Looking for delicious and easy-to-make Indian Appetizers? Here is a collection of classic and innovative fusion vegetarian starter recipes, including samosas, tandoori, pakodas, chaats, tikkis, Indo-Chinese specialties, and dhokla, that will tantalize your taste buds!
Appetizers, also known as starters, are small meals eaten before the main course or as a light meal. They come in a range of tastes and textures, and they can be either sweet or savory.
Whether you're hosting a grand party or a simple Indian vegetarian dinner, we've got the perfect appetizers for you.
Below, you'll find a selection of easy and delicious homemade vegan and vegetarian starter ideas, from all over India, including North India, South India, and a selection of fusion recipes. From finger foods like air fryer samosa, onion pakora, tandoori items like paneer tikka to Indian chaats, and more. Additionally, we've included some popular accompaniment ideas to elevate your appetizer experience.
Read the recipes below, try them at home, transform a mundane and boring gathering or potluck into something memorable, and enjoy!
Explore our Indian party menu ideas for inspiration if you're hosting a party at home.
Vegetarian Indian Appetizers/Starters Recipes
Tandoori
Paneer Tikka - Air Fryer/ Oven/ Grill
Tandoori Paneer Tikka recipe is a Indian appetizer where paneer & vegetables are marinated in yogurt and spices and cooked in air fryer, oven.
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Air Fryer Tandoori Gobi
This Tandoori Gobi is a delicious, popular Indian style tandoori snack where Gobi (Cauliflower) florets are marinated in a spiced yogurt-based marinade, and grilled in the air fryer, oven, stove-top pan or grill.
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Air Fryer Tandoori Broccoli
Tandoori Broccoli Tikka is a fusion appetizer recipe prepared by marinating broccoli in a spiced yogurt-based marinade and grilled in an air fryer or oven.
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Tandoori Tofu Tikka - Air Fryer/ Oven/ Grill/ Tawa
Learn how to make Tandoori Tofu Tikka recipe 4 Ways ( in The Air Fryer, Oven, Grill, Tawa) with a few easy steps.
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Tandoori Aloo - Air Fryer/ Oven/ Grill
Tandoori Aloo Tikka is a delicious Indian appetizer were baby potatoes, bell peppers, and onion are marinated in a combination of yogurt and spices, threaded onto skewers, and cooked.
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Barbeque Nation Style Cajun Potatoes
Barbeque Nation Style Crispy Cajun Potatoes with spicy Cajun mayonnaise dip is a great and easy appetizer for small parties or get-togethers.
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Spicy Bombay Potatoes - Instant Pot & Stovetop
These Spicy Bombay Potatoes are crispy and delicious that are steamed in the instant pot or stovetop, then tossed in few Indian spices, and garnished with lime juice and cilantro.
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Malai Broccoli Recipe (Air Fryer & Oven)
Malai Broccoli is a flavorful and delightful appetizer where broccoli florets are coated with rich, creamy malai marinade and roasted until perfectly golden and crisp in the air fryer or oven.
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Dips
Cheesy Masala Corn Dip
This Indian-style masala corn dip is a delicious, cheesy, and crowd-pleasing appetizer - perfect for potlucks, game days, or holiday parties.
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Samosa
Air Fryer Frozen Samosa
Learn how to cook frozen samosa in the air fryer. This easy appetizer takes less than 15 minutes from the freezer to the plate, turns out delightfully crispy, and cooks to perfection.
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Dhokla
Khaman Dhokla
Khaman Dhokla recipe is a soft, fluffy, savory steamed cake made from gram flour (besan), spices made in the pressure cooker, and stovetop.
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Rava Dhokla (Sooji Dhokla)
Rava Dhokla (Suji Dhokla) is a soft, fluffy, steamed savory cake made from semolina (sooji), yogurt, spices, fruit salt like eno, and a tempering of mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, and white sesame seeds.
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Indo Chinese
Air Fryer Frozen Spring Rolls
Learn how to cook frozen spring rolls in the air fryer. This easy appetizer takes less than 15 minutes from the freezer to the plate, with a perfectly crispy texture without deep frying.
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Gobi Manchurian (Restaurant Style Cauliflower Manchurian)
Gobi Manchurian Recipe or Cauliflower Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with deep fried crispy cauliflower, tossed in a spicy tangy manchurian sauce, and served as a side dish or appetizer.
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Vegetable Hakka Noodles (Indo-Chinese)
Vegetable Hakka Noodles or Vegetable Chow Mein is a delicious Indo-Chinese noodles made by tossing boiled noodles and stir fried vegetables in Chinese sauces
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Chaats
Dahi Puri | Dahi Sev Batata Puri
Dahi Poori is a delicious and popular Indian chaat food snack with its exquisite medley of sweet, spicy, tangy, and crispy flavors. The crisp puris are generously filled with a tantalizing combination of veggies, chutneys, yogurt (curd), spices, and garnishes.
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Bhel Puri Recipe
Bhel Puri Chaat is one of the most popular chaat's made of puffed rice, vegetables, green chutney, tangy tamarind chutney, and a few spices.
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Sev Puri Recipe (Sev Batata Puri)
Sev puri is a popular Indian chaat dish made with crispy papdis (or pooris), veggies, sweet and tangy chutneys, ground spices, thin sev, and herbs.
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Avocado Papdi Chaat
This Avocado Papdi (Papri) Chaat is an Indian Mexican fusion twist to the famous Indian classic street food papdi chaat.
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Edamame Chaat (High Protein Snack)
Edamame Sweet Potato Chaat is a healthy, high-protein snack made with frozen shelled edamame beans, vegetables, and fresh herbs, all tossed in Indian spices and sweet-and-spicy chutneys.
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Kala Chana Chaat Recipe (Black Chickpea Salad)
The Kala Chana Chaat recipe is healthy, protein-packed, refreshing, and tangy, made with black chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, and a few Indian spices.
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Aloo Tikki Chaat Recipe (Indian Street Style)
Aloo Tikki Chaat is a popular Indian Street Food that features crispy aloo tikkis (Indian potato patties) topped with yogurt, green and sweet tamarind chutney, ground spices, and crunchy toppings like onions, sev, and coriander leaves.
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Mexican Style Golgappa with Fruit Pani
Mexican Style Golgappa with Fruit Pani|Pani Puri Mexican Style is a indo-mexican fusion twist on famous Indian classic street food pani puri.
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Chana Chaat Recipe (Chickpea Chaat)
Chana Chaat is a quick, healthy, and flavorful Indian chaat snack recipe made with white chickpeas (chana), veggies, spices, fresh herbs, and sweet and tangy chutneys.
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Dahi Papdi Chaat Recipe
Dahi Papdi Chaat Recipe is one of the popular chaat recipes that you can find in any corner of India.
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Phool Makhana Bhel | Makhana Chaat
Makhana Bhel is a delicious sweet, tangy and spicy chaat recipe prepared with phool makhana (puffed lotus seeds), chopped onions, tomatoes, sweet and spicy chutneys, spices and topped with sev
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Corn Bhel Recipe | Corn Chaat Bhel
Corn Bhel Recipe is a quick and delicious snack made with boiled corn, tossed with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, spicy mint chutney, and topped with crunchy sev and boondi.
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Boiled Peanut Salad | Boiled Peanut Chaat
Peanut vegetable salad is a healthy and nutritious Indian-style salad made with boiled peanuts (groundnuts), raw vegetables, lemon, and a few spices.
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Pakoras
Onion Pakoda - Air Fryer
Crispy Onion Pakoda's are Indian-style onion fritters that are easy to make, crispy, and are so delicious.
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Aloo Pakoda (Potato Bajji)
Aloo Pakora also known as Potato Bajji is a popular Indian snack in which sliced potatoes are coated in a spiced gram flour batter and deep-fried until golden and crispy.
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Crispy Paneer Fingers Recipe
Crispy Paneer Fingers are a popular Indian party appetizer or snack made from paneer (Indian cottage cheese) that's cut into finger-sized strips, coated in a spiced batter, breaded, and then deep-fried or air-fried until golden and crispy.
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Crispy Corn Pakoda (Corn Fritters)
Corn Pakora is an easy recipe in which deep-fried crisp corn fritters are made with chickpeas flour, sweet corn, and regular Indian spices.
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Spinach Corn Pakoda Recipe
Crispy Spinach Corn Pakoda's are Indian style Spinach Corn Fritters which are crispy, healthy and easy to make.
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Cabbage Pakoda
Cabbage Pakoda recipe are Indian style Cabbage Fritters which are crispy,healthy and easy to make.An awesome variation for regular Onion Pakora.
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Broccoli 65 (Broccoli Fritters)
Broccoli 65 is a delicious crisp fried appetizer made with broccoli, flour, corn starch and few spices. 65 recipes are popular in South Indian restaurants.
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Vadas, Cutlets, and Kebabs
Sabudana Vada Recipe (Deep Fry, Air Fryer and Appe Pan)
Sabudana Vada's are crispy and crunchy Sago Fritters made with soaked sago (tapioca pearls), boiled potatoes, coarsely ground peanuts and few other ingredients.
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Aloo Tikki Recipe (Shallow Fry, Air Fry)
Aloo Tikki (aka Aloo Pattice) is a popular Indian street food snack recipe made with boiled potatoes, spices. It is typically served with coriander mint chutney or part of Indian chaat food.
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Beetroot Tikki | Beetroot Cutlet - Air Fryer
Beetroot Tikki is a delicious, healthy combination of beetroot, potatoes, roasted peanuts, and some spices and serve as a healthy appetizer or a tea-time snack for your kids.
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Paneer Popcorn Recipe (Air Fryer)
Paneer Popcorn is a quick, healthy lip-smacking snack made with fresh paneer (indian cottage cheese), mixed with spices and herbs and tossed with breadcrumbs to give that extra punch to taste.
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Crispy Masala French Fries Recipe (Potato French Fries)
This Crispy Masala French Fries is an Indian style spicy Potato French Fries recipe that can be easily made at home by mixing thinly cut potatoes with corn starch and few spices.
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Podi Idli Recipe (Podi Mini Idli)
Podi Idli is a quick and easy breakfast or snack recipe prepared with idli podi (milagai podi), idli tempered with ghee.
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Soups
Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup is delicious and comforting soup made with fresh tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper, onion, herbs and garnished with cream.
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Sweet Corn Soup (Instant pot & Stovetop)
Easy, creamy and delicious soup recipe made with sweet corn and vegetables that can be a perfect appetizer dish for your indo-chinese meal
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Accompaniments to Appetizers
Coriander Mint Chutney Recipe (Indian Green Chutney)
A quick, easy mint coriander chutney that can be added for Indian chats snacks for bhel puri, sev puri, samosa, ragda patties and as a spread for sandwiches, etc.
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Red Chili Garlic Chutney
Spice up your chaats with a zesty homemade chilli garlic chutney made with Kashmiri red chilies and pungent garlic. It is a perfect accompaniment to elevate the taste of your favorite chaat snacks.
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Coconut Chutney Recipe (Nariyal Chutney)
Coconut Chutney (Nariyal Chutney) made with fresh coconut, fried gram, green chilies, and tempered with mustard seeds, lentils, and curry leaves is one of the popular and must accompaniments for many South Indian dishes like Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram, etc.
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Onion Tomato Chutney (for Idli, Dosa)
Learn how to make Restaurant Style Onion Tomato Chutney recipe with step by step pictures. This simple condiment is easy to make in 15 minutes and pairs well with South Indian breakfast dishes Idli, Dosa, Uttapam, Paniyaram, etc.
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Peanut Chutney Recipe
Peanut Chutney recipe is a delicious South Indian condiment made with few ingredients like roasted peanuts, garlic, red or green chilies ground together and then tempered with some spices
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Beetroot Tomato Soup (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
Let's learn how to make creamy, smooth, and healthy beetroot tomato carrot soup in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. It comes together in about 20 minutes!
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50+ Vegetarian Indian Appetizers
Looking for delicious and easy-to-make Indian Appetizer recipes? Here is a collection of both classic and innovative fusion vegetarian appetizer recipes, including samosa, tandoori, pakodas, chaats, tikkis, vadas, indo-chinese, dhokla, that will tantalize your taste buds!
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