Pulao is a one-pot, aromatic, and flavor-packed rice recipe prepared using chickpeas (garbanzo), long-grain rice like basmati, fresh herbs, and a few spices.
Check out this recipe.
Best Indian coconut rice (thengai sadam) with basmati rice, tempering and coconut flakes.

Coconut Rice

Coconut rice is a healthy, easy-to-make, flavorful rice dish prepared using grated coconut, aromatic spices, and rice. This coconut rice recipe is vegan, and dairy-free. If you have leftover rice, you can make this rice recipe in less than 10 minutes.
Check out this recipe.
dahi bhindi, okra with yogurt, bendekayi benda gojju #ladiesfinger #ladyfinger #okra #bhindirecipe

Dahi Bhindi (Raita with Okra)

Dahi Bhindi is a quick, easy-to-make, healthy recipe prepared using okra or lady’s finger, thick yogurt or curds, and simple tempering.
Check out this recipe.
Indian ragi roti (millet bread, nachni roti) served with spicy green and red chutney.

Weight loss Ragi Roti

Ragi Roti or Nachni Roti is a healthy, nutritious, gluten-free alternative to the traditional roti prepared using ragi flour or finger millet flour. I have shared 3 simple ways in which you can make a ragi roti recipe at home. Serve ragi roti with spicy Indian chutney, dal, or any Indian curry or simply with some butter or ghee.
Check out this recipe.

Konkani Recipes

Never forget your roots! Konkani recipes mainly include coconut and basic Indian spices, and they are always super easy to make. We make this on a daily basis. Some of the popular ones are chane gashi, tori gashi, patrode, patoli, dalitoy (karkala style), mooga gashi (moong curry), sarupkari (bean soup), human or hinga udda with potatoes.

Konkani Chane Gashi | Chana Kadgi Ghashi | Mangalore Udupi style Chickpeas Curry #gashi #gassi #gsb

Chane Gashi

Chane Gashi is a popular no onion, no garlic recipe from Konkani cuisine prepared using chickpeas along with either raw jackfruit (kadgi) or potatoes (aloo) or yam (suvarnagedde) in a thick coconut spiced sauce.
Check out this recipe.
sarupkari, best healthy bean soup recipe #Pressurecooker #instantpot #konkanirecipes #driedbeans

Easy Sarupkari

Sarupkari is the best and easy-to-make healthy bean soup recipe prepared using any beans of your choice, tempered with garlic and chilies. This recipe can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
Check out this recipe.
Making of pigeon peas curry at home #konkanirecipes #torigashi

Tempel Style Tori Gashi

Tori Gashi is a very healthy protein-packed vegetarian side dish from India prepared using whole pigeon peas.
Check out this recipe.
Pepper dal, holding laddle full of konkani style dalitoy.

Dalitoy (Pepper Dal)

Pepper Dal, also known as Karkala temple-style dalithoy, dali tove, meere dali, daali toy, thoy, thove, konkani style dal, is easy to make dal recipe using toor dal (lentil). Pepper Dal can be served with steamed rice or with Indian breakfast items like idli, dosa, shevige, etc.
Check out this recipe.
Bibbo Batate Hinga Udda Batato bibbe humman popular konkani recipes, no onion garlic fasting food

Hinga Udda (Humman)

Bibbo Batate Hinga Udda (Batato bibbe humman) is an aromatic and delicious, traditional recipe from Konkani cuisine prepared by cooking potatoes and tender cashew nuts in coconut gravy.
Check out this recipe.

FAQs

Which Indian food is best for dinner?

The best food for dinner will vary based on personal preferences and dietary restrictions. Some of the best Indian recipes that can be served for dinner are rice-based dishes like biryani, pulao, and curry with vegetables of your choice served with Indian roti or steamed rice, chole, and paneer-based dishes.

What are the top 10 Indian dishes?

Biryani, palak paneer, chole or chana masala, crispy samosa, tandoori chicken, gulab jamun or simple barfi, idli, masala dosa, dal, naan, or roti.

What do vegetarians eat for dinner in India?

Paneer butter masala, korma, chana masala, aloo gobi with any Indian bread like roti, chapati, or steamed rice, rice-based dishes like biryani, pulao or simples teamed rice with sambar, and stir fry.

What is a desi dinner?

A desi dinner refers to an Indian meal that is traditionally home-cooked that includes roti or chapati, rice, dal, sabzi, raita, pickle, papad, salad, and dessert.

What is a normal Indian meal?

A normal South Indian meal consists of steamed rice, rasam or sambar, stir fry, pickle, papad, and a payasam.
North Indian meal consists of chapati, sabzi, dal, chawal, raita, and a dessert.

More Indian Breakfast Recipes that can be served for dinner

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Recipe card

best, healthy vegetarian Indian dinner recipes (Easy Dinner Ideas).

Vegetarian Indian Dinner Recipes | Simple Dinner Ideas

Kushi
This post is all about the list of some of the best, quick, and easy Indian dinner recipes for the family. Some of the simple vegetarian and vegan dinner ideas for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. The collection includes the best Indian curry, gravy, stir fry, and rice recipes that will be loved by your family. Sharing a simple recipe for Aloo Gobi.
5 from 64 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2
Calories 458 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for Aloo Gobi - Simple Dinner Recipe

  • 2 Potatoes or Aloo, medium cubed
  • 1 Cauliflower or Gobi, medium-sized cut into florets
  • 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon Oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 inch Ginger, grated
  • 2 Green chilies, slit
  • 2 Tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon Dry mango powder or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon Red chile powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Cilantro or Coriander leaves chopped for garnish (more the better)

Instructions
 

How to make the best Indian Aloo Gobi for dinner?

  • Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a pan. Add cauliflower florets and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. To this, add the cubed potatoes, a pinch of salt and continue to saute for another 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer this to a plate.
    2 Potatoes or Aloo, medium, 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon Oil, divided, 1 Cauliflower or Gobi, medium-sized
  • To the same pan, add the remaining oil and cumin seeds and saute for few seconds.
    1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • Add onion, garlic, ginger, and green chilies and saute until onion becomes translucent.
    1 Onion, chopped, 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1 inch Ginger, grated, 2 Green chilies, slit
  • To this, add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes or until they become soft.
    2 Tomatoes, chopped
  • Add turmeric powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder, red chile powder, and garam masala powder with a pinch of salt and a splash of water, and cook this for 2 minutes.
    ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon Dry mango powder, 1 teaspoon Coriander powder, ½ teaspoon Red chile powder, ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder, Salt to taste
  • Add the potatoes and cauliflower and toss until the mixture is coated.
  • Cover and let this cook on medium-low flame for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not overcooked.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with Indian roti, chapati or steamed rice for a quick and easy dinner.
    Cilantro or Coriander leaves chopped for garnish

Notes

  • Adjust the seasonings to your taste. 
  • You can sprinkle some water while cooking to prevent aloo gobi from drying out.  
  • Let us know your favorite Indian dinner recipe from our list. 

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 15gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gSodium: 1430mgPotassium: 2680mgFiber: 16gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 645IUVitamin C: 200mgCalcium: 259mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Michelle

    Thank you so much for sharing these! As a vegetarian, I'm aways looking for delicious new recipes to try. I love anything with paneer, so I'll start there. 🙂

    Reply

  2. barbie ritzman

    5 stars
    Looks delicious! I'm always on the lookout for new Indian recipes to try. Bookmarked for sure! I so love Indian food, most of what I have tried doesn't have meat in it.

    Reply

  3. pedja

    5 stars
    The Vegetable Biryani looks incredible, and combined with the fantastic compilation of organized vegetarian Indian recipes, it's clear these delicious ideas will add the perfect spice to any weekly meal plan—can't wait to try them all!

    Reply

  4. Carol Colborn

    5 stars
    What fascinating plant-based Indian recipes! Healthy!

    Reply

  5. Clarice

    This is such a helpful post. I have been meaning to try some Konkani cuisine and would love to start with Hinga Udda. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
5 from 64 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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