Indian Vegetarian Main Dish Recipes

Chock full of flavor, these meatless meals leave nothing behind. Dahl, paneer, eggplant, and more!

Staff Picks

Aloo Gobi Masala (Cauliflower and Potato Curry)

Rating: Unrated
50
Traditional Indian cauliflower and potato curry recipe from my mom. We used to eat this all the time growing up. My sister likes it with peas too.
By vburrito
Sponsored By Allrecipes Magazine

Batata Nu Shak (Potato Curry)

Rating: Unrated
10
I learnt this dish from a friend of mine who doesn't like vegetables, but loves potatoes. She learned this recipe from her Gujarati mother in law. This spicy curry goes very well with fresh phulkas or rotis. It also tastes great with plain cooked rice.
By SUSMITA

Vegetable Biryani (Tehri)

Rating: Unrated
5
Tehri was originally concocted by kings in northern India as a vegetarian equivalent to the Mughals' mutton or chicken biryani. This modern-day version has deliciously soft sweet vegetables and flavorful long-grain rice. Serve with chilled yogurt and spicy curry on the side.
By thesiamesecat

Spicy Lentil Quinoa Curry

Rating: Unrated
11
Lots of flavor packed in this Indian-spiced curry! This recipe is very adaptable and can be made to fit your preferences. You can also change up the veggies you use, alter the amount of spice, etc.
By Alisan

Black Chana with Potato

Rating: Unrated
2
Classic Indian Kala Chana recipe. A bit tart, but very wholesome. Great source of protein for a vegans. Can be served with either chapati/roti or basmati rice.
By hgadhia

Vegan Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

Rating: Unrated
29
Yummy vegan curry dish. Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.
By Sherri Zeringue D'Argenio

Cabbage Koora

Rating: Unrated
4
This a very simple yet delicious Andhra recipe for cabbage koora (sabji). I like it so much that sometimes I eat it all by itself, like a salad with some yoghurt on the side. The spice here comes from the green chilis. Serve with rice.
By SUSMITA

Spicy Indian Dahl

Rating: Unrated
93
A spicy Indian lentil soup that can be enjoyed with rice or Naan, the Indian bread. A very healthy dish.
By Rachel
Sponsored By Allrecipes Magazine

Red Lentil Curry

Rating: Unrated
978
This is a rich and hearty lentil curry, great as a main meal rather than as a side dish like the more traditional Indian dhal. Don't let the ingredient list faze you, this really is an easy dish to make. This dish is great served with basmati rice.
By Emma Maher
Sponsored By Allrecipes Magazine

Authentic Saag Paneer

Rating: Unrated
94
Saag paneer is a classic Indian dish of cooked spinach studded with cubes of fried paneer cheese. Thickened with cream or coconut milk, it's a hearty and filling vegetarian meal.
By Allrecipes

Chana Masala (Savory Indian Chick Peas)

Rating: Unrated
146
Indian food is not just curried sauces. It's not too exotic either. Unless 'exotic' is code for 'yummy and full of flavor.' This dish features a healthy mixture of chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, and spices. Both carnivores and vegetarians will enjoy this meal. My kids love it. Leave out the green chile if the kiddies will be eating. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice and enjoy. Namaste y'all!
By latinmama

Spicy Vegan Potato Curry

Rating: Unrated
819
Abundant spices make this better than any restaurant curry I've tasted. :)
By MeganLee

Inspiration and Ideas

Absolutely Perfect Palak Paneer

Absolutely Perfect Palak Paneer

Craving palak paneer? Ricotta works in a pinch as a substitute for paneer in this recipe.
Delightful Indian Slow Cooker Curry

Delightful Indian Slow Cooker Curry

This curry is so easy and adaptable, you can make it any night of the week.
Vegetarian Korma

Vegetarian Korma

Vegan Indian Curry with Cauliflower

Vegan Indian Curry with Cauliflower

24 Vegetarian Indian Recipes

24 Vegetarian Indian Recipes

Quorn™ and Chickpea Curry

Quorn™ and Chickpea Curry

Rating: Unrated
15

Pav Bhaji

Rating: Unrated
20

This is a very popular recipe in India, liked by almost everyone. You may have to go to a nearby Asian Indian store to get the 'Pav Bhaji Masala' that is the special spice to bring the flavor (Masala means spice). Pav is actually the buns. Bhaji is the vegetables cooked with spice.

More Indian Vegetarian Main Dish Recipes

Chickpea Curry

Rating: Unrated
526
We usually recommend preparing the beans at home, but using canned chickpeas allows for a fast, convenient dish.
By AMINAH A. RAHMAN

Easy Palak Paneer

Rating: Unrated
32
A delicious Indian dish, good on its own or served with rice or naan bread. Substitute tofu for paneer to make it vegan.
By Melanie Lacaille

Indian Eggplant - Bhurtha

Rating: Unrated
218
This is a traditional North Indian (Punjabi) Bhurtha made with eggplant and tomato, and seasoned with cumin, turmeric garlic and ginger. Serve with fresh roti or naan.
By Simmi G

Aloo Matar

Rating: Unrated
107
Here is a delightful dish - potatoes and peas in a tomato puree sauce. It's pretty easy to rustle up, and adds zing to any meal. The best thing is that all of the ingredients are readily available. Serve hot with naan, puris, rotis, or plain rice.
By Vaijayanti Tamhankar

Gujarati Kadhi

Rating: Unrated
4
I love gujarati style kadhi. It is more watery than Punjabi kadhi and I particularly like the sweet-sourness that is typical of gujarati cooking. This kadhi is great to eat with plain rice or khichdi.
By SUSMITA

Indian Dahl with Spinach

Rating: Unrated
178
This is a very yummy, authentic dal. For variation, add coconut milk towards the end of cooking. Freezes well.
By Gillian Stevens

Moong Dal

Rating: Unrated
63
I actually learned this in the kitchen of this lovely Indian woman! Serve hot in soup bowls, or over rice.
By Pyromommy

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Rating: Unrated
336
This is a really easy and tasty Indian dish that is sure to stir up your taste buds. Delicious baingan bharta is ready to eat with pita bread, Indian naan, or rice.
By Yakuta Rasheed
Sponsored By Allrecipes Magazine

Aloo Gobi

Rating: Unrated
46
Traditional Indian dish made of spiced cauliflower and potatoes. This dish is steamed and then fried in oil making it intentionally dry and somewhat crispy. WARNING: This dish is extremely spicy, which is the way I like it. However, if you don't like your food that spicy, feel free to cut down on the serrano pepper and/or cayenne pepper. Also, I would recommend serving this with a side of raita or plain yogurt to cool the mouth down after eating.
By LUNACITY

Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)

Rating: Unrated
41
Rajma is comfort food at its best. I like rajma best with simple jeera (cumin) rice. Of course, some roti would be great too. When I was in college, I ate rajma at least once a week. Cheap, nutritious, and comforting. What is not to like?
By SUSMITA

Vegetable Masala

Rating: Unrated
65
Masala means a spicy mixture. Vegetable masala is a mixture of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas and beans cooked with onions & tomatoes adding spices like garam masala powder, ginger and garlic powder.
By Laxmi Laxman

Paneer Butter Masala

Rating: Unrated
19
This is a basic paneer dish that you get in most Indian restaurants. This goes well with either rice or naan.
By International Recipes
Sponsored By International Recipes

Palak Paneer (Spinach Curry)

Rating: Unrated
6
Given to me by a co-worker from Bangalore, this is a southern Indian recipe for palak paneer. It was easy to make and very delicious!
By International Recipes
Sponsored By International Recipes

Navratan Korma

Rating: Unrated
99
This is an Indian vegetable korma with nuts, paneer cheese, and an adjustable list of vegetables. It is in a tomato-cream sauce as opposed to the usual yogurt based sauce. 'Navratan' means 'nine gems,' so choose nine of the vegetable, nuts, and paneer ingredients; you can leave out the elements you don't want to use, or add them all so it is 'ten gems' if you wish.
By LUNACITY

Bell Pepper, Tomato, and Potato Indian Curry

Rating: Unrated
1
This is an authentic, vegetarian, simple, and colorful main dish served with fluffy basmati rice or chapatis. I'm from India and I completely adore Indian cooking; I hope you like this recipe. A word of caution: it could be a little too hot for some folks...feel free to reduce or even skip the hot ingredients! Enjoy!
By Arpita

Cauliflower and Potato Stir-Fry - East Indian Recipe

Rating: Unrated
7
This is a quick and delicious recipe that goes well with white rice by itself, or with white rice and lentils. Its filling and doesn't require too much salt or oil. A drier version can be eaten with flat bread, naan, or pita. Reduce chili powder for a kid-friendly meal. Fast-cooking vegetables such as beans, peas and corn can be added for extra crunch and color. You can use white onion instead of the more pungent red if you prefer. If you find the vegetables catching bottom without being fully cooked, add half a cup of water and replace lid. Once cooked, remove lid and cook on very low till the water evaporates.
By sugarFiend

Channa Masala (Chickpea Curry)

Rating: Unrated
51
Fantastic Indian vegetarian curry recipe that I got from my mom. This is great with Indian bread (parathas, naan) or with rice. This is my husband's favorite!
By vburrito

Indian Vegetable Rice

Rating: Unrated
50
A lovely vegetable recipe full of flavor which can be eaten by itself. Delicious if eaten with plain yogurt. Create your own variation with different vegetables and spices.
By Neena

Spinach and Tomato Dal (Indian Lentil Soup)

Rating: Unrated
19
This is a basic dal (Indian lentil soup) recipe that my mom always makes. You can substitute different vegetables and greens and follow similar procedure. This is a hearty and healthy dish that leaves you satisfied without overfilling you. You can substitute spinach for other dark greens like mustard greens, kale, or swiss chard. The cook time will vary. Serve with steamed rice.
By lucky

Indian Chole Aloo Tikki

Rating: Unrated
28
This is a delicious vegan Indian recipe where vegetables and chickpeas are served over small potato cakes. It works well as a starter for four, or as a vegetarian and vegan main for two. Place the potato cakes on a plate, serve the chickpeas on top, and don't forget the sauces! Recipes for Indian sauces - coriander sauce and tamarind sauce - are on this site. Finally, sprinkle with some fresh coriander leaves and a few thin slices of fresh onion.
By Pankaj

Egg Curry

Rating: Unrated
10
This is a quick solution to a curry when there is no meat or fish. Best eaten hot over white rice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
By Louella

Chana Masala (Chickpeas and Tomatoes)

Rating: Unrated
26
Delicious blend of Indian spices with chickpeas and tomatoes. Serve with jasmine rice or couscous.
By Alison Bruce

Paneer Tikka Masala

Rating: Unrated
12
Paneer tikka masala. It goes well with naan or basmati rice.
By BeeSkillz

Vegetarian Chickpea Curry with Turnips

Rating: Unrated
82
This is a great recipe if you don't want to fuss around in the kitchen. I discovered it one night when I wanted something packed with flavor, but wasn't willing to slave away in the kitchen. It's a meaty dish, with a hint of curry and cumin flavor. Serve on it's own or on some basmati rice. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
By mia_bella84
Sponsored By MyPlate
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