Top 20 Most Popular Indian Dishes & Recipes

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Most Popular Indian Dishes?

I am sure that everyone will have an opinion about which foods this list should contain. But here is my list of the top 20 most popular Indian food in the world. You will find traditional food recipes and well as some modern dishes with a modern twist. I welcome any and all feedback!

As a representative recipe, I have sometimes swerved to South India so that both North and South Indian cooking is highlighted. For example, my chickpea recipe is not technically chana masala, but it is a South Indian chickpea masala.

I do not have an Indian mother, auntie, or grandmother to walk me through family recipes. I do have—at last count—74 Indian cookbooks, and I follow 142 Indian food blogs and 75 video blogs. This immersion reinforces for me the reality that every Indian cook has their perfect recipe, though it will differ from their neighbor's version, and maybe even their mother's handwritten treasured favorite.

I bet you have your own idea of what a list like this should contain. I hope you will weigh in with your opinions.

Happy Cooking!

~ Alonna

Caveat: this list does not include basic dishes (rice, raita, chutneys, and bread) that can be found on most Indian tables. Ready?

The Top 20 Indian Dishes

Top 20 Dishes

Tandoori Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

With surprisingly little effort, you can make incredibly flavorful tandoori chicken. Grill or broil it into a juicy, golden brown star of the show. Healthy skinless, boneless chicken thighs spiced this way is a crowd-pleaser!

Indian-Spiced Kabab Recipe

This easy kabab recipe is endlessly comforting and customizable. Perfect in small bites with tea or supersize them into a "burger" and have a satisfying weeknight meal.

Indian Chicken Korma (Shahi Korma)

One of India’s classic masalas for a reason, chicken korma is creamy, aromatic from a heady mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and fennel. This is a perfect weekend cook to share with some lucky family and friends.

Fragrant Rogan Josh Curry

Show your family and friends how much you love them with this fragrant and generously spiced rogan josh curry. Use lamb, beef, or chicken as you wish.

Comforting Coconut Chickpea Curry

Hearty and soul-satisfying, coconut chickpea curry is perfect as a centerpiece to a light meal, or happy to play second fiddle to a more showy dinner star.

Coconut Lamb Curry (Madras Curry)

Fragrant with fennel, cinnamon, and cloves, and bathed in a creamy coconut, this coconut lamb curry is a lovely change from tomato-based curries. A perfect make-ahead South Indian dish when having company.

Palak Paneer ~ Homemade & Healthy

This bright green spinach curry is a favorite Indian recipe for good reason. Quick and easy enough for weeknight cooking, palak paneer will please even those spinach haters.

Goan Pork Vindaloo

Goan pork vindaloo is a fragrant curry, warmed by cardamom, cinnamon, cloves. Sweetened with sugar, tangy with vinegar, and heated up with both fresh and dried chilies. Truly a masala of your dreams.

Homemade Idli Recipe

Idlis are an irresistibly light, fluffy, and addictively spongy bites that takes to all sorts of gilding. This homemade idli recipe will give you a perfect snack at any time of the day.

Making Dosas at Home

A thin, crispy, and tangy dosa is the crepe of India. Make your own dosa at home or buy the batter to use for idli, uttapam, and gluten-free, healthy wraps for all sorts of fillings.

Roasted Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)

Smoky and enlivened with cumin, garlic and ginger, eggplant curry is comfort in a bowl. Serve as an appetizer with some flatbread and your guests will be so happy.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Instant pot butter chicken will be a welcome change from your usual weeknight chicken dinner. Plop the ingredients into your Instant Pot, turn it on and put your feet up with a cup of tea or a cocktail.

Chaat Recipe with Goldfish

This Goldfish chaat recipe results in a snack that's sweet and sour, soft and crunchy, and savory and spicy. It is easy to make and easy to crave, on all levels.

Easy, Enticing Chicken Biryani

This biryani tastes so good you will not begrudge it the extra steps it takes to produce this utterly delicious chicken and rice meal. The rice is so fluffy and aromatic, run through with herbs and spices, and the chicken gloriously tender.

Bengali Prawn Curry (Chingri Posto)

Bengali prawn curry has a quick, luscious creamy sauce, and a hit of mustard. A must weeknight meal that you can whip up at a moments notice using shrimp you have tucked up in the freezer.

Easy Peasy Weeknight Curry

This is the tempting, easy, basic curry recipe you’ve been looking for. So versatile that it can be vegetarian or not, North Indian, or a coconut milk enriched swing to Southern India.

Potato Pakora

Potato pakoras are enticing little bites that will brighten up any spot in your day. These onion and potato fritters are so easy and can be made and frozen for a rainy day.

Flaky Puff Pastry Samosas

Like potato chips, you can't stop with just one puff pastry samosa. Fill them with the traditional fillings of potato curry or keema, or something altogether different. You will love how puff pastry makes samosa making much more likely, and more often!

Potato Masala (Curry)

This aromatic potato masala can be a pizza topping, a sandwich filling, a potato salad, or a memorable side dish. What can't you do with this curry?

Coconut Fish Curry (Kerala Molee)

Simple, quick and full of flavor, start your weeknight meal with this coconut fish curry. Healthy to begin with, but if you avoid onions and garlic, there is a twist for you too!