24 Vegetarian Indian Recipes

By Hayley Sugg
January 02, 2020
Credit: Chef'd

With dishes that often revolve around legumes, vegetables, and grains, Indian cuisine makes it easy (and delicious) to eat vegetarian. In this collection, many dishes, such as aloo gobi or dal, are already veggie-friendly, while you can also find vegetarian makeovers of meat-based dishes like tofu vindaloo. Make a few recipes, pair them with a side of flatbreads, and you'll be ready for an Indian feast. For more great recipes to satisfy your plant-based diet, check out our complete collection of Indian Recipes.

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Indian Style Basmati Rice

Credit: Hungrymom13
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Add a burst of flavor to your plate by substituting this spiced rice for the plain steamed variety. "I love this rice!" says user heathery, "I am awful at cooking rice, and it usually ends up gummy and sticky, but this recipe produced rice like I'd buy in an Indian restaurant."

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Indian Chole Aloo Tikki

Credit: Allrecipes
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These perfectly crispy potato patties might have a long ingredients list, but that's just because of the spices needed to give the dish a distinct flavor. This recipe works as both a main dish or appetizer.

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Alicia's Aloo Gobi

Credit: Angela Brown Kehrer
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Coconut milk adds a creamy twist to this traditionally dry curry of cauliflower and potatoes. Adjust the cayenne to taste if you're not a huge fan of heat.

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Indian Dahl with Spinach

Credit: Tina from Sweden
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Spinach gives this dahl a deep green color. Want to cut down on the cooking time? Use split red lentils instead.

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Veg Biryani

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Veggies and fluffy basmati rice cook up together in this flavorful grain dish that can be a main dish or side. Find the fresh or frozen curry leaves used in this recipe at your local Indian grocery store. 

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Indian Curry Potato Fries

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Great for an appetizer, side dish, or even a crispy snack, these Indian-inspired potatoes pair perfectly with tamarind chutney for dipping. 

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Indian Naan

Credit: Gombeto
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Naan, a leavened flatbread, makes a great addition to any Indian meal. "This is the best make-at-home Naan recipe I've found (and I've been looking a long time)." says user KirbyF. 

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Vegetarian Korma

Credit: Daniel Snoozy
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This curry is a world of flavors and textures thanks to a variety of ingredients, including potatoes, cashews, peas, and peppers. Recipe reviewer cwprice says, "A great korma. Just as good as our favorite Indian restaurant makes, and not as heavy." 

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Indian Stuffed Eggplant

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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"This dish is a sure show stopper," says Shana McCoy. "Similar to potato boats, only spicy instead of cheesy. This dish is totally vegetarian and can be vegan just be substituting veggie oil for the ghee. If you want it mild, don't add the curry or vindaloo spices. Fantastic with chicken tikka masala and tabouleh!" Many reviewers have had success baking the eggplants instead of frying. 

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Indian Tomato Rice

Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Swap your plain steamed rice for this flavorful variety instead. Fresh tomatoes and ginger add some zip, while turmeric makes the rice a deep golden color.

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Green Chutney

Credit: Marigat
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Don't forget a serving of chutney to complete your Indian meal. This recipe relies on cilantro as the base and simply requires a quick blend in the food processor.

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Dal Makhani (Indian Lentils)

Credit: tox
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Thick and hearty, dal is a dish of split pulses (often lentils) that are cooked down until tender. "Love this recipe." says Michelle Annese, "The whole family loves it also and requests it often."

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Indian Eggplant - Bhurtha

Credit: Juliette VDH
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Eggplant is broiled until tender, then simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce in this Northern Indian dish. "SUPER easy recipe." says user Sharon, "We had an Indian night and this by far was our favorite dish."

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Spicy Vegan Potato Curry

Credit: -JC-
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A creamy curried sauce is the base for this potato, tomato, and chickpea dish. Some reviewers have reported success mixing in extra veggies, such as cauliflower, for a variety of flavor and texture.

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Red Lentil Curry

Credit: Lea Eats
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Red lentils practically fall apart when cooked to create a rich and thick curry that's perfect for spooning over rice or scooping up with flatbreads.

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Authentic Saag Paneer

Credit: Michele Blau
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Paneer, a firm Indian cheese, is fried in this recipe before being mixed into a creamy spinach curry. "This turned out great!" says user Shelly Davis. "Easily as good as what I've had in many restaurants."

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Indian Chickpeas

Credit: MsDowser
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It doesn't get much easier than this chickpea curry thanks to the use of store-bought chana masala mix, which can easily be found in Indian grocery stores. 

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Tomato Cucumber Kachumbar

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If you're serving a particularly spicy or rich main dish, kachumbar (also known as kachumber) is a great salad to offer a lighter counterpart to the meal. 

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Black Chana with Potato

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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Available at your local Indian grocery store, black chickpeas (also known as kala chana or bengal gram) have a darker color and firmer texture than traditional chickpeas. Pairing them with potatoes makes for a great combination of flavors and textures.

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Vegan Indian Curry with Cauliflower and Lentils

Credit: AllrecipesPhoto
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Mix-and-match what vegetables you have on hand for this easy curry dish. The creamy (but dairy-free) sauce is created by pairing red lentils and coconut milk. 

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Spicy Indian Dahl

Credit: Allrecipes Magazine
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Spice up dinner with this curried lentil dish that relies on jalapeños for a boost of heat. "Very easy to cook and a great complement to the spicy foods associated with Indian cooking." says reviewer eayers. 

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Egg Curry

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An easy way to use up leftover boiled eggs, this curry becomes an appealing golden color due to the addition of turmeric.

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Tofu Vindaloo

Credit: Chef'd
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Tofu is subbed for meat in this traditionally spicy meal. "We have had this dish several times in the last few weeks." says reviewer vivajeffvegas, "Prep is actually very easy and the end result is a very good combination of ingredients texture and spice."

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Indian-Inspired Lentil Stew

Credit: Tammy Lynn
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This hearty Indian-inspired lentil stew is perfect for a chilly night. "The flavors of curry and cumin make this a very tantalizing dish and fill the kitchen with a very aromatic fragrance," says fioremarie. "This dish is easy to prepare and very yum! I like to serve this over steamed brown rice and with naan."

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State of Home Cooking: Appetite for Adventure and Cultural Heritage

We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. Appetite for Adventure and Cultural Heritage is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

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By Hayley Sugg