Delicious Vegan Indian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What Indian food is usually vegan? ›

Some vegan-friendly North Indian curries include chana masala (chickpea curry in a tomato sauce), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower in a ginger garlic turmeric sauce), baingan bharta (mashed eggplant), bhindi (okra), cabbage, and aloo matar (potatoes and peas in a spiced tomato sauce).

From lentils (dal) and chickpeas (chana) to vegetables like spinach (palak) and potatoes (aloo), Indian recipes celebrate the versatility and nutritional value of plant foods. These ingredients serve as the base for hearty stews, curries, and side dishes, making Indian cuisine a paradise for vegan eaters.

Some of the most widely enjoyed vegan foods are legumes, nuts and seeds, chickpeas, and black beans. Nuts and nut butters are packed with nutrients. Airheads, Cracker Jack, Cinnamon Life Cereal, Fritos, and Fruit By the Foot are also vegan foods that are widely enjoyed.

Indian cuisine

Most Indian vegetarian cuisine is vegan as long as you avoid ghee, butter, paneer and curd (yogurt). South Indian food has many vegan options (like dosa, idli, vada, rice dishes, sambhar, coconut chutney) but with North Indian food it's more difficult.

The two non-vegan ingredients used in many traditional Thai green curry recipes are shrimp paste (used in the curry paste) and fish sauce (used to flavor the curry).

Mallika Sherawat

This Bollywood actress chose to follow a vegan diet much before the food habit became famous in India. She has been adhering to this diet to stay in shape since she was named PETA's Hottest Vegan in 2011.

Is paneer vegan-friendly? No, traditionally paneer is not suitable for vegans as it's made from dairy-based milk – usually buffalo or cows.

India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.

What is the most unhealthy vegan food? ›

Mock meats and cheeses: These processed foods generally contain lots of additives. They also provide you with far fewer vitamins and minerals than whole, protein-rich plant foods like beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds. Some dairy-free milks: Sweetened dairy-free milks generally contain a good amount of added sugar.

For the reasons listed above, no, commercial ghee is not dairy-free and is definitely not vegan. However, there are vegan options in stores, just as vegan butter, vegan cheese, and vegan yogurt are available! And there are great recipes for making vegan ghee.

Common vegan-friendly North Indian curries are chana masala (chickpea curry in a ginger tomato garlic sauce), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower in a ginger garlic turmeric sauce), and aloo matar (potatoes and peas in a spiced tomato sauce). In South Indian cuisine, dal is a common dish.

An everyday meal in West India will consist of dry vegetable dishes known as sabzi or shaak, plain or flavored rice, thin flatbreads made with different grains called roti, phulka, or bhakri; and daal made from different lentils. All of these are generally vegan.

Vegan diet refers to excluding all the animal products from the diet plan, be it milk or milk products as well. The vegan diet focuses on plant-based foods and beverages and eliminates all products that involve animals in any processing. It includes mainly fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts.

South Indian dosas and idlis: Indulge in the beloved South Indian delicacies of dosas and idlis, which are naturally lactose-free. Dosas are thin, crispy fermented rice and lentil crepes often served with chutneys and sambhar, a flavorful lentil and vegetable stew.

A substantial majority of Indians express an interest in experimenting with a vegan diet. A recent national survey on the mood of the nation reports that Indians are overwhelmingly in favour of eating plant-based food.

Hindu scriptures promote a vegetarian dietary ideal based on the concept of ahimsa—non-violence and compassion towards all beings. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 44% of Hindus say they are vegetarian.