Indian Vegan Recipes – We often associate vegan food with eating raw fruits and vegetables. However, there is a much greater variety in vegan cuisine than it initially seems. This holds even more true in Indian cuisine, where most dishes are inherently vegan or can be made so with simple substitutions.
What is a vegan?
Veganism is a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty be it for food, clothing or any other purpose.
Vegan recipes are a subclass of vegetarian food. Apart from the consumption of meat and fish excluded in vegetarian food, a vegan diet also excludes eating diary products, eggs etc.
Vegans avoid meat and animal agriculture products for many reasons.
- Foremost is because they believe in an animal’s freedom and equal right to life.
- Also many believe that a vegan diet improves health, prolongs life or helps to lose weight or lower disease risk.
- In addition to above many vegans believe that avoiding the consumption of animal products, will lead to a reduced environmental footprint.
What are some vegan dishes?
Indian cuisine consists of a wide variety of vegan dishes. Indian vegan recipes include a plethora of vegetable based curries, lentil dishes, flat breads like rotis & parathas etc, rice, salads & desserts. A majority of the recipes on this blog are in fact vegan.
Other cuisines also include a wide variety of vegan dishes like nachos with salsa and guacamole, veggie burgers, tomato onion capsicum pizzas, bean burritos, hummus veg wraps, veg sandwiches, vegan frito pie, vegetable hakka noodles, variety of soups etc. to name a few.
In general many vegan recipes lay emphasis on including a variety of whole grains as well as a wide range of fruits and vegetables from health point of view and vegan range of food is catching up with new recipes springing up fast.
Common vegan substitutes
Eating vegan food does not means munching only raw carrot sticks or salad. There are plenty of mouth watering dishes that can be made without use of any animal products.
While there are many delicious dishes which are inherently vegan, many other dishes can easily be made vegan by simple substitution of animal products with other items.
- Meat-based ingredients are generally swapped for plant based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, seitan, tempeh, jackfruit etc. in vegan recipes.
- Similarly dairy products may be replaced with plant milks like soya milk, almond milk etc.
- Eggs can be substituted by tofu, flaxseeds or chia seeds depending on the recipes.
- Honey can be substituted by molasses, maple syrup etc.
Vegan substitutes for Indian ingredients
While many Indian recipes are already vegan, most of the other vegetarian recipes can be made vegan with very simple substitutions. Here is a list of vegan substitutes for commonly used ingredients in Indian vegetarian recipes.
- Paneer – Paneer is a very important part of Indian vegetarian cuisine, and is used for making various gravies & appetizers. You can use tofu as a vegan substitute for paneer in most dishes.
- Cream – A lot of Indian curries call for addition of cream to add richness to the gravy. Cashew cream is the best vegan substitute for cream. It can be made by soaking cashews in warm water and blending into a smooth paste. In some recipes, coconut cream can also be used, however that will slightly change the taste of the dish.
- Milk and yogurt – Milk can be easily replaced with soy milk or almond milk. Similarly any non-dairy yogurt made from soy, almond or coconut milk can be used in recipes.
- Ghee & butter – Butter & ghee can be replaced with vegetable oils, shortenings, vegan margarines or oil based butters.
Suggested recipe collections :
- Indian Curry Recipes | List of 32 Indian Vegetarian Gravies
- Indian Sabzi Recipes | 20 Dry Vegetables | Sookhi Sabji
- Rice Recipes | List of 19 Veg Rice Recipes
List of Indian Vegan Recipes
Here we cover some of the popular Indian vegan recipes, including a variety of delicious snacks, curries, rice, breads, salads and desserts. The post is divided in sections based on the type of dish.
Jump to section : Snacks | Dal & Curries | Rice | Indian Breads | Sides & Accompaniments | Desserts
Indian Vegan Snacks Recipes

Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka
See Recipe

Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings Recipe
See Recipe

Hummus Recipe | Chickpea Hummus With Tahini
See Recipe

Veg Fried Momos Recipe
See Recipe

Veg Momos Recipe
See Recipe

Onion Pakoda Recipe | Pyaz Ka Pakora
See Recipe

Palak Pakoda Recipe | Spinach Pakora
See Recipe

Aloo Chaat Recipe | Delhi Wali Aloo Chat
See Recipe

Vegetable Masala Maggi Recipe | Masala Maggi Noodles
See Recipe

Besan Cheela Recipe
See Recipe

Veg Chow Mein Recipe | Indian Chinese Style Chowmein
See Recipe

Methi Cheela Recipe | Besan Aur Methi Ka Cheela
See Recipe

Indori Poha Recipe
See Recipe

Corn Cutlet Recipe | Corn Kebab | Corn & Potato Cutlets
See Recipe

Hara Bhara Kabab Recipe | Spinach & Potato Cutlet
See Recipe

Gobi 65 Recipe | Cauliflower 65
See Recipe

Veggie Burger Recipe | Veg Aloo Tikki Burger
See Recipe

Bhel Puri Recipe | Mumbai Bhel Puri
See Recipe

Baby Corn Manchurian Dry Recipe (Indo-Chinese Recipe)
See Recipe

Bread Upma Recipe
See Recipe

Medu Vada Recipe | Sambar Vada
See Recipe

Rava Upma Recipe | Suji Upma
See Recipe

Tomato Cucumber Sandwich Recipe
See Recipe

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe | Sago Khichdi
See Recipe

Sabudana Vada Recipe | Crispy Sago Fritters
See Recipe

Bread Rolls Recipe | Stuffed Potato Bread Rolls
See Recipe

Samosa Recipe | Spicy Potato Samosa
See Recipe

Fried Idli Recipe | Masala Idli Fry | Leftover Idli Recipe
See Recipe

Besan Toast Recipe | Spicy Chickpea Flour & Bread Toast
See Recipe

Vada Pav Recipe | Mumbai Style Pav & Batata Vada
See Recipe

Makki Ka Dhokla Recipe | Steamed Savory Corn Cake
See Recipe

Idli Manchurian Recipe | Leftover Idli Recipes
See Recipe

Semiya Upma Recipe | Vermicelli Upma
See Recipe

Kachori Recipe | Kota Kachori | Urad Dal Kachori
See Recipe

Aloo Poha Recipe | Kanda Batata Poha | Potato Poha
See Recipe

Aloo Bread Pakora Recipe | Bread Pakora with Stuffed Potato
See Recipe

Batata Vada Recipe
See Recipe

Pav Bhaji Recipe
See Recipe

Veg Spring Rolls Recipe
See Recipe

Samosa Pinwheels | Aloo Bhakarwadi | Spiced Potato Pinwheels
See Recipe

Tomato & Basil Bruschetta Recipe
See Recipe

Potato Wedges Recipe | Oven Baked Potato Wedges
See Recipe

Gobi Manchurian Recipe | Dry Cauliflower Manchurian
See Recipe

Fruit Chaat Recipe | Sweet & Spicy Fruit Salad
See Recipe

Singhare Ke Pakore Recipe
See Recipe

Poha Recipe
See Recipe

Bread Poha Recipe | Bread Chivda
See Recipe

Veg Hakka Noodles Recipe
See Recipe

Veg Manchurian Recipe | Dry Mixed Vegetable Manchurian
See Recipe

Street Style Maggi Noodles Recipe
See Recipe

Quick Bhel Puri Recipe using Tomato Ketchup
See Recipe
Indian Vegan Curries & Dal (Lentil Dishes)

Baingan Bharta Recipe | Roasted Eggplant Mash
See Recipe

Kung Pao Tofu Recipe
See Recipe

Arbi Ki Sabji Recipe | Sookhi Arbi Masala Sabzi
See Recipe

Veg Kadai Recipe | Kadai Vegetable Sabzi
See Recipe

Moong Dal Recipe | Moong Dal Tadka
See Recipe

Gajar Matar Recipe | Carrot & Peas Curry
See Recipe

Panchmel Dal Recipe | Rajasthani Pancharatna Dal
See Recipe

Chane Ka Khatta Recipe | Himachali Khatta
See Recipe

Vegetarian Thai Green Curry Recipe
See Recipe

Aloo Patta Gobhi Recipe | Cabbage Potato Stir Fry
See Recipe

Gajar ki Sabji Recipe | Carrot Stir Fry
See Recipe

Annakoot Ki Sabzi Recipe | Mixed Veg for Govardhan Puja
See Recipe

Aloo Bhindi Recipe | Stir Fried Okra & Potato
See Recipe

Palak Corn Recipe | Spinach & Corn Curry
See Recipe

Aloo Palak Gravy Recipe | Potato & Spinach Curry
See Recipe

Sabut Masoor Dal Recipe | Whole Masoor Dal
See Recipe

Sorakkai Sambar Recipe | Lauki Sambar | Bottle Gourd Sambar
See Recipe

Aloo Beans Recipe | Potato & French Beans
See Recipe

Dal Fry Recipe | Restaurant Style Dal Fry
See Recipe

Kurkuri Bhindi Recipe | Fried Bhindi | Crispy Okra
See Recipe

Palak Matar Recipe | Spinach and Green Peas Curry
See Recipe

Aloo Choliya Recipe | Aloo Hara Chana Sabzi
See Recipe

Sookhe Kale Chane Recipe | Dry Black Chickpeas Curry
See Recipe

Dal Tadka Recipe | Punjabi Yellow Dal with Tadka
See Recipe

Aloo Capsicum Recipe | Stir Fried Potato & Capsicum
See Recipe

Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabzi Recipe | Potato & Tomato Curry
See Recipe

Bhindi Ki Sabzi Recipe | Stir Fried Okra Curry
See Recipe

Kala Chana Masala Recipe | Black Chickpea Curry
See Recipe

Bhindi Do Pyaza Recipe | Okra and Onion Curry
See Recipe

Aloo Gobi Methi Tuk Recipe | Potato Cauliflower & Fenugreek Curry
See Recipe

Lobia Masala Recipe | Black Eyed Peas Curry
See Recipe

Bharwa Bhindi Recipe | Stuffed Okra
See Recipe

Chole Recipe | Punjabi Chana Masala
See Recipe

Aloo Gobi Recipe | Cauliflower & Potato Curry
See Recipe

Brinjal Sambar Recipe | Kathirikai Sambar
See Recipe

Bhindi Masala Recipe | Okra in Onion Tomato Curr
See Recipe

Tindora Fry Recipe | Fried Tendli | Ivy Gourd
See Recipe

Besan Mirch Recipe | Rajasthani Besan Ki Mirchi Recipe
See Recipe

Aloo Methi Recipe | Potatoes with Fenugreek Leaves
See Recipe

Rajma Masala Recipe | Rajma Chawal
See Recipe

Dal Palak Recipe | Spinach & Lentil Stew
See Recipe
Vegan Rice Recipes

Peas Pulao Recipe | Matar Pulao
See Recipe

Vegan Thai Basil Fried Rice Recipe
See Recipe

Tamarind Rice Recipe | Pulihora Recipe | Puliyogare
See Recipe

Tomato Rice Recipe | Thakkali Sadam
See Recipe

Schezwan Fried Rice Recipe
See Recipe

Palak Pulao Recipe | Spinach Rice | Palak Rice
See Recipe

Lemon Rice Recipe | South Indian Lemon Flavored Rice
See Recipe

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe
See Recipe

Jeera Rice Recipe | Cumin Rice
See Recipe

Veg Pulao Recipe | Vegetable Pilaf
See Recipe

Veg Biryani Recipe | Hyderabadi Veg Dum Biryani
See Recipe

Tawa Pulao Recipe | Mumbai Tawa Pulao
See Recipe

Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe
See Recipe

Veg Fried Rice Recipe
See Recipe
Vegan Indian Breads

Methi Paratha Recipe | Methi Ka Paratha
See Recipe

Palak Paratha Recipe | Spinach Paratha
See Recipe

Gobi Paratha Recipe | Cauliflower Stuffed Paratha
See Recipe

Mooli Paratha Recipe | Spiced Radish Flatbread
See Recipe

Makki Mooli Methi Paratha Recipe
See Recipe

Palak Puri Recipe | Spinach Puri
See Recipe
Vegan Accompaniments – Salads, Chutneys, Dips & Pickles

Mexican Salad Recipe
See Recipe

Hummus Recipe | Chickpea Hummus With Tahini
See Recipe

Mint Coriander Chutney Recipe
See Recipe

Tomato Garlic Chutney Recipe | Rajasthani Lahsun Ki Chutney
See Recipe

Tomato Spinach Soup Recipe | Tamatar Palak Ka Soup
See Recipe

Mango Salsa Recipe
See Recipe

Ker Sangri Achaar Recipe | Ker Sangri Pickle
See Recipe

Kachumber Salad Recipe | Onion Tomato Cucumber Salad
See Recipe

Sprouted Moong Dal Salad Recipe
See Recipe

Coriander Tomato Chutney Recipe | Green Chutney
See Recipe

Mango Pickle Recipe | Aam Ka Achar
See Recipe

Mooli Ki Churi Recipe | Grated Radish & Tomato Salad
See Recipe

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe
See Recipe

Homemade Tomato Pizza Sauce Recipe
See Recipe

Tamarind Chutney Recipe | Imli ki Chutney
See Recipe

Fruit Chaat Recipe | Sweet & Spicy Fruit Salad
See Recipe

Guacamole Dip Recipe
See Recipe

Salsa Verde Recipe | Green Tomatillo Salsa
See Recipe

Pico De Gallo Recipe | Fresh Tomato Salsa
See Recipe

Tomato Salsa Recipe | Salsa Roja Asada
See Recipe

Dates Pickle Recipe | Khajur Ka Achar
See Recipe

Carrot Pickle Recipe | Gajar Ka Achar Recipe
See Recipe

Dry Garlic Chutney Recipe | Vada Pav Chutney
See Recipe
Vegan Desserts

Kaju Katli Recipe | Kaju Barfi
See Recipe

Malpua Recipe | Easy Homemade Malpua
See Recipe

Aamras Recipe | Sweet Pureed Mangoes
See Recipe
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