Indian Main Course Vegetarian Recipes | Main Dish Recipes |

In any meal, the main course comprises the most filling and important part of the meal. The main course is served after the starters or snacks and is followed by the dessert. It may be made up of a single sumptuous dish, or a combination of a couple of dishes. It is common to find Subzis, curries or Dal served with Roti, parathas or rice as part of the Indian main course recipes.

On the other hand, dishes like biryanis, pasta, pizzas and baked dishes make up one-dish meals. When planning a menu, one must focus on the main course because it leaves a lasting impression on the diners, being the most comprehensive course of the meal. One dish meals are generally easy to make which ensure you never sleep with an empty stomach as they are also quite filling.

🌾 North Indian Vegetarian Main Course

shahi paneer recipe | Punjabi shahi paneer | restaurant style shahi paneer sabzi | 

shahi paneer is a rich and creamy paneer sabzi that translates to "Royal Paneer." This luxurious curry features soft, cubed paneer (cottage cheese) simmered in a velvety onion tomato-based gravy infused with a medley of aromatic spices like cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. This Punjabi shahi paneer gravy has a very luscious mouth-feel that is complemented beautifully by succulent malai paneer.

aloo gobi dry recipe | Punjabi aloo gobi | aloo gobhi ki sabzi | potatoes and cauliflower vegetable |

Punjabi Aloo Gobi is a dry Indian sabzi which is from Punjab, but is widely eaten in very part of India.

rajma curry recipe | Punjabi rajma masala | healthy rajma curry | restaurant style rajma masala |

Rajma curry is also called rajma masala, Punjabi rajma recipe or rajma recipe in different parts of India.
Rajma curry and rice, no meal can be more satiating. This famous combination of rajma curry recipe + chawal is a complete one meal dinner and healthy protein for Vegetarians as it’s a cereal and pulse combination.

dal makhani | how to make dal makhani | dhaba-style dal makhani | punjabi dal makhani |.

Dal Makhani or maa di dal, as it is popularly known in the Punjab, with its smooth velvety texture and lovely flavour is a delicacy that is very much a dish of the Punjab.

Dal Makhani is traditionally cooked on a low flame overnight and allowed to thicken. Using a pressure cooker helps cook the dal in a jiffy. Serve hot with naans

butter naan recipe | homemade naan | butter naan made in tava | butter naan with yeast | 

A naan is an extremely popular Indian bread, and this simple butter naan recipe allows you to make it at home using a tava, or griddle. While traditionally cooked in a tandoor, you can easily replicate the soft, fluffy texture in your own kitchen. This particular recipe uses a combination of plain flour (maida), yeast, curd, and ghee to create a flavorful dough. The use of yeast helps the naan puff up, giving it that classic light and airy texture. The addition of black sesame seeds, or kala til, gives it a nutty flavor and a beautiful visual appeal.

aloo paratha recipe | how to make aloo paratha | stuffed aloo paratha | whole wheat aloo parathas |

aloo paratha recipe is a whole wheat aloo paratha which is a popular Punjabi breakfast recipe. So popular is whole wheat aloo parathas that I have it as a one-dish meal along with some curds and chopped onions.
Luscious whole wheat aloo parathas are stuffed with a succulent mixture of mashed potatoes flavoured perkily with green chillies, onions and all. A dash of amchur powder adds to the tanginess of the stuffing, making the Aloo Parathaa really tasty and satiating dish.

kabuli chana biryani recipe | chole biryani | veg chana brown rice biryani | healthy chole biryani | baked kabuli chana biryani |

kabuli chana biryani recipe also known as chole biryani is a unique blend of rice and pulses. Saffron-tinged rice is layered with a tongue-tickling kabuli chana gravy, covered with foil, and baked for a while till the flavours blend to make an awesome chole biryani one-dish meal. 

🌸 East Indian Vegetarian Main Course

aloo posto recipe | Bengali aloo posto recipe | aloo poshto | 

aloo posto recipe is a traditional Bengali delicacy. Made from potatoes, khus khus, kashmiri red chillies and haldi, this aloo poshto recipe is super easy to make.

This aloo posto recipe proves that poppy seeds and potatoes are a match made in heaven! Served Bengali aloo postopiping hot with fluffy rice or flavorful dal.

luchi recipe | Bengali style luchi | Bengali puri | 

This Bengali style luchi is so soft and so yummy. Learn how to make luchi recipe | Bengali style luchi | Bengali puri | 
A Bengali favourite, luchi is nothing but plain flour puris that taste great with Subzis / Curries. Bengali style luchi is white in colour and has a good amount of ghee or oil in them which makes it soft even after it cools. 
A dollop of ghee or oil added to the dough makes the luchireally crisp and flaky. These white and fluffy puris are a real delicacy, which will be loved by your whole family. 

baingan bhaja recipe | begun bhaja | healthy eggplant snack | how to make healthy begun bhaja | 

Amongst traditional Bengali recipes, Baingan Bhaja recipe is an evergreen favourite. The original recipe of Bengali begun bhaja involves shallow-frying the baingan in lots of oil till it is succulent and aromatic. Learn how to make healthy begun bhaja.

Bengali masoor dal recipe | mushurir dal | peyaj diye masoor dal |

Dal is a staple dish in every Indian household. Each region has its own style of making dal which vary in taste, and ingredients. This Bengali masoor dal is one such recipe that has a distinct and unique taste due to the use of panch phoran (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds) masala.

rasgulla recipe | rasgulla with homemade chenna | quick rasgulla | soft spongy Bengali rasgulla |

rasgulla is an Indian mithai which needs no introduction. For kids to elders this is one sweet which is enjoyed across most Indian states. Learn how to make soft spongy Bengali rasgulla.
Rasgulla with homemade chenna is one sweet the Bengalis cannot live without, and you too are sure to fall in love with it once you taste these super-soft, milk-white rasgullas.

🌅 West Indian Vegetarian Main Course

undhiyu recipe | Surti undhiyu | Oondhiya | authentic Gujarati undhiyu |

Oondhiya is a classic Gujarati vegetable from the city of Surat and hence also called Surti undhiyu. Oondhiya is a preparation of vegetables and fenugreek muthias cooked in an aromatic blend of spices. A traditional undhiyu reciperequires hours on end to make. 

Kathiyawadi sev tameta nu shaak recipe | dhaba style sev tamatar nu shaak | sev tameta sabzi | 

Indulge in the flavors of Kathiyawadi cuisine with this simple yet delectable sev tameta nu shaak recipe. This dish combines the tanginess of tomatoes with the crunchiness of sev (crispy chickpea flour noodles). Deep-fried sev is added to give a crispy texture to the sev tameta sabzi.

This recipe is for a delicious and perfect for a quick and easy Gujarati meal. Enjoy the symphony of flavors and textures in this Kathiyawadi sev tameta nu shaak with warm rotla.

traditional Gujarati dal dhokli recipe | dal dhokli |

Dal dhokli is a Sunday morning delight in most traditional Gujarati households! A perfect combination of spiced whole wheat flour dhoklis simmered in Gujarati dal, traditional Gujarati dal dhokli can be classified as a sumptuous one-dish meal, but you could also serve it with rice to make it all the more tasty and wholesome.

Dal Dhokli is an all-time favourite dish made in Maharashtra and Gujarat, in which strips of wheat flour dough are cooked in a tongue-tickling dal.

rotla recipe | bajra rotla | Gujarati style bajra rotla | healthy pearl millet roti | 

Bajra Roti is a traditional Indian flatbread made with bajra or black pearl millet flour making it extremely nutritious. Bajra flour is high in protein and is a complete protein for vegetarians when combined with dal. So as a Vegetarian, include bajra in your diet.

🌴 South Indian Vegetarian Main Course

french beans and carrot thoran recipe | carrots beans thoran | Kerala style carrot thoran dry sabzi |

french beans and carrot thoran recipe is a Kerala style carrot thoran dry sabzi. ‘Thoran’ is a traditional vegetable preparation that is popular in Kerala. carrots beans thoran is a dry sabzi that can also be prepared with many different veggies.

In this french beans and carrot thoran recipe, we have used a colourful combination of French beans and carrot. First, the veggies are sautéed with onions and an aromatic tempering of seeds and red chillies, and then it is perked up with a tasty mixture of coconut and other ingredients, which not only improves the taste but also gives a nice mouth-feel to the Kerala style carrot thoran dry sabzi.

sambar recipe | sambar for idlis | South Indian sambar for dosas | easy homemade sambar recipe |

sambar is a hearty South Indian lentil stew simmered with vegetables, tamarind, and a unique spice blend called sambar masala. This fragrant, flavorful dish offers a symphony of textures with soft lentils, crisp vegetables, and a tangy-sweet sauce. It's a comfort food enjoyed at any time of day, often served with rice or soaked-up with fluffy appams.

Sabzis are vegetables , pulses/dals cooked with a myriad of spices and tempered with aromatic, flavorful ingredients like cumin/mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafetida. Indian cuisine is vast and food of every region is influenced not only by locally available ingredients but also, cultural background of the community and seasonal availability. The markets are flooded with a number of gourds like bottle gourd, bitter gourd during summers. Whereas with the arrival of monsoon, the markets brim with luscious, green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek leaves, dill leaves.

Winters showcase green garlic, mogri, fresh toovar, yam that are used to make winter special traditional subzis. Vegetables like tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, beetroot are available around the year.

Badami Paneer

In case of North India, the sabzis make abundant use of dairy products and rich ingredients like dry fruits. Southern India uses vegetables like jackfruit, yam, raw banana, yellow banana, ash gourd and pumpkin with coconut milk and curry leaves to cook an array of dishes. In western Indian states like Gujarat, they make use of a combination of vegetables perked up with a sweet ingredient like jaggery/sugar giving it a spicy-sweet flavor and in regions like Rajasthan, they make use of lots of curd/ buttermilk instead of water. Eastern India makes use of panch phooran masala to enhance the flavor of subzis. Explore subzis from all over India in our section and make delectable Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Manglorean Drumstick Curry, Rasawala Sev Tameta, Bengali Style Jackfruit Curry, Dahi Bhindi ki Subji, Shahi Paneer Mutter

Indian Main Course Recipes | Rotis.

Butter Naan

Indian flatbreads like roti, chapatti and parathas are mostly made with wheat flour but, you can also make use of plain flour or multigrain flour. They are usually served with subzis and dals or with accompaniments like achaar and curd. Each region has its specific type of flatbread and indigenous ways of making them. Parathas can be made into different varieties by stuffing them with vegetables or a combination of vegetable and cheese/paneer, seasoned with enough spices to make delectable stuffed parathas.

Cooking in the tandoor is another aspect widely used for making crispy yet soft flatbreads. Tandoori Naan, Tandoori Kulcha, Tandoori Laccha Paratha, Tandoori Missi Roti and Tandoori roti are some popular flatbreads made in a clay pot oven and tastes amazing with North Indian gravies and Mughlai subzis. Aloo kulcha and Paneer kulcha smeared with butter taste amazing as they are and can be relished as breakfast with a tall glass of sweet lassi.

Puris are the perfect accompaniment for certain subzis like aloo bhaji , oondhiya and desserts like shrikhand, aamraas. These deep-fried , piping hot puris are surely soul satiating if not thought about the number of calories consumed.

poori | puri | plain puri | whole wheat puri | soft poori |

Puris

. You can even enhance the taste by adding various spices, beetroot/ palak puree or sometimes using different flours and leafy vegetables to make delights like Masala Puris Served with Curds and Chunda a common breakfast in Gujarati households. Spinach Puri, Beetroot Puri, Nachni Soya Puri, Phudina Puri are some variants you can try.

Indian Main Course Recipes, Dals and Kadhi

Dal Tadka

For most Indians, lunch and dinner are incomplete without dal or kadhi with rice. Dals are a staple in India. They are lentils cooked and tempered with whole spices and seeds, while some are enhanced using masala pastes. Peppy ingredients like kokum, lemon juice, tamarind are added to give a zingy flavor whereas jaggery /sugar balances the tangy taste. An addition of coconut paste, crushed groundnuts, cream boosts the flavor fourfold. Traditional Indian meals feature dal as it acts like a soupy accompaniment and also provides with the necessary daily nutrients for a healthy body. No matter whether it is prepared as Rasam or as Maa ki Dal, Dal Banjari or as Dal Tadka, every region has its favourite dals and every meal is sure to include a bowl of it!

Kadhi

Kadhi is another soupy accompaniment made using curd/buttermilk and besan. The flavor highly relies on the tempering and can be enhanced by adding vegetables or pakodi. Punjabi Pakoda Kadhi from the North , Kokum Kadhi, Gatte ki Kadhi from west, have a look at these wide ranges of Kadhis and try these simple side dish to enjoy with rice, khichdi or sometimes even with roti/rotla.

Indian Main Course Vegetarian Recipes, Rice

Restaurant Style Tomato Pulao

There are numerous types of rice available in India which are used to make different varieties of rice preparation. Basmati rice is used for Biryani/pulao, Surti Kolam is used for khichdi, parboiled rice is used to make idli and dosa batters. They can be served plain or with currys/kadhi and dal or transformed into a delicious one-dish meal. From traditional Biryani, Curd Rice, Khichdi to Creamy Beetroot Risotto, Chinese Fried Rice, Mexican Rice we have them all. Whether you want to cook something in a jiffy or something elegant with elaborate preparation , you can find a rice dish for every occasion.

Enjoy our collection of Indian Main Course Vegetarian Recipes given below.