Looking for a crowd-pleasing Indian Vegetarian Dinner/Lunch Party Menu Ideas? for a casual or festival occasion with family and friends? Here is a list of popular recipes for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts, with some tips to plan for your next party. Many of the recipes shared below are prepared in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, or Air fryer making life even easier.

collage for indian dinner party menu ideas

India's geographical and cultural variety is wonderfully reflected in its cuisine and may be the primary factor in why Indian food is superior to that of other nations. There is a veritable rainbow of cuisines and ingredients available in every Indian state. Even the spices they use are homemade and of their creation.

From a usual dinner to an extravagant party, Indian cuisine is known to have dishes that are just delectable. The mouthwatering curries, spicy fries, biryani, and parathas all perform wonders to entice you under their spell. So be ready to explore the world of Indian cuisine, which is full of spices, flavors, and aromas.

Every meal, whether it is paneer makhani, masala chaap, rajma masala, veg biryani, and more, is a unique fusion of spirited ingredients and various cooking methods. So, what are you waiting for? We have shortlisted a few Indian dinner recipes that are just perfect to spruce up your party menu! Read about the recipes below.

What to Consider in the Indian Dinner Party Menu
Indian Drinks Recipes (Pick 1 or 2)
Indian Appetizers/Snacks (Pick 2 or 3)
Accompaniments
Curries (Pick 3-4)
Rice and Biryani (Pick 1-2)
Dessert (Pick 1-2)
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What to Consider in the Indian Dinner Party Menu

A bit of planning is key to having everything under control. Gather the following information from your guests 8-10 days before the party:

Keep it simple - do not try to experiment with new dishes on the day of the party.
Pick a date and inform you at least 7-10 days ahead of your guests.
Make a guest list, and calculate the total count of adults and kids, including elderly people.
In Advance, politely check with your guests if they have any dietary restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, no onion-garlic for elderly people, etc.) or any food allergies.
Also, make sure you are not duplicating the same menu with the same set of people.
Also, decide what items you are planning to cook by yourself or plan to order some food from outside are?

Indian Drinks Recipes (Pick 1 or 2)

Here are a few drink options to serve with a delicious Indian Meal. You can also serve soda/alcohol, make some cocktails/mocktails, and fruit juices for kids.

Indian Appetizers/Snacks (Pick 2 or 3)

List of appetizers or snacks to choose from:

Tandoori

Indo-Chinese

Gobi Manchurian
Hakka Noodles
Chili Paneer

Chaats

Pani Puri (Golgappa)
Dahi Papdi Chaat
Avocado Pani Puri
Bhel Puri
Dahi Puri
Sev Puri
Corn Bhel
Avocado Papdi Chaat
Makhana Bhel
Boiled Peanut Chaat
Dahi Balla Chaat/Dahi Vada
Samosa Chaat

Soups

Others

You can also buy appetizers available in Indian grocery stores, like cocktail samosas, kachori, and vada. You can deep fry or air fry before serving.

Accompaniments

Many Indian finger food appetizers need dipping sauces or chutneys to go with them, especially green chutney and tamarind chutney. Also, while Indian meals are spicy, you will need raita (yogurt dip) as an accompaniment to cool off.

Chutneys or Dips for Appetizers (Pick 1 or 2)

Chutneys for a South Indian Meal (Pick 1)

Raitas (Pick 1)

Also, check out the list of 12+ Raita Recipes for you to choose from my blog.

Salads (Pick 1)

Simply chopped carrots, cucumbers, tomato, and onions
Kachumber
Boiled Peanut salad
Sprouts Salad
Chickpea Cucumber Salad
Watermelon Salad with Mint
Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Indian Flatbreads (Pick 1)

Rotis (homemade or store-bought)
Parathas
Pooris
Plain or Garlic Naan (store-bought)

Curries (Pick 3-4)

Typically, I serve at least one dal (lentil) dish, one bean curry, and one paneer or vegetable side dish/curry.

Lentils Based Curries (Pick 1)

Dal Tadka
Moong Dal Fry
Raw Mango Dal
Rasam
Sambar

Bean Based Curries (Pick 1)

Paneer or Vegetable Side Dishes/Curries (Pick 1-2)

Here are some Indian Paneer and Vegetarian curries to pick from:

Rice and Biryani (Pick 1-2)

Here are some Indian vegetarian rice and biryani recipes to select from

Dessert (Pick 1-2)

Here are some Indian desserts to choose from

You can also include store-bought desserts like cakes, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream.

Indian Party Menu Ideas (Vegetarian)

Bhavana Patil

Planning to have a casual or festival dinner party with family and friends, Here is a list of popular recipes for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts with some tips to plan for your next party.

5 from 6 votes

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Calories :

Course: Appetizer, Beverage, Dessert, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Method: Air Fryer, Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Equipment

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5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Table of contents

What to Consider in the Indian Dinner Party Menu

Indian Drinks Recipes (Pick 1 or 2)