Simple Indian Dinner Recipes (Vegetarian Easy Dinner Ideas)

​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.

1. 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).
2. 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).
3. 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.
4. Salad: A simple cucumber and tomato salad with a dash of lemon juice and spices is a common addition.
5. 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).
6. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Black Pepper (Kali Mirch): Black pepper is used for its pungent and spicy heat. It's a common seasoning for many Indian dishes.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Curry Leaves: Curry leaves are used for their unique, aromatic flavor. They are commonly used in South Indian cooking, especially in tempering.
13. Nutmeg and Mace: Nutmeg and mace are used for their sweet and nutty flavor and are often added to sweet dishes and spice blends.
14. Saffron (Kesar): Saffron threads are used to impart a golden color and a delicate floral flavor to dishes like biryanis and desserts.
15. 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.
16. 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

Healthy Paneer Tikka Recipe

Air Fryer Corn on The Cob In Indian Style

Indian Gravy, Curry, Lentil Recipes

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

Indian Rice Recipes

South Indian Lemon Rice

Jeera Rice

Veg Brown Rice Pulao

Tomato Rice

Vegetable Rice Recipe

Indian Flatbreads/ Paratha

Ragi Roti or Paratha (Flatbread Recipe)

Bathua Paratha

Pumpkin Paratha

Indian Curds or Yogurt Recipes

Bathua Raita

Beet Raita

FAQs

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