Vegetarian food is a source of comfort for millions of Indian living around the globe. Indians have truly learnt ways to create delectable dishes using them.

1. Chana Masala

Chana Masala is a delectable soup-based curry made from creamy chickpeas. The exciting combination of chickpeas, coconut milk, flavourful spices, and spinach makes a nutritious and filling meal. The best part about Chana Masala is that it takes minimal effort to put together. You will probably find this dish on the menu of every popular Indian restaurant in your area. It is best served with boiled, white rice or soft naan bread.

2. Masoor Daal

Masoor Daal, also known as Dahl, Dal, and Dhal, is a popular everyday dish in India. It is a soup-like dish made from spiced lentils. It sounds simple, but many things go into it. Ghee (a form of clarified butter), cayenne chillies, cloves, ginger, curry powder, cumin, tomato, fragrant spices, and lentils are the main ingredients of Masoor Daal. The dish is served best poured over a bed of Basmati rice for a hearty lunch or dinner. You can also serve it with naan for dipping. You can even make it vegan by using margarine or olive oil instead of clarified butter. The next time you search for “Indian food near me,” choose a place that serves this delicacy!

3. Papdi Chaat

Papdi Chaat is popular street food in India. Think of it as the Indian version of Mexican tacos. Made from crispy Papdi (flour crackers) topped with potatoes, onions, chickpeas, chutneys, cilantro, and yoghurt, this dish is a true medley of colours and flavours. The combination of sweet, tangy, spicy, and savoury will leave you longing for more with each bite. You can find the satisfyingly crunchy Papdi Chaat at local street vendor stands, and fast food stops across India. In London, you can find this dish at major Indian restaurants. The next time you wonder whether Indian restaurants open near me serve Papdi Chaat.

4. Vegetable Samosa

A Vegetable Samosa is a type of puff pastry filled with veggies like potatoes, tomatoes, onions, green and red chillies, and cilantro. Traditionally, it is made with flour-based dough seasoned with caraway seeds and deep-fried in oil or clarified butter. Some people also use phyllo pastry instead of dough to shorten the prep time. A tasty vegetarian snack, you will find Vegetable Samosas listed in the starters section at Indian restaurants near you. Have two or three as a whole meal or enjoy them with rice or Daal as sidelines. Vegetable Samosas are best served with dipping sauces, so make sure you have chutneys to enjoy them.

5. Pav Bhaji

The next time you search for “best Indian food near me,” think Pav Bhaji! Pav Bhaji is a flavourful and hearty dish of mashed vegetables and soft and fluffy dinner rolls served with a side of crispy onions, herby coriander, and zesty lemon. In Hindi, the word “Pav” refers to bread rolls, whereas “Bhaji” means vegetables or a vegetable-based dish (dry or gravy). Hence, the dish is called Pav Bhaji. It is an iconic dish widely loved all over India as street food. It originated in Mumbai and gradually became so popular that now it is served in restaurants in not only India but also the rest of the world.

6. Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala is India’s most famous Paneer gravy dish. It is also known as Butter Paneer Masala or Paneer Makhni. Made from cottage cheese cubes prepared in hearty tomato sauce, this dish is the perfect lunch or dinner option when served with naan. The lovely and slightly sweet tang of tomatoes mixed with cottage cheese’s creamy and velvety feel makes the dish a must-try.

7. Vada Pav

Vada Pav is a popular vegan street snack eaten in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Street vendors commonly sell it outside of schools and colleges all over India. It is one of the most humble yet tasty vegetarian street foods. Vada Pav is a savoury bread roll stuffed with mashed, spiced, and fried potato cakes. It is usually served with sweet chutney, green chutney, and dry garlic chutney. You can eat it anytime during the day, even at breakfast. It complements Indian chai perfectly and makes a lovely evening teatime snack. If you’re wondering whether there are takeaways near me that deliver Vada Pav, you’re in luck!

8. Hara Bhara Kebab

In Indian cuisine, kebabs are sometimes made with ground meat and seasonings mixtures and then grilled or fried to smoky perfection. Hara Bhara kebabs are the vegetarian version of meaty kebabs made from vegetables to achieve the same texture. They are highly nutritious and usually made from ground spinach, peas, and fresh coriander leaves. When combined with potatoes and served with Chaat Masala, they make a delicious Indian snack or starter.

9. Idli

Idli is one of the healthiest Indian vegetarian dishes and a popular breakfast dish made in every South Indian household. It is a light, fluffy, round steamed cake made with fermented ground rice and lentil batter. The lentils used to make Idli include Urad Daal (black gram). Idli is famous not only in India but outside India too. When you search for “Indian food delivery near me,” you will find loads of restaurants with Idli on the menu. Idli is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Hence, it is the healthiest dish on this list. It tastes spectacular when served with Sambar and coconut chutney.

10. Aloo Tikki

In the Hindi language, “Aloo” means potatoes, and “Tikki” refers to patties. Therefore, Aloo Tikki is basically the name for potato patties made the Indian way – with lots of herbs and spices! Aloo Tikki originated from North India, where it is sold stuffed with a spicy filling of peas, Paneer, or Chana Daal. The dish tastes best when served with Chana Masala and topped with onions, sweet tamarind and jaggery chutney, and hot green chutney made from cilantro and green chillies. In Weste India, Aloo Tikki is known as Aloo Patties and is usually made without any stuffing. In Mumbai, the Tikkis are popular street food served with Ragda (curry made from white peas).