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Home » Recipes » Indian

40+ Best Indian Dinner Recipes (Easy Dinner Ideas)

Jan 21, 2023. by Bhavana Patil. No Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Looking for vegetarian and vegan Indian Dinner recipes? Here are the best 40+ easy, full of flavor Dinner Recipes from curries, stir-fries, lentils, and rice dishes that your family will love.

This post includes popular restaurant/take-out favorites from Paneer makhani, Palak paneer, Dal makhani, and Vegetable biryani, to homestyle recipes like Kala chana curry, Moong khichdi, and many more!

40+ best easy indian dinner recipes collage
Jump to:
  • What is a Typical Indian Dinner Meal?
  • Indian Dinner Cooking Tips
  • Vegetarian Indian Dinner Recipes
  • Curries & Stir Fries
  • Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Makhani
  • Instant Pot Palak Paneer recipe (Pressure Cooker)
  • Palak Tofu (Spinach Tofu Curry)
  • Paneer Jalfrezi Recipe
  • Instant Pot Matar Paneer (Cottage Cheese and Peas Curry)
  • Instant Pot Aloo Gobi
  • Instant Pot Aloo Baingan Masala | Potato Eggplant Curry
  • Potato Masala Recipe - Stovetop & Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma (Mix Veg Korma)
  • Navratan Korma Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop
  • Mushroom Masala (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
  • Instant Pot Mumbai Pav Bhaji
  • Gujarati Kadhi Instant Pot
  • Beans, Lentils
  • Instant Pot Dal Tadka (Restaurant Style)
  • Whole Masoor Dal Recipe (Brown Lentils Curry)
  • Instant Pot Chana Masala (Chole Masala Recipe in Pressure Cooker)
  • Rajma Masala in Instant Pot (Kidney Beans Curry)
  • Instant Pot Dal Makhani/Madras Lentils Recipe
  • Black Eyed Peas Curry Recipe (Indian Lobia Masala)
  • Whole Green Moong Dal
  • Kala Chana Recipe (Black Chickpeas Curry)
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Sambar
  • Rice Recipes
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe
  • Easy Vegetable Pulao Recipe
  • Instant Pot Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao)
  • Instant Pot Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)
  • Moong Dal Khichdi
  • Instant Pot Bisi bele bath
  • Burnt Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice
  • Tomato Rice Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop
  • Lemon Rice Recipe - Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
  • More Recipe Collections
  • Easy Indian Dinner Recipes

Here is a roundup of 40+ easy Indian dinner recipes, including curries, lentils, and rice dishes that you can try.

A lot of recipes use a pressure cooker that is easy and takes very less time to prepare. You can also make them on the stovetop.

What is a Typical Indian Dinner Meal?

A typical Indian Vegetarian dinner consists of one main dish. The main dish can be a curry (or dal), stir fry, or rice.

  • If the main dish is a curry or lentil dish like dal, or chickpea curry, you can serve it with flatbread or basmati rice, or jeera rice.
  • If the main dish is a vegetable stir-fry, you can serve them with Indian flatbread, such as roti, chapati, paratha, or naan.
  • If the main dish itself is a rice dish like veg biryani, pulao, or khichdi, you can serve it along with yogurt or raita.

You can also serve with accompaniments such as salad, raita (or yogurt), pickle (achar), papad, and chutney or chutney powder along with the dinner.

Note: If you are looking for low-carb or keto options, substitute rice with cauliflower rice and use low-carb flatbread.

Indian Dinner Cooking Tips

  • Kitchen Gadgets: It is good to invest in 2 kitchen staples. A pressure cooker and mixer-grinder, with a food processor. You can cook dried lentils, chickpeas, beans, rice, and potatoes in a traditional pressure cooker or Instant pot quickly otherwise can take hours. Mixer-grinder is essential for making curry paste, chutney, or spice powder for north and south Indian cooking. Using a food processor, you can quickly knead the dough, slice, and grate veggies.
  • Spices: Spices are the heart and soul of Indian cooking. They add flavor, and fragrance, and elevate the taste of Indian dals, curries, and rice dishes. Here is a small list of basic and everyday spices (both whole & ground spices).
  • Turmeric Powder
  • Red Chili Powder (or Cayenne Pepper)
  • Cumin Powder
  • Coriander Powder
  • Garam Masala
  • Asafoetida (Hing)
  • Black Mustard Seeds
  • Whole Cumin Seeds
  • Bay Leaves
  • Whole Cinnamon Sticks
  • Cloves
  • Cardamoms
  • Pepper Corns
  • Ginger and Garlic: Ginger and garlic are the essentials of North Indian cooking. You can make ahead the homemade ginger and garlic paste in large quantities and store it in the fridge. Or you can freeze it into single-use portions. You can also use readymade ginger garlic paste. This saves some prep time.
  • Onion Tomato Masala: Make a big batch of onion tomato base (bhuna masala) and freeze. You can use this base sauce for a busy weeknight dinner.
  • Make Extra: You can make a large quantity of curry and use it for another meal or freeze it.

Vegetarian Indian Dinner Recipes

Curries & Stir Fries

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala served in a bowl garnished with fresh cream and cilantro

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Makhani

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala is a popular recipe where Paneer cubes are simmered in a mildly rich onion tomato cashew nut based gravy
Check out this recipe
Palak Paneer served in a steel bowl with chapati and lemon wedges on side

Instant Pot Palak Paneer recipe (Pressure Cooker)

Palak Paneer is a dish of North Indian origin consisting of palak (spinach) and paneer (cottage cheese) in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach, onion, tomatoes and spices
Check out this recipe
palak tofu served in a bowl topped with fried tofu

Palak Tofu (Spinach Tofu Curry)

Palak Tofu is a delicious, rich Indian curry recipe made with pan-fried tofu and spinach gravy in an Instant pot or stovetop.
Check out this recipe
Vegetable Paneer Jalfrezi served in a plate with lemon wedge on the side

Paneer Jalfrezi Recipe

Vegetable Paneer Jalfrezi is an easy and healthy stir fry recipe made with cottage cheese, vegetables like bell peppers and Indian spices
Check out this recipe
instant pot matar paneer served in a white bowl with lemon wedges and onion on the side

Instant Pot Matar Paneer (Cottage Cheese and Peas Curry)

Matar Paneer or Mutter paneer masala recipe is a classic restaurant style vegetarian curry of Indian cottage cheese and peas cooked in a tomato-onion based sauce in an Instant Pot Pressure cooker.
Check out this recipe
aloo gobi served in a bowl garnished with coriander leaves

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi is a healthy and delicious stir-fry made with potato, cauliflower that's infused with Indian spices and extremely easy to make
Check out this recipe
Aloo Baingan Masala served in a bowl with side of chapati and sliced cucumbers

Instant Pot Aloo Baingan Masala | Potato Eggplant Curry

Potato Eggplant Curry is a delicious and flavorful Punjabi dish made by cooking potatoes and eggplants with onions, tomatoes and few indian spices.
Check out this recipe
potato masala served in a bowl garnished with cilantro

Potato Masala Recipe - Stovetop & Instant Pot

Potato Masala, is an Indian dish made with yellow potatoes, sautéed onions, and a tasty blend of spices and fresh chilies. 
Check out this recipe
Vegetable Kurma served in a kadai with paratha on the side

Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma (Mix Veg Korma)

Vegetable Kurma is a popular Indian curry in which vegetables are cooked in a creamy and aromatic gravy of yogurt, coconut and cashew nuts based paste and sautéed onion and tomato along with few spices.
Check out this recipe
Navratan Korma served in a serving bowl with paratha on the side

Navratan Korma Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop

Navratan Korma recipe is a mildly spiced, slightly sweet, creamy based delicious Indian Mughlai curry.
Check out this recipe
Mushroom Matar Masala served in a kadai with side of steamed rice

Mushroom Masala (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Mushroom Masala is an easy and delicious restaurant style Indian Curry made with onions, tomato, mushrooms, peas and spices in an Instant Pot or Stovetop pot
Check out this recipe
Pav Bhaji served in a steel plate with buttered pav and onion on the side

Instant Pot Mumbai Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a popular dish from Mumbai made up of spiced mashed vegetable curry (bhaji), served piping hot with a soft bread roll (pav) with a butter,finely chopped onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime
Check out this recipe
gujarati kadhi in a copper serving bowl with rice and curry leaves on side

Gujarati Kadhi Instant Pot

Gujarati Kadhi is a sweet and spicy Indian curry recipe where yogurt chickpea mixture is cooked with spices made in Instant pot pressure cooker or stovetop.
Check out this recipe

Beans, Lentils

dal tadka served in a kadai with tempering on top and side of rice and pickle

Instant Pot Dal Tadka (Restaurant Style)

Dal Tadka is an easy one-pot pressure cooker recipe prepared with split pigeon peas lentils, assorted spices and cooked with pot-in-pot rice.
Check out this recipe
whole masoor dal served in a bowl garnished with lemon wedges and cilantro with a spoon and white rice and salad on the side

Whole Masoor Dal Recipe (Brown Lentils Curry)

Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils Curry) recipe is a healthy and easy dal made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker with whole masoor dal, onions, tomatoes, and Indian spices.
Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Chana Masala (Chole Masala Recipe in Pressure Cooker)

Chana Masala or Chole is one-pot healthy protein-rich vegan and gluten free recipe cooked in a spicy, flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with few spices.
Check out this recipe
instant pot rajma masala curry (indian kidney beans curry) served in a bowl garnished with coriander leaves with boondi raita and jeera rice on the side with a lime wedge

Rajma Masala in Instant Pot (Kidney Beans Curry)

Punjabi Rajma Masala is a one-pot healthy, protein-rich, vegan and gluten-free recipe made with dry or canned beans and cooked in a spicy, flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with few spices.
Check out this recipe
Dal Makhani served in a steel bowl garnished with cream butter and cilantro

Instant Pot Dal Makhani/Madras Lentils Recipe

Restaurant style Dal Makhani is a one-pot, healthy, protein-rich curry recipe made with whole urad dal and kidney beans, cooked in a spicy, flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with few spices in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Check out this recipe
instant pot black eyed peas curry served in a white bowl with indian flatbread on the side

Black Eyed Peas Curry Recipe (Indian Lobia Masala)

Black Eyed Peas Curry or Lobia Masala Curry is a popular Punjabi curry which is heathy and delicious made using onion-tomato base and few spices.
Check out this recipe
Whole Green Moong Dal served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro

Whole Green Moong Dal

Whole Green Moong Dal is a simple high protein, delicious curry made with green lentils and spices in an Instant Pot or a stovetop pressure cooker.
Check out this recipe
black chickpeas curry (punjabi kala chana) served in a bowl garnish with coriander leaves and spoon in the bowl with cucumber and jeera rice on the side

Kala Chana Recipe (Black Chickpeas Curry)

Black Chickpeas Curry (Punjabi Kala Chana) is an easy, one-pot Indian curry recipe made by cooking black chickpeas in flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with a few spices in the pressure cooker.
Check out this recipe
instant pot vegetable sambar served in a bowl with peanut chutney and idli on the side

Instant Pot Vegetable Sambar

Vegetable Sambar is a South Indian lentil and vegetable stew made with lentils ,tamarind and unique blend spice blend together called sambar powder.
Check out this recipe

Rice Recipes

instant pot vegetable biryani served in a black plate with raita and lemon wedges on the side

Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe

A simple, easy and flavorful vegetable biryani recipe made in the Instant pot pressure cooker with layers of spiced vegetables, warm spices, herbs like mint and cilantro, fried onions and basmati rice.
Check out this recipe
instant pot vegetable pulao served in a bowl with raita on the side

Easy Vegetable Pulao Recipe

Vegetable Pulao is an easy one pot rice dish made with rice, mixed vegetables and mildly flavored with various whole spices
Check out this recipe
instant pot peas pulao (matar pulao) served in a bowl with salad and spices on the side

Instant Pot Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao)

Peas Pulao or Matar Pulao recipe is a quick, filling, one pot, flavorful rice dish made with green peas, onions and whole spices in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stovetop.
Check out this recipe
Restaurant style Instant Pot Jeera/cumin rice served in a bowl with cilantro on the side

Instant Pot Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)

Instant Pot Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice) is an easy one pot flavorful rice dish made with perfectly cooked Basmati Rice flavored with jeera and whole spices.
Check out this recipe
instant pot Moong Dal Khichdi served in a bowl garnished with cilantro with salad on the side

Moong Dal Khichdi

Moong Dal Khichadi or Khichari is healthy Indian comfort meal made using yellow lentils, rice, and tempered in ghee with cumin seeds
Check out this recipe
bisi bele bath served in a white bowl topped with tempering and raita on side along with some boondi

Instant Pot Bisi bele bath

This one-pot Bisibelebath (Bisi Bele Bath) is a very popular recipe from Karnataka prepared in the Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.
Check out this recipe
burnt garlic vegetable fried rice served in a bowl garnished with spring onions and burnt garlic

Burnt Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice

Burnt Garlic Fried Rice recipe is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with basmati rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and lots of garlic.
Check out this recipe
instant pot tomato rice pulao served in a white bowl with whole tomatoes on the side

Tomato Rice Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop

Tomato Rice using Coconut Milk is a Tamilnadu style tomato rice recipe made with tomatoes, fresh coconut milk and few spices
Check out this recipe
Lemon rice prepared in the instant pot served in a bowl with papad on the side

Lemon Rice Recipe - Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Indian Lemon rice - spicy, tangy flavored South Indian classic rice pilaf recipe prepared with rice, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, and Indian spices in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
Check out this recipe

More Recipe Collections

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If you’ve tried this easy Indian Dinner Recipes collection or any other recipe on Indianveggiedelight, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the latest recipes!

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40+ best easy indian dinner recipes collage

Easy Indian Dinner Recipes

Bhavana Patil
Looking for vegetarian and vegan Indian Dinner recipes? Here are the best 40+ easy, full of flavor Dinner Recipes from curries, stir-fries, lentils, and rice dishes that your family will love.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Keyword Easy Dinner Ideas, indian dinner recipes
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

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Hi There! Welcome to my blog! I’m Bhavana. Here you’ll find easy recipes for your Instant Pot, Kids Lunch Box ideas, Keto/LowCarb, Air-fryer recipes plus more wholesome, easy Vegetarian/Vegan Indian recipes that your family will love. More about me →

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