Indian vegetarian recipes

Vegetarian Indian recipes

Vegan biryani

Maunika Gowardhan's classic dish hailing from the southern part of India with influences from the Mughals, this vegetarian staple is indulgent, hearty and full of flavour.

Aloo tikki chaat

If you’re craving Indian flavours but fancy a snacky, nibbly dinner, check out this easy Dishoom-inspired dish made of spiced potato patties and crispy chickpeas.

Maharashtrian amti dahl

olive’s Indian cooking expert, Maunika Gowardhan, shares her recipe for a classic sweet and sour plant-based dahl from Maharashtra in Western India.

Dum aloo (potatoes in a thick nut gravy)

A version of this dish is cooked in almost every traditional Indian household – this particular recipe with new potatoes comes from Asma Khan, chef-patron of Darjeeling Express. Serve with fried bread such as puris.

Shahi paneer

Here, Indian cheese stars in a rich and creamy cashew and tomato curry. This vibrant Indian-style dish is an easy veggie curry recipe that's also gluten-free. We have lot's more great paneer recipes over here.

Saag Aloo

It’s not an Indian feast until you make a saag aloo. Combining potatoes with vibrant spices, this dish always goes down a treat thanks to its dose of comfort. It’s gluten-free, too.

Vegetarian brinjal pickle

Try this classic Indian condiment made with aubergine and packed with plenty of spice. A slight sweet hit makes it a great addition to any curry.

Chana masala

Packed with plenty of spice, this plant-based chickpea curry has less than 200 calories. Eat it with roti for a more filling meal that the whole family will love.

Mutter paneer

Mutter paneer is a traditional meat-free north Indian curry. The texture of fresh peas stands up well against the paneer, but frozen is fine too. This version can be ready in just 30 minutes. It's easy to make your own paneer – here's how to do it.

Spring onion bhajis with mint and coriander chutney

Homemade mint and coriander chutney is the perfect condiment to eat with these crispy spring onion bhajis. Serve as a starter, snack or side at an Indian-themed dinner.

Sweet potato tikki

Traditionally cooked in Indian households as a snack, these potato cakes are packed with warming spice and served with a fresh, crunchy kachumber salad. This recipe uses sweet potato to keep them lighter.

Black dahl with paneer-stuffed naan

Lashings of butter and cream give this dahl the X-factor. The beans need time to soak, but once it’s in the oven it looks after itself.

Vegan aubergine dhansak curry

Cook aubergine pieces with fragrant spices and red lentils for a hearty yet healthy plant-based curry.

Bombay samosas

Check out our Bombay-style samosas. We cook the veg in water rather than frying them to make a lighter version of the classic samosa, ideal for healthy dinner party snacks.

Indian sweetcorn and spinach shorba

A Mughlai addition to Indian cuisine, this healthy but hearty soup is a classic in most homes and restaurants across the country.

Malai broccoli

This recipe from London's Soho restaurant Gunpowder sees vibrant veggies served with a creamy makhana sauce.

Chickpea dahl with naans

Make a batch of this vegetarian chickpea and red lentil dahl with naans and freeze for later. There are also instructions on how to make it in a slow cooker.

Cauliflower pakoras with pomegranate raita

Almost any vegetable can be used to make pakora, or even paneer, but we love this version with cauliflower. Find gram (chickpea) flour in Indian grocers and larger health food shops.

Air-fryer onion bhajis

There’s no need to spend time deep-frying these bhajis when you can cook them in the air-fryer in just 15 minutes.