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Find our amazing collection of Simple Indian Dinner Recipes that are made healthy, vegan or vegetarian, and egg-free and are bursting with Savory, Spicy typical Indian flavors. What is incredible about these recipes is that they are made in as much oil/ ghee as needed and yet they are full of deliciousness.
Read on to find my easy tricks to make these restaurant styled Indian dishes for dinner in low calorie.
These Simple Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes are packed with nutrition and flavor and are so easy to make. Indian cuisine is known for its rich and diverse flavors, aromatic spices, and vibrant dishes that are enjoyed by people all around the world.
Whether it's a North Indian Dal Makhani, Aloo Gobi, Malai Kofta or South Indian Uttapam, Curd Rice, lemon rice, or Masala Dosa, Mumbai Pav Bhaji or a main dish or paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) snack, a quick curry or vegetable Biryani, these Popular and traditional Indian Dinner Recipes are hearty and vegetarian and help you make a complete meal in a jiffy.
While I love food served at Indian Restaurants, I prefer making healthy Indian meals at home with the same restaurant touch minus the loaded oils or creams using my simple recipe. The reason is that restaurant food is not made fresh and is reheated several times using the same gravy by adding more cream and butter, every time they reheat. This collection of Easy Indian Dinner Recipes uses fresh and local ingredients. Each component of them is made from scratch and most of these recipes use Desi Ghee. Your dinner table and menu are sorted with this collection for busy weeknights!
You may also like the other collections of Healthy Recipes from my blog: Low Calorie Breakfast Ideas- Veg, Healthy Beet Recipes, Low Cal Veg Soups Without Cream, and Healthy Paneer Recipes.
Jump to:
- Why Would You Love This Collection?
- What is a Typical Indian Dinner?
- Indian Spices
- Expert Tips For Tasty Indian Vegetarian Foods
- Collection of 25+ Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
- Onion Pakora or Fritters Recipe
- Healthy Paneer Tikka Recipe
- Air Fryer Corn on The Cob In Indian Style
- Healthy Palak Paneer Recipe
- Paneer Jalfrezi
- Chole Masala Recipe
- Spinach Chana Dal Recipe
- Kala Chana Chaat Recipe
- Dry Mushroom Masala (Low Calorie) Quick Recipe
- Lentil Vegan Gluten Free Meatballs (Lentil Kofta With Gravy Recipe)
- Dal Daliya
- Aloo Methi Subji
- Raw Banana Curry | Kacche Kele Ki Subji
- Mushroom Matar Recipe
- Aloo Beans Curry | Green Beans and Potatoes
- Instant Green Split Moong Dal Uttapam
- South Indian Upma Recipe
- South Indian Lemon Rice
- Jeera Rice
- Veg Brown Rice Pulao
- Tomato Rice
- Vegetable Rice Recipe
- Ragi Roti or Paratha (Flatbread Recipe)
- Bathua Paratha
- Pumpkin Paratha
- Bathua Raita
- Beet Raita
- FAQs
Why Would You Love This Collection?
- Flavorful and amazingly delicious recipes
- Mostly made in Desi Ghee.
- Low-calorie Perfected Recipes.
- Made with simple and fresh ingredients.
- Easy, quick and Flavorful!
- Popular Indian Recipes.
- Taste like a Restaurant but are made in a much better and healthy way!
- A complete wholesome Indian meal that is nourishing for all age groups.
- Includes one-pot meals.
- Kids Friendly.
- The Best Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes!
What is a Typical Indian Dinner?
An Indian vegetarian dinner consists of a variety of dishes from lentils and curries to rice and Chapati (flatbread). It depends on which part of India we are referring to. South Indian food mostly includes rice, Idli, Dosa and Sambhar and makes use of coconut in their recipes, while North Indians prefer to have Dal (Lentils), Curry (vegetables), and Chapati or paratha.
- Main Course: Vegetarian prefer:
- Paneer Dishes: Paneer tikka masala, paneer butter masala, or matar paneer (peas and paneer curry), palak or saag paneer
- Lentil: like dal makhani or tarka dal (dal fry)
- Vegetable Curries: Chana masala (chickpea curry), bhindi masala (okra fry), or baingan bharta (roasted eggplant curry).
- Mixed Vegetable Dishes: Vegetable korma, vegetable jalfrezi, or sambar (a South Indian vegetable stew).
- Starchy Sides: To accompany the main dish, Indian vegetarian dinners often include starchy sides like:
- Rice: Steamed white rice, Veg pulao (rice cooked with vegetables and spices), or biryani (flavored rice dish).
- Bread: Roti (unleavened flatbread), naan (leavened flatbread), or paratha (stuffed flatbread).
- Accompaniments and Condiments:Indian dinners are often served with an array of accompaniments and condiments, such as:
- Raita: A yogurt-based side dish with vegetables or herbs.
- Pickle: Mango pickle, lime pickle, or mixed vegetable pickle.
- Chutney: Mint chutney, tamarind chutney, or coconut chutney.
- Papad: Thin, crispy lentil or potato crisps.
- Salad: A simple cucumber and tomato salad with a dash of lemon juice and spices is a common addition.
- Dessert: Indian desserts are known for their sweetness and variety. Some popular choices for dessert in a vegetarian Indian dinner include gulab jamun, rasgulla, or kheer (rice pudding).
- Beverages: You might also enjoy a beverage such as masala chai (spiced tea) or a refreshing glass of buttermilk.
Since I am North Indian, this collection of Indian dinner would mostly consist of the dishes inspired from North India.
Indian Spices
Indian cuisine is renowned for its use of a wide variety of spices and herbs, which contribute to the complex and flavorful nature of Indian dishes. Here are some of the most commonly used Indian spices:
- Turmeric Powder (Haldi): Known for its vibrant yellow color, turmeric is widely used in Indian cooking. It has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor and is a key ingredient in curry powders and many curry dishes.
- Cumin (Jeera): Cumin seeds or ground cumin are used to add a warm, nutty, and slightly citrusy flavor to Indian dishes. It's a fundamental spice in many Indian recipes.
- Coriander (Dhania): Coriander seeds and ground coriander have a mild, citrusy flavor. Both the seeds and fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) are used in Indian cooking.
- Cardamom (Elaichi): Cardamom pods, both green and black, are used to add a sweet, floral, and slightly spicy flavor to Indian desserts, rice dishes, and masalas.
- Cinnamon (Dalchini): Cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon provide a sweet and warm flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. It's commonly used in biryanis and rice-based dishes.
- Cloves (Laung): Cloves are intensely aromatic and have a strong, pungent flavor. They are used in spice blends and are often used to stud vegetables and meats in various dishes.
- Black Pepper (Kali Mirch): Black pepper is used for its pungent and spicy heat. It's a common seasoning for many Indian dishes.
- Chili Peppers: Various types of chili peppers are used in Indian cuisine to add heat. This includes red chili powder, green chilies, and dried red chilies.
- Mustard Seeds (Rai): Mustard seeds are used for tempering and add a nutty and slightly spicy flavor to dishes, particularly in South Indian and Bengali cuisine.
- Fenugreek (Methi): Fenugreek seeds and leaves are used for their slightly bitter taste and are a key component in many spice blends and curry dishes.
- Asafoetida (Hing): Asafoetida is a pungent-smelling resin that is used in tiny quantities to enhance the flavor of Indian dishes, particularly in lentil and vegetable preparations.
- Curry Leaves: Curry leaves are used for their unique, aromatic flavor. They are commonly used in South Indian cooking, especially in tempering.
- Nutmeg and Mace: Nutmeg and mace are used for their sweet and nutty flavor and are often added to sweet dishes and spice blends.
- Saffron (Kesar): Saffron threads are used to impart a golden color and a delicate floral flavor to dishes like biryanis and desserts.
- Bayleaf(Tej Patta)- are used to add a subtle, earthy flavor to various Indian dishes, particularly in rice dishes, stews, and meat curries. They are often added during the cooking process and then removed before serving, as they can be quite tough and are not typically consumed.
- Garam Masala: Garam masala is a blend of various spices, often including cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and more. It's added towards the end of cooking to enhance flavor.
Pls don't be overwhelmed by this huge list of spices. It's not necessary to include all spices in one dish on a daily basis. We make use of the whole spices when the paneer or special curry dishes are made for guests. For a regular dinner at home, you might need a few spices only.
Expert Tips For Tasty Indian Vegetarian Foods
- Preference to use Ghee over butter in small quantities for all gravy-based recipes like Lentils, Paneer dishes, and Legumes.
- Avoid mixing any fats like ghee with butter or oil with ghee for a healthy meal.
- When Onions are sauteed in ghee, add spices before adding tomatoes. Onions would leave ghee after browning, separate onions from the sides in a wok and on slow flame add spices.
- When making dry vegetables, add spices before adding vegetables in just warm oil (not hot as the spices might burn).
- I use GM Foods brand spices for Chole, Pao Bhaji, and paneer dishes, and in my experience, it gives the best restaurant style taste without making the food too spicy.
- Keep a small bowl filled with water over the wok lid to avoid the burning of vegetables. This helps you cook in steam and you don't have to add any extra oil for sauteing.
Collection of 25+ Indian Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
Indian Starters
Onion Pakora or Fritters Recipe
Onion Pakora Recipe - Crispy Indian Onion Fritters
These deep fried Onion Pakora or Onion Bhaji are one of the popular Indian tea-time snacks that go well with homemade Green Chutney! Light and crisp, each bite of these incredibly delicious onion pakoda is indulging.
Check out this recipe
Click here for Onion Fritters Recipe
Healthy Paneer Tikka Recipe
Healthy Paneer Tikka Recipe {Easy Indian Starter}
Healthy Paneer Tikka is an Indian Starter made using curd marinated Paneer cubes flavored with crispy onions, tomatoes, capsicum and spices. Who would not wish to have tasty food that is a low-fat high protein homemade snack?
Check out this recipe
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Air Fryer Corn on The Cob In Indian Style
Air Fryer Corn On the Cob In Indian Style {Vegan, Healthy, Low Calorie}
This easy Air fryer Corn on the Cob, roasted to perfection, crispy from out and tender within, made in Indian Style, is an incredibly delicious appetizer. Made spicy with red chili, tangy with fresh lemon juice, this air fryer grilled corn cob gathers quickly and is a crowd pleaser!
Check out this recipe
Click here for Air fryer Corn On the Cob Indian
Indian Gravy, Curry, Lentil Recipes
Healthy Palak Paneer Recipe
Easy & Healthy Palak Paneer Recipe Without Cream| Paneer in Spinach Gravy
This Healthy Palak Paneer Recipe is gentle twist to traditional palak paneer and is made using fresh spinach or palak leaves (boiled and blended in a paste) with paneer added to this palak gravy, all without adding any cream. It is one of the most popular main courses of Indian cuisine made in winter. Winters are absolutely dull without green leafy vegetables like methi, palak, saag, and bathua.
Check out this recipe
Click here For Healthy Palak Paneer Recipe
Paneer Jalfrezi
Best Paneer Jalfrezi Recipe (Easy Restaurant Style Recipe)
Paneer Jalfrezi is a healthy recipe of paneer blended with vegetables like peppers, pumpkin, carrots and broccoli by simmering them in onion and tomato gravy. A homemade paneer recipe that resembles the restaurant styled one.
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Chole Masala Recipe
Punjabi Chana Masala Recipe | Indian Chickpea Curry | Healthy Chole Curry Masala
Made in spicy onion tomato gravy and flavored with Indian spices, this Punjabi Chana Masala Recipe is heavenly and perfect for a weeknight healthy meal! This traditional Indian Chana Masala made with chickpea is one of the popular companion of street food- Chole Bhature.
Check out this recipe
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Spinach Chana Dal Recipe
Chana Dal Palak | Spinach Dal Easy Recipe
Chana Dal Palak is a traditional winter recipe for Indians. This Spinach Dal is a great way of having lentils in your meal. I have used fresh spinach leaves along with Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas Lentils). I also love Moong Dal Palak and the same recipe can be used with Moong Dal. Flavorful, mildly spicy, and fragrant, palak dal curry is super hit in the family and the best thing is that it can easily be made in a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.
Check out this recipe
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Kala Chana Chaat Recipe
Kala Chana Chaat Recipe - Black Chickpea Salad
This Kala Chana Chaat, a popular Indian Chana Chaat made with Black Chickpea is a healthy appetizer rich in savory flavors of onion, tomato, spices and lemon juice. This Black Chickpea Salad recipe gathers in no time and is a high protein salad fused with tangy and spicy flavors and can be had as a light breakfast or an evening meal.
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Dry Mushroom Masala (Low Calorie) Quick Recipe
Easy Mushroom Masala Recipe {Vegan & GF StoveTop Indian}
This one-pot Easy Mushroom Masala Recipe is vegan low calorie recipe of mushroom curry and is bursting with the flavors of Indian spices and can you believe all that gathers in less than 15 minutes?
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Click here For Dry Mushroom Masala (Low Calorie) Recipe
Lentil Vegan Gluten Free Meatballs (Lentil Kofta With Gravy Recipe)
Easy Lentil Vegan Gluten Free Meatballs (Protein Rich With Gravy Recipe)
These Vegan Gluten free Meatballs, deep fried slowly over the stove top are tender, juicy and bursting with spicy and savory flavors! Made from gram flour, lentils, soya granules and green chilies, these succulent Protein Vegan Meatballs are amazingly delicious and a perfect swap for the classical meatballs!
Check out this recipe
Click Here For Vegan Gluten Free Meatballs Recipe With Gravy
Dal Daliya
Dal Daliya Recipe (Broken Wheat Green Split Moong Dal Dalia)
This Dal Daliya is my family recipe and is a total comfort meal that gathers quickly and is perfect for all age groups. Made in Desi Ghee, this savory and simple recipe of Green Moong Dal Daliya is a versatile and nutritious dish that can be served as a lunch or dinner
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Aloo Methi Subji
Aloo Methi Subji: A healthy Recipe
Aloo methi subji is made using aloo (potatoes) and methi leaves (also called fenugreek). An amazing observation made here is that the time to sort leaves is much more than cooking it and getting done with it.
Check out this recipe
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Raw Banana Curry | Kacche Kele Ki Subji
Kacche Kele ki Subji | Raw Banana Subji
Kacche Kele Ki Subji/ Raw Banana Subji is a popular south Indian poriyal dishes. Its a simple recipe and one can always adjust the ingredients and spices as per the taste and availability.
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Mushroom Matar Recipe
Matar Mushroom Recipe { Vegan & Low Calorie Mushroom Recipe}
Matar Mushroom recipe is a vegan recipe of matar and mushrooms made in one pot in rich tomato masala. The best thing I love about mushrooms is that they blend easily with the spices and other vegetables, yet are amazingly delicious. This recipe of mushroom matar is made as dry masala and can be easily converted to gravy dish.
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Aloo Beans Curry | Green Beans and Potatoes
Green Beans And Potatoes {Vegan Quick Recipe}
These Elegant Green Beans and Potatoes, rich in savory flavors, topped with tangy tomatoes and, made spicy with green chilies, is a perfect vegan side dish. Simmered over stove top in a wok, the potatoes and green beans cooked slowly become really flavorful and can make a hearty meal!
Check out this recipe
Click here For Aloo Beans Recipe
Instant Green Split Moong Dal Uttapam
Instant Uttapam Recipe with Green Split Lentils and Rice | healthy Gluten Free Veg recipes
Uttapam is a South-Indian delicacy which uses rice and lentils mix fermented batter used to make savory pancakes. I have twisted around it by using Moong Khichdi dal with rice to have amazing ones!!
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South Indian Upma Recipe
South Indian Upma Recipe } Healthy Tomato Upma
Try this South Indian Upma Recipe that can be quickly made and tickles your taste buds! This Healthy Upma Recipe is super easy and every bite of it is indulging and bold in savory flavors of desi ghee, Curry leaves and tomato!
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Indian Rice Recipes
South Indian Lemon Rice
Indian Lemon Rice in Desi Ghee { Gluten Free}
This Lemon Rice made in ghee is bursting with flavors of tangy lemon, earthiness of curry leaves and cumin seeds along with crunchy veggies like onion and tomato! This elegant recipe of lemon rice uses left over boiled rice and creates a much-loved Indian delicacy that can be teamed with curd or Sambhar curry!
Check out this recipe
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Jeera Rice
Jeera Rice | Cumin Rice Recipe
Jeera Rice is a popular Indian rice made in Desi Ghee and tempered with Cumin or jeera. The earthy flavor of Jeera, the aromatic bayleaf and pepper make this recipe of rice special and my daughter looks forward to having this rice at any time of the day!
This cumin rice recipe makes rice that are perfect in every sense- Separated, not soggy or overcooked, flavorful, made in pressure cooker, goes well with Curd, Lentil or any curry dish.
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Veg Brown Rice Pulao
Healthy Veg Brown Rice Pulao {Pressure Cooker + Instant Pot}
Veg Brown Rice Pulao is a simple recipe of brown Rice cooked with a variety of vegetables and is a healthy twist to classical White rice Pulao. Flavored with Indian spices and tempered in ghee, each bite of this Brown Rice Pilaf is bursting with deliciousness.
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Tomato Rice
Tomato Rice Recipe | Easy, Gluten-free Indian Recipe
Healthy Tomato Rice is a comfort easy recipe for rice lovers and if you are left with a bowl of rice, then its a super easy under 5 min recipes.
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Vegetable Rice Recipe
Vegetable Rice Recipe {uses Left-over rice}
Vegetable Rice is a delicious and versatile dish that combines the goodness of vegetables with the boiled rice. While one may use the same recipe with few added steps to make vegetable rice from scratch, this recipe uses left-over rice.
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Indian Flatbreads/ Paratha
Ragi Roti or Paratha (Flatbread Recipe)
Easy Ragi Roti Recipe (Healthy Nachni Paratha Recipe)
Ragi Roti are flat unleavened bread made using ragi flour, gram flour (Besan) and wheat flour. They are made using desi ghee and are not just healthy but delicious too.
Ragi or Finger Millet is gluten free flour and is calcium and protein rich food grain and I would call it a super Indian food. The best way to have ragi flour in your daily meals is to make chapati, parathas or poori. As ragi is healthy for kids as well, introducing new flour to them would be safe when made hot chapati using it.
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Bathua Paratha
Bathua Paratha Recipe- Indian Winter Breakfast
Bathua Paratha is one of the most popular parathas (flat-breads) of Indian cuisine. I believe we all wait for winters to show as we get amazing choices of greens to include in our daily meals.
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Pumpkin Paratha
Pumpkin Paratha | Kaddu Ka Paratha | Indian Pumpkin Flatbread Recipe
This utterly delicious and crispy Pumpkin Paratha or flatbread, made with kneading fresh dough of wheat flour, gram flour(besan), spices, grated pumpkin and green chilies is amazingly packed with bold and savory flavor! Team these Pumpkin flatbread with curd, pickle or any curry of your choice!
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Indian Curds or Yogurt Recipes
Bathua Raita
Bathua Raita | Bathua Curd Dip
This humble green Bathua Raita made with freshly sorted and boiled Bathua leaves is rich in savory flavors. Rich in Vitamin A, this Bathua ka Raita is made in winters in North India as these green leafy are for warming the body. Bathua Raita or Curd Dunked with Bathua leaves is a easy recipe to include nutritious leaves in your daily meals. Bathua is consumed during winters as it naturally keeps the body warm. In winters, I prefer consuming homemade fresh curd (not refrigerated ones).
Check out this recipe
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Beet Raita
Beetroot Raita Recipe {Indian Yogurt Beet Dip}
Try this flavorful, vibrant and refreshing Beetroot raita recipe that combines the earthy flavors of beetroot with the cooling properties of yogurt, resulting in a delightful and perfect accompaniment to any meal. This traditional Indian Beet Raita not only adds a burst of color to your plate but is a healthy side dish too!
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FAQs
What should Indian eat for dinner?
Well, Indian have preferences for dinner depending upon which part of India they belong to. North Indians have Chapati (flatbread) or paratha with dal, subji and raita while South Indians have Sambhar, Rasam, Dosa, Idli or Uttapam.
What is a desi dinner?
Desi word means belonging to your own desh (country). In Indian desi food means Roti, chawal and Dal (lentil).
Easy Chana Masala Powder
Authentic Punjabi Saag Paneer (Best Indian Palak Recipe)
Easy Chana Saag (Indian Chickpea Curry with Spinach)
Beet Carrot Ginger Juice Recipe With Juicer
Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Brown Rice Recipe- Pressure Cooker
Easy Keto Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole (Vegetarian)
More Main Course
- Authentic Punjabi Saag Paneer (Best Indian Palak Recipe)
- Easy Chana Saag (Indian Chickpea Curry with Spinach)
- Bathua Aloo Ki Sabji - Potato Bathua Saag Recipe
- Pumpkin Rice Recipe With Coconut Milk (Wok + Instant Pot)
About Deepti
Warm Welcome to my blog!
This blog is created by a former Assistant Professor, mother, and Netflix Binge watcher who is passionate about food! This blog is my collection of homemade healthy vegetarian (egg-free too) recipes that are tested and approved by my family before they are finally posted here. A variety of Indian and World recipes that are made in a simple way!
I am so glad to have you as a part of my journey in this online world.
Thanks for stopping by!
