Traditional

Indian Vegan Dishes

Your Family Has Been Making for Generations Without Knowing

Quick Summary

Indian cuisine is like the mall of the food world. A one-stop destination that caters to all diets. Whether you love seafood and meat-based dishes or prefer a plant-based, aka vegan, approach to food and nutrition, Indian dishes have you covered. In fact, while the world recently started adopting traditional dishes for vegan diets, India has a long history of producing naturally vegan foods. From breads and curries to appetisers and condiments, Indian vegan dishes are a dime a dozen.  

Deep Dive

Veganism: it could be the new thing to try. Or a well-thought-out approach to life. Or perhaps you simply grew up in a vegan household and never changed your diet. Whatever the case, the one thing no one can deny is that veganism requires significant adaptation. But if it didn’t have to be that way? What if you could cook a dish, exactly as it was meant to be, with no swaps? In fact, if you grew up enjoying Indian cuisine, then these dishes are not only original but also familiar. Here are traditional Indian vegan dishes that you’ve been cooking, eating, and loving for a while. Only now, you know they’re vegan too! 

What Makes A Dish Vegan?

Vegan cuisine follows one central rule – no meat products. Thus, permissible food items are grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and alternatives for both meat and milk. Thus, plant milk, like almond milk, is used in place of cow or buffalo milk. Similarly, any animal-based dairy, eggs, and even insect-based honey are not included in a vegan diet. However, tofu, tempeh, vegan cheese, olive oil, and other purely plant-based products are allowed. 

Vegan vs Vegetarian

A vegan diet requires abstaining from all animal products, including milk and milk products. However, these items are permissible in a vegetarian diet because milk and milk products are not considered non-vegetarian. That’s the main difference between the two. 

Traditional Indian Vegan Dishes: Mains

From curries and broths to dry sabzis and stir-fries, many Indian mains are traditionally vegan; just make sure the recipe you follow does not include any vegan ingredients or cooking agents (like ghee or milk). 

• Aloo Gobhi: A dry stir-fry-style mix of spiced potatoes and cauliflower, aloo gobhi is a popular North Indian dish. In fact, many dry Indian dishes (called sabzis) are simple stir-fries made in plant-based oil with staple spices. You can combine seasonal vegetables (like carrots and peas in winter) and make a similar-style vegetable main. Popular options, other than aloo gobhi, include sookhe aloo, aloo gajar, gobhi matar, etc. 
• Baingan Bharta: A spiced mash of roasted eggplant, cooked with onions, tomatoes, and local spices, baingan bharta is rich, smoky, and pairs perfectly with crisp tandoori roti, soft paratha, or garlic naan.  
• Rajma Rice: A classic combination, rajma rice pairs steamed or jeer rice with a thick rajma (red bean) curry cooked in an onion-tomato base.
• Chole/Chana Curry: Chole or chana curry is a spiced chickpea curry. It is mainly cooked in a tangy onion-tomato base. Depending on how it’s spiced, the chana curry might be served with plain rice or even bhature (fried bread). 
• Dal/Lentil Curries: Dal is a staple of Indian cuisine made from different lentils. A dal can is usually tempered with basic spices and herbs like cumin, turmeric, chillies, etc. In some homes, chopped onions and tomatoes might also be added to the tempering. 
• Idli-Sambar: Similar to Rajma rice, idli-sambar is a classic South Indian combination. Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew cooked with toor dal. Idlis are steamed rice dumplings shaped like discs. The two are often served as a breakfast staple in most South Indian states. 
• Rasam: A South Indian staple, it is a tangy, tamarind-and-tomato-based soup. It’s usually served with rice but can also be enjoyed on its own. It’s inherently vegan and is considered to aid digestion, boost immunity, and help relieve symptoms of the common cold or flu, thanks to its blend of herbs and spices. 
• Kathal (Jackfruit) sabzi: Kathal is often regarded as “vegetarian meat or faux meat” because it offers a similar texture to meat products. Kathal can be cooked as a dry sabzi with a base of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and various spices.
• Usal: Usal also refers to lentil-based curries, but this uses sprouted lentils or beans for preparation. It’s a popular Maharashtrian dish. Matki usal (moth bean curry) or mugachi usal (mung bean curry) are more commonly available versions. 
• Masale Bhaat: A flavourful rice dish (bhaat refers to rice) made from a medley of vegetables and spices, masale bhaat can be easily found in most Maharashtrian households. Interestingly, most regions in India have their own version of flavoured rice cooked with vegetables — be it pulao, tehri, bisi bele bath, or khichdi. 

Vegan Breads, Sides, and Snacks from India

Breads/Sides

• Dosa: Dosa is the staple bread served in South Indian homes. It’s actually a crepe made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram and served with sambar or coconut chutney. 
• Roti: Roti, also known as phulka, is made from a dough of wheat flour and water. It’s naturally vegan, light on the gut, and easy to prepare. Most home cooks use a tawa or griddle to cook it.

Snacks

• Dhokla: A savoury cake made from fermented rice and chickpea flour. Dhokla is steamed and popularly served at breakfast or as a tea-time snack. 
• Pani Puri: It has as many names as it has varieties. Popular across India, pani puri is a street food in which crispy, hollow puris are filled with a spiced potato and chickpea mix and served with tangy tamarind water. The spice level can be adjusted if making at home, but it’s usually on the spicier side when served on the streets. 
• Veg Momos: Steamed dumplings filled with a mix of vegetables, momos are a popular street food. Often served with a spicy sauce, momos are inherently vegan.

Condiments

• Cilantro Chutney: Made from grinding dhaniya with water and other spices, cilantro chutney is commonly found in Indian homes. It’s
• Pickles: India is the land of spicy and salty pickles made from a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, from raw mangoes and chillies to cauliflower, carrots, and more. 

Indian Food Substitutions To Ensure A Dish Is Vegan

Specific recipes for Indian food may include items that are not traditionally vegan. However, readily available alternatives exist. Keep this list and tips in mind when cooking: 

• Ghee/Butter: If a recipe calls for ghee or butter, use oil (vegetable, coconut, etc.) instead or vegan butter alternatives.
• Dairy: Milk and cream are often used to thicken curries. And yoghurt is a common side served with many Indian dishes. You can opt for plant-based alternatives like coconut milk and cashew cream for curries, and plant-based yoghurts as a side.  
• Paneer: Many Indian mains are paneer-based dishes. Tofu is a plant-based alternative that replicates the texture and mouthfeel of dairy products without using any dairy.

Familiar, Yet Vegan 

Veganism is a more conscious approach to diet and nutrition — one that does not treat animals as commodities. Its widespread adoption has led people to discover easy swaps and plant-based alternatives to most, if not all, animal products. But for the days when swaps feel like too much of an effort, it’s traditional Indian dishes to the rescue.